| Gaze with the
faithful as they watch their beloved Leader’s triumphal entry
back into heaven. Follow along with them as they head back to
Jerusalem, into the upper room to await the promised
Comforter.
As the disciples, who had watched
Christ’s triumphal entry into Heaven stand with their eyes
upward, the two angels who had accompanied Christ appear to
them: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand
ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have
seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11
One by one the disciples lower their eyes
to the earth. Their Lord is gone from them. Pensively they
leave the mount of Olivet and head back to Jerusalem. They go
directly to the Upper Room as Jesus had instructed them to do.
They would wait and pray until the promised Comforter comes to
them.
Jesus’ admonition to His disciples was that they were to
remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit, whom John the
Baptist had foretold should baptize them, giving them the
power to carry out His commission: Mark
16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Assembled together in the upper room are Peter, James,
John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James and
Judas the sons of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes. And with them
are the faithful women, Mary Magdalene, the other Mary,
Salome, Cleopas’ wife, as well as Mary, the mother of Jesus,
and Jesus’ brothers. All in all, about one hundred and twenty
men and women are assembled, with a united purpose. Here they
all wait, praying, expecting and thinking, and worshipping
daily in the temple…. They await the promised Comforter.
Bold Peter remembers: As Peter kneels before God,
praying and waiting, he recalls a time he would rather forget.
It was on that crucial day of Jesus’ trial: “I don’t
care if everyone leaves You, I will not. You can count on me!”
Oh how those words stung in his mind just now. Not an
hour after this bold declaration, he crumbled under the
accusation of a maiden girl who pointed him out as one of
Jesus’ followers. His face burns now at the memory… How could
Jesus have chosen him to be among those who are now waiting,
expecting the promised Comforter? But then, in a flash, comes
another scene: Peter remembers the rooster’s crow, and
Jesus’ look. It was not a look of accusation, or of anger,
only of grief, and love, and pity. Peter remembers the
words of Jesus: “Simon, Simon, behold
Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as
wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
And now he remembers another scene. He
remembers the tears of repentance he cried that night in the
Garden of Gethsemane. He remembers the feeling, like a river
flowing with pure sweet water, the feeling of peace. No
longer is he Simon the coward. He is Peter the rock. And
in reverence now, he lies prostrate before God, waiting and
praying for the promised Comforter.
Thomas, the Doubter recalls: Oh if only he could
erase those words from the records, from his mind!
“Unless I see for myself the scars of the nails in His
hands, and put my finger into those prints, I will not
believe.” How could he not have believed that his Lord
had arisen? Would he ever be able to erase the permanent
title: “Doubting Thomas?” But now, as he bows before
the Lord in this Upper Room, he recalls a happier scene:
Instead of putting his fingers into Christ’s scars, when he
saw Him there--in this same room days before—Thomas had thrown
himself at Christ’s feet. Tears had washed away all his doubt.
“My Lord, and My God!” he had exclaimed. He
would serve His living Lord for the remainder of his life.
Yes. He would even die for Him if he was called upon to do so.
His mind is brought back to the reason he is here. He is
waiting for the promised Comforter.
Bartholomew (Nathanael) Reflects: “Can any good come out of Nazareth?"
Those words echoed in Bartholomew’s mind as he
kneels before God this day. Many times since meeting Jesus, he
had regretted those words, but they were his words. And now he
reflects on a more pleasant scene. He recalls Jesus’ voice as
he approached Him that day: "Behold, an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" He
reflects now on the feeling of comfort, of peace, of belief
that swept over him, upon hearing those words. He reflects on
his reaction that Jesus knew him. "How could You
possibly know me? I have never ever laid eyes on You in my
life.” And now again, he hears Jesus’ voice: "Before Philip called you… I saw you."
Bartholomew pulls his mind back to the reason
for his being here. He was waiting for the promised Comforter.
