<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><br>Acts 1;6-8a<div><br></div><div><b>6. &nbsp;So when they came together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”</b></div><div><b>7. &nbsp;He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.</b></div><div><b>8a. &nbsp;But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Their question concerning, <i>“restore the kingdom to Israel” </i>&nbsp;reveals how incomplete was their understanding of all that God had done and would continue to do in and through his Church.</div><div><br></div><div>Their question shows us that the disciples were still very much preoccupied with earthly politics. &nbsp;In order for the kingdom to be restored to Israel in the sense that they intended, the empire of Rome must disintegrate. &nbsp; They were still looking for an earthly king who would rule from an earthly throne.</div><div><br></div><div>The true kingdom is already come into us as we believe in Jesus. &nbsp;The rule of Christ by Word and Spirit in our hearts and&nbsp;minds, require that they be <i>“renewed” &nbsp;</i>in Christ by Word, Spirit, and suffering.. &nbsp;This is the ongoing&nbsp;transforming work of God in each one of us. &nbsp; The actual&nbsp;rule of the kingdom in each one of us depends upon our subjective sanctification. &nbsp;How warm we become depends on how close to the ‘fire’ of God’s will we are willing to be near. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Spiritual growth into Christ depends on how much of ourselves we allow the Lord to have. &nbsp;How completely we allow the Holy Spirit to inspire the prayer, <i>“Thy will be done”</i>&nbsp;and mean it.</div><div><br></div><div>Their question is so ignorant and void of insight, yet, Jesus with unbelievable patience simply redirects them to the true spiritual power coming upon them through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.</div><div><br></div><div>I find it comforting that Jesus answers the disciples as God’s dear children, children not ready yet to carry weighty truth. &nbsp;He is basically saying what all parents must at times say, “You will understand when you are older.”</div><div><br></div><div>C.S. Lewis writes in his book “Mere Christianity”,&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>(God says to us). “Give me all of you!!! &nbsp;I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! &nbsp;ALL OF YOU!! &nbsp;I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! &nbsp;No half measures will do. &nbsp;I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there, rather I want the whole tree out! &nbsp;Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. &nbsp;Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make you a new self—-in my image. &nbsp;Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. &nbsp;My will, shall become your will. &nbsp;My heart, shall become your heart.”</div><div><br></div><div>Of course, Lewis&nbsp;is speaking of the “new-man”, the old-nature (our worst enemy) is allowed to cling to us as an opponent for us to learn to battle and deny. &nbsp; The old-man is not to be negotiated with or compromised with. &nbsp;He is not and will never be our friend. &nbsp;The great danger for Christians is that we only want to partially belong to God, not entirely. &nbsp;Being a <i>“living sacrifice”</i>&nbsp;is the only place&nbsp;where we fully&nbsp;find the peace and the joy of Jesus. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>When people ask me, “How are you?” &nbsp;I now answer, “Living by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit&nbsp;in my baptismal death!” &nbsp;That, is&nbsp;‘restored kingdom’ living.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div><br></div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”</div><div><br></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Acts 1;6-8a
6.  So when they came together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”7.  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.8a.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
Their question concerning, “restore the kingdom to Israel”  reveals how incomplete was their understanding of all that God had done and would continue to do in and through his Church.
Their question shows us that the disciples were still very much preoccupied with earthly politics.  In order for the kingdom to be restored to Israel in the sense that they intended, the empire of Rome must disintegrate.   They were still looking for an earthly king who would rule from an earthly throne.
The true kingdom is already come into us as we believe in Jesus.  The rule of Christ by Word and Spirit in our hearts and minds, require that they be “renewed”  in Christ by Word, Spirit, and suffering..  This is the ongoing transforming work of God in each one of us.   The actual rule of the kingdom in each one of us depends upon our subjective sanctification.  How warm we become depends on how close to the ‘fire’ of God’s will we are willing to be near.  
Spiritual growth into Christ depends on how much of ourselves we allow the Lord to have.  How completely we allow the Holy Spirit to inspire the prayer, “Thy will be done” and mean it.
Their question is so ignorant and void of insight, yet, Jesus with unbelievable patience simply redirects them to the true spiritual power coming upon them through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
I find it comforting that Jesus answers the disciples as God’s dear children, children not ready yet to carry weighty truth.  He is basically saying what all parents must at times say, “You will understand when you are older.”
C.S. Lewis writes in his book “Mere Christianity”, 
(God says to us). “Give me all of you!!!  I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!!  ALL OF YOU!!  I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT!  No half measures will do.  I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there, rather I want the whole tree out!  Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams.  Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make you a new self—-in my image.  Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself.  My will, shall become your will.  My heart, shall become your heart.”
Of course, Lewis is speaking of the “new-man”, the old-nature (our worst enemy) is allowed to cling to us as an opponent for us to learn to battle and deny.   The old-man is not to be negotiated with or compromised with.  He is not and will never be our friend.  The great danger for Christians is that we only want to partially belong to God, not entirely.  Being a “living sacrifice” is the only place where we fully find the peace and the joy of Jesus.  
When people ask me, “How are you?”  I now answer, “Living by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit in my baptismal death!”  That, is ‘restored kingdom’ living.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor
“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”


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