MPC, 8th February 2004.Acts 1, 2, 7 - "Who's the Boss?"
Phil Campbell MPC, 8th February 2004.
It was meant to be a routine flight. In September 2000, a small plane left Perth to fly seven workers to a mine 800 kilometres away at Leonara. About half an hour after take off, the plane began to rise higher than expected. An air traffic controller radioed the pilot to ask what was wrong.
There was no response. Instead of landing at Leonara, the plane kept flying silently across the centre of Australia. With no radio contact. Other planes radioed as well. Who's in control? Is anyone in the cockpit? And the plane just kept flying. In a straight line. Across Australia.
Five hours later, when the plane ran out of fuel, it crashed near Burketown in Far North Queensland, killing all eight on board.
It turned out that the cabin had been depressurised soon after take off. And the pilot and everyone else on board were unconscious. And just as it seemed, there was nobody in control. At all. And the flight was doomed from the start.
Now I wonder if you've ever felt life was a bit like that?
Sometimes, you wonder if anyone's actually at the controls. If behind the scenes, there's anyone steering? Or if in the end, we're just on autopilot. Heading for disaster.
Maybe the first Christians felt the same. They're committed to following Jesus. They've put their trust in his death and resurrection. And yet instead of things going well for them, things seem to go from bad to worse.
As they're persecuted from every direction. And hated, and vilified and rejected. Simply because they love righteousness. And they love the Lord Jesus. And as the hail of stones crashes around you, you'd be wondering, I guess... is there really a flight plan behind all this? Is there anyone in control? Or is it all just a terrible mistake?
Over these next couple of months we'll be looking at the book of Revelation. Which addresses exactly those questions. And unveils the flightplan.
But today in preparation for that, I want to take a quick visit to the book of Acts, to set the scene.
Because the reality is, the book of Revelation is a part of the bible set firmly in history. A situation soon after the history recorded in the book of Acts. And in Acts there's some useful background.
We're going to meet Stephen. The first of a long line of Christian Martyrs. But before we meet Stephen, we're going to meet the one who's in control.
And on that note, it's interesting to see how the book of Acts opens.
It's written by Luke. In a sense, part 2 of Luke's Gospel. And he says this. He says, "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven."
If you want to know who's in charge, if you want to know who's in the control room; Jesus is there. Because he's been taken up to heaven. Where he's alive and well and very much active.
And so the book of Acts is going to pick up the story. And tell about the things that the risen Jesus continues to do. Now he has been taken into heaven.
Luke gives a recap from verse 3. After his suffering, he says Jesus showed himself to these men, the apostles he's chosen. And gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. There's no doubt, says Luke, that the Jesus who died, came back.
He says he appeared to them over a period of forty days, and spoke about the kingdom of God.
And then this. An incredible event that brings the start of a whole new era.
Can I remind you at this point, of Daniel chapter 7; one of the key chapters in the Old Testament. The passage Jesus is thinking of, every time he calls himself the son of man.
A vision. Where Daniel, an Israelite in Exile, sees a whole new era. Where he says "one like a son of man" is coming down the red carpet for his coronation.
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Now notice where he's coming to. And this is where people sometimes get confused. The son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. Coming toward the throne of the ancient of days. To be crowned as king, of all the nations.
What Daniel saw in his dreams, the apostles are about to watch in reality.
Verse 9. Where after telling the disciples to wait for the Spirit to come, Luke says in verse 9, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
And an angel speaks. Confirming what's happened. Verse 11. Except I want to suggest there's another way verse 11 could be translated. It's just an idea. And you can take it or leave it. But I'm not sure when you read verse 11 that the angel is talking about the return of Jesus to earth. As much as he is the arriving of Jesus in heaven. Now messing around with Greek Translations is not something I recommend; but the trick is, in English we've got the two perfectly good words coming, and going. Which have a direction attached. Towards me is coming, away from me is going. Whereas the Greek word in the last bit of verse 11 is a much more general purpose word that means travelling from one place to another. Or putting in an appearance.
So here's the thought. I wonder if the angel is actually saying this. This same Jesus you've seen taken up in the clouds... in the same way he's going to arrive before the father in Heaven. In the same way you've seen him go into the clouds... he's going to walk down the red carpet. And receive his crown. And he's going to rule... with the ancient of days.
Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will make his appearance in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
They haven't actually seen him arrive there. They've only seen him go. But that's the guarantee. That Jesus from that point on has fulfilled the words of Daniel. And is going to rule with the Ancient of Days. Where he's going to stay, according to Acts 3:21 until the time comes from everything to be restored. Flip over and see it. Peter speaking. And he says, "He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets."
