Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return: 16. The Startled Disciples

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Quiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return: 16. The Startled Disciples



TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 16. The Startled Disciples

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The Startled Disciples

We turn now to the Book of Acts, and to the Epistles, most of which belong chronologically within the leaves of the Acts. It helps much in reading Paul's letters to have them fitted into the places in his journeys where they were written. It may help some of us, to jot down here the places in the Acts where they fit in.

I Thessalonians fits in at Act_18:5, and II Thessalonians in at verse eleven of that chapter. Professor Ramsey, of Aberdeen, the best recent authority on the subject, fits Galatians in at chapter Act_18:22, though for a long time some of us had it marked in at chapter Act_20:2 and Act_20:3, as written from Corinth. I Corinthians fits in at Act_19:10, probably written toward the close of the stay at Ephesus. II Corinthians comes in at Act_20:1-2; and Romans probably at Act_20:3. Then there is the prison group, written while Paul was a prisoner at Rome, but in his own hired house. Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians would thus fit in at the abrupt ending of the Book, i.e., Act_28:30-31. I Timothy and Titus are written after his release, and II Timothy during his second imprisonment, while he is waiting for his forced exit into the glory of the Master's presence.

It is of intensest interest to turn from the Gospels to the Book of Acts. In the Gospels there is a most urgent note in the Master's tone to the inner circle to be ready for His return. In the Acts there is the intensest activity in preaching Christ to all peoples regardless of difficulties and opposition. It needed a special touch to make it so. These men were gazing intently up into the sky, when they are reminded of Jesus' return, and so apparently of the part they are to play in the interval. Of course it was the coming of the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal power that made all the difference in these men. It is of peculiar interest to note that under the Holy Spirit's guidance, these men, who had received such earnest teaching about Jesus' speedy return, are absorbed in taking the Gospel of His death and rising again everywhere. Watching meant witnessing while watching. We shall find that they never lost the expectant note about His speedy return in the midst of their most strenuous witnessing.

There are four passages in the Book of Acts that speak of our Lord's return. The first is a bit of instruction from our Lord Himself. [Note: Act_1:6-11.] He is talking with the little inner group of disciples, or apostles, the "sent-ones." They are thinking, without much thinking, that perhaps His presence with them now is the Coming again of which He had spoken. He has been away; now He is back. Maybe now He will set up the Kingdom. The Kingdom was their one thought in connection with His coming. It is both striking and instructive that He does not answer their questions about the time when the Kingdom is to be restored, but instead turns their thought to what they are to be doing while waiting for the Kingdom time to come. They are not to be absorbed in counting, but in witnessing.

We will all do well to sit at the Master's feet here. There's such a temptation to ask questions, that would better be "laid upon the table" for some future time, and to be figuring up dates and probabilities, whereas the one thing to be doing is to be witnessing, lovingly and clearly, about our Lord Jesus, His love, His death for us, and His present power to help us; and holding all we are and have for this blessed witnessing, to those at home, to our Samaritan neighbours whom we don't like, and out to the farthest reach of the globe. Those men never forgot that word. It became the controlling word of all their lives. It was the last they heard from the lips they loved so dearly.

They were standing grouped about Him on Olivet's top while talking. Then they are startled at a wholly unexpected occurrence. His feet are off the ground! now they are higher! up and up He goes, probably smiling quietly in their eyes as He goes, and now a cloud—not a black rain-cloud, a bright glory-cloud—sweeps gently down out of the blue, and conceals His dear form, and they see Him no more. His task on the earth for the present being done, He yields to the law of spirit-gravitation upward, and rises toward the true centre of His life. They stare upwards after Him with eyes bulging and mouths open. Maybe they hope to get another glimpse. Certainly they are startled by such an unexpected occurrence.

Then two messengers in white appear, messengers from the upper home world whither He has gone; they are not called angels, but "men." They ask them why they stand looking up; there is great work left in this world to do. Then they make the simple unmistakable announcement that this Jesus, whom they had just plainly seen rise up into the clouds, would some day be seen coming out of the clouds in just the same way. At once they remember the Master's teaching that they are to wait for power, and then go out witnessing. And immediately they go off to do as they are bid. "Waiting" means obeying His Word while waiting and watching.