The disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit when they came with this earthly, political question to Jesus, where they were still thinking of their Jewish patriotism, and their position in Jerusalem. They imagined that the King Christ who was raised from the dead would reign in glory and majesty, and rule from there the whole peoples. The astonishing thing is that Christ did not reject this question at all, but confirmed the divine kingdom to come without any doubt. However he clarified to his apostles that this heavenly kingdom would not be set up according to their human imaginations, and in their present time.
God has a special planning. He saw the history of the peoples before him from eternity, and gave every tribe and nation a time for sincere repentance, and living faith. He also defined the time of his patience. But this defined course of history does not stand before us as a destructive fate and a fearful divine decree, for we are aware that our Father defined the course of the written times, and we know that his love did, and does good to the world. Because his love is a possessor of times, we fear nothing. Our Father is the Ruler, and the true Authority. All revolutionary Acts. and gathering of weapons are ineffective and cannot change the carrying out of his plan, for his kingdom will come not only spiritually and esoterically, but apparently, gloriously, and mightily. This authority of God is built on love and truth, and not on indifference and injustice. He who knows God as Father rejoices at the future.
Christ erased all the political thoughts from his disciples’ minds, and prepared his followers for the substantial Promise of the Father, calling its fulfillment “receiving of power.” Did you realize that you are weak, and that you will die like all men, for you are a foolish, ugly, wicked mortal compared with God’s glory, holiness, and wisdom? His power does not descend on a natural man, and you cannot reform yourself by yourself, for you are weak like all men and a slave of sin. Christ’s first work for setting up his hidden kingdom is to give power to his followers. The Greek word for power means, “dynamite.” The power of God explodes our stony hearts, puts in us merciful hearts, and overcomes our hard minds that we may think of the things of God. God’s heavenly gift to those who believe in Christ is his particular power with which he created the worlds, which is apparent in Jesus.
Did you receive the power of God, or are you still dead in sin? Do you live in the love of the Father, and can you do all things through him who had saved you? His strength is made perfect in you weakness, and the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
The power of God is not a mystery. It is the Holy Power himself, who is from everlasting to everlasting, one of the three Persons in the one God, who is worthy of our worship and commitment. We worship to this divine Spirit with all joy and gratitude, and glorify this light of the Father and of the Son, for he truly dwelt in us poor ones, confirmed to us our salvation in Christ, and opened our inner eyes to the reality of God. He is our heavenly Father. No natural man has this divine essence spontaneously in himself, but it comes from out of our world, and enlightens those who love Christ, filling them with his life, his love, and his peace.
No one can call Christ “Lord” except him who is guided by the Spirit of the truth, who establishes in us the true faith. The Spirit of the Son opens our mouths, and teaches us to speak the heavenly language. He encourages us to say: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Did you become open to this good Spirit? He is present and is determined to fill you.
The Holy Spirit enabled the unable apostles to realize Christ in his divinity. He established faith in them, led them to testify his truth with their words, and empowered them to do his will with humility. The Holy Spirit makes us witnesses to Christ. It is not necessary for us to bring out our own renewal, and strut in our second birth, but to point to our Savior and Renewer, confess our corruption, testify of Jesus’ power to forgive us our sins, indicate to all men that he who was born of the Holy Spirit is the true Son of God who sanctified us by his blood and empowers us with his Spirit, teach and believe that the Lord Jesus changes many today with the Spirit of his gospel, drives out evil spirits from them by his word, and builds his kingdom with broken hearts. It is to be mentioned that the Arabic shahid stands for both “witness” and “martyr”. Let us not be surprised if the spirit of this world rose against us, since it had already crucified our Lord.
The rise of the Spirit of God began in Jerusalem. It ran as fire through Judea, reached Samaria, advanced to Antioch, and covered Asia Minor. At the same time, it spread out to North Africa, Ethiopia, and Iraq, entered Greece, and conquered the capital Rome. Luke, the evangelist recognized the course of the fire of the love of God, and recorded it in his book. Now, we put, in the name of God, the torch of the gospel in your hand, and say to you: “Enlighten your surroundings with the love of the Son of God, for you are the light of the world. But examine yourself first: did you receive the power of God? Does the Holy Spirit dwell in you? Otherwise, wait for the Promise of the Father, and ask for it prayerfully in the gospel, where you will find it placed and open before you.