But that's the message. Jesus rules. There is someone on the heavenly throne, and it's Jesus the Christ. Which as we're going to see, is the essence of what the apostles are going to go out and preach to a hostile world. I mean, how pleased do you think the Roman Caesar is going to be when they start putting word around. And refuse to bow down to his statue, because they worship someone bigger than him. Imagine having the gall, and it's exactly what these apostles are going to do, to bowl in to the local governor and say, listen, you're not such a big shot. you need to bow to Jesus as well.
Now you'll see that if you read through Acts over and over again in the preaching of the Apostles. Who don't just say Jesus died for our sins. Or that Jesus rose again. But that he rules as well.
Acts 2:32. Peter's first big speaking engagement. Peter says, God has raised this Jesus to life. And we are all witnesses of this fact. And follow along. Exalted to the right hand of God, verse 33, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David didn't ascend to heaven, and yet he said, the Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool to your feet."
And Peter says, that's Jesus. There he is. He's sitting right next to God. Where God says, "here, sit down beside me. Have a cool drink. While I pull up a footstool for you." Your enemies.
Which maybe isn't exactly how it looks right now.
Especially if you're a Christian facing persecution.
In Egypt last October, Mohammed Korday and his wife were arrested because they wanted to change their names. They'd become Christians. And wanted to use Christian names instead of their Muslim names.
Apparently in Egypt, which has a 10 percent Coptic Christian minority group, Christian citizens are free to convert to Islam and adopt Muslim names and change their official religious identity. But it doesn't work the other way around.
The Kordy's were hung by the arms and beaten; and then detained for questioning for four days. Before finally being released on bail.
Which is the sort of story repeated countless times all around the world.
You'd have to ask, wouldn't you, spending the night in your Cairo jail cell hanging by the chains on your arms, is Jesus really on the throne?
Which must have gone through Stephen's mind as well. As he's facing a hail of stones from a bunch of furious Jews. They've accused him of speaking against the temple and the law. He's told them they need to repent. And they're gnashing their teeth ready to kill him.
But pick up in Acts 7 verse 54. And notice what happens. Notice, especially, where Jesus is.
When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
At this they cover their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rush at him, and they drag him out of the city and start to stone him. And while the crowd's laying their clothes at the feet of a young guy named Saul, Stephen is praying... Lord Jesus... receive my Spirit.
And he falls to his knees praying for their forgiveness. As he dies. Confident in the knowledge that the Lord Jesus is in fact at the right hand of God. Because he's just seen him there. Confident in the knowledge that no matter what happens, the Lord Jesus is ready to receive his spirit. And say welcome home.
And so he faces the end with nothing to fear.
You know, my well meaning father in law, who's a Godly man, often says to people in hard and perplexing times, never mind, the lord Jesus is still on his throne.
Which overall, is a good thing to be reminded of. Even if sometimes it comes across as being a little bit glib and insensitive.
But the point is, even if the going is tough, it's true. And if you bring it to mind it's a great reassurance. That no matter what we go through, the plane's not on autopilot at all. That there actually is someone at the controls. With our best interests at heart. Who's going to bring us safely home.
And as we come to the Book of Revelation, we're going to see that's the message over and over again. People have said to me, Revelation such a difficult book. Which in some ways it is.
But we're going to see it's a vision very much like the vision Stephen had... as he's about to be pounded to death as the first Christian martyr.
The years that followed there were plenty more like him. Under the Rule of Nero. Famous for dipping Christians in oil and setting them alight in his gardens. Or literally throwing them to lions in the arena.
At which point you're saying, I really wonder if we're on course here? Or if there's been some mistake? I wonder if Jesus really is on the throne? Whether God's got things under control? Or not?
John's vision in Revelation is like Stephen's vision here. And we're going to see it's saying Jesus has died for your sins. Jesus has risen from the dead. And Jesus is ruling with the father. Where he's ready to welcome you home. Which is in the end a great reason to keep going. And to persevere.
It's an interesting twist. As I was reading about the Kordy family in Egypt who were beaten because they'd become Christians and they wanted to change their names; the article mentioned a statement that's been released by another group of Egyptian Christians... saying how pleased they are that they're the lucky ones. They say, at least we Christians have got the freedom to convert to become Muslims. They said, it's actually the Muslims who are being persecuted; because, says the statement, "they are not enjoying that same right!" And they're not free to convert to become Christians.
If you're not going to be here for our series on the book of Revelation, let me give it to you in a nutshell. Jesus rules. At the right hand of the Father. Which doesn't mean everything will go smoothly for you. And doesn't mean he rules unopposed. But from next week we're going to see in a very vivid way that he's always worthy of worship. Because the ultimate victory is guaranteed. Which makes Revelation a book to look forward to. Full of great encouragement. With a spectacular ending. I hope you'll stick with it.