Andrew and Philip think back: Each with his
individual, but similar thoughts, Andrew and Philip are taken
back to the day they heard John the Baptist’s words: Behold! The Lamb of God! They
recall the scene at Jesus’ baptism when John said: I saw
a dove descend from the heavens… And I heard God's voice,
saying: 'This is My beloved Son. Hear
Him.' Each recalls his desire to meet and
follow The Lamb of God, which they did, introducing
their friend Nathanael to Jesus. Their hearts are now united,
waiting for the promised Comforter.
James and John look back. These two brothers now
seek God’s face, waiting, believing and praying. “Sons of
Thunder” they were called. Each pictures in his mind that day
that they were with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets.
They hear again the voice of Jesus: "Follow Me!" Without hesitation
they left their nets, their fishing, and their father to
follow Jesus. James recalls how he and his brother once
sought to be chosen by Jesus to sit on either side of Him in
His Kingdom. His face burns now at this selfish request and
the mild rebuke of Jesus when He said that THAT honor would be
reserved for the most deserving. He pulls his mind back to the
Upper Room. He is in the presence of God now. He misses Jesus’
physical presence, but he is waiting for the Comforter that He
promised.
John too recalls those memories. John remembers the
many times that he was close to Jesus. More Jesus’ age than a
lot of the other disciples, he thought of Jesus as his
brother. He recalls now, with shame, the day of Christ’s
trial. He and Peter did not flee as had the other disciples.
And he alone, without Peter, was allowed into the inner court
during the trial. Oh how many times he has replayed that
scene. How he wishes he had not been so cowardly and had stood
up for Jesus. But now a peace comes over him. Jesus knew his
human failures and weaknesses. Jesus forgave him. John lifts
his eyes and searches the room. There was Mary, Jesus’ mother,
and now HIS mother. He recalls Jesus’ dying words at the
cross: “John, You are my faithful friend. You have been
like a close brother to me. I am committing my mother into
your care. Please look after her. See how she mourns.”
Mary and John’s eyes meet. With a feeling of love and
commitment, John bows his head again. He is expecting the
promised Comforter.
James and Judas (sons of Alphaeus),
Simon (Zelotes) and Matthew, silently seek:
Always faithful, but never predominate, these disciples
are lost in their own individual thought. Each regrets that he
didn’t stand up for Jesus at His trial. Each knows that he is
forgiven. Each was there when Jesus showed up without warning
in this very room, and shared in the breaking of bread, after
His resurrection. Each, in reverence, now waits for the
promised Comforter.
Jesus’ brothers recall: Oh how glad they are to be
amongst the faithful who are meeting in the Upper Room. They
regret that they had not believed their older Brother, Jesus,
earlier in their lives. Growing up, they knew Jesus was
different. They saw His gentle ways, experienced His love and
unselfishness, heard His talk of His Heavenly Father. They
heard John the Baptist’s declaration: “Behold! The Lamb of God!” and
saw the Dove land upon Him. They witnessed His miracle of
turning the water into wine. They followed His activities and
miracles. But, enough reflection. They are here now and they
are waiting for the promised Comforter.
Mary, the mother of Jesus reviews: Mary was always
one who pondered. She keeps things stored up in her heart. She
thinks now of how she felt when she first heard the news from
the angel that she had been chosen to be the mother of God
(Jesus). She smiles, thinking of Jesus as a twelve-year old
with an adult response to her scolding, after He had been
located in the Temple: "Why did you
seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's
business?" Yes, His Father’s business: that of
seeking and saving the lost, she among them. With warmness she
thinks of all the other things she stored in her heart.
Meeting John’s eyes a few minutes ago, her mother-heart
swelled within her. Jesus had been sensitive to her grief,
even in His dying moments. She is now John’s mother. He is her
son. With folded hands she lifts her eyes heavenward. “Oh my
Son, send us soon Your promised Comforter. How we need it.”
Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, Salome, Cleopas’ wife
bow in expectation. They, each in her own way, recall the
trip to the empty tomb. They recall their joy when they met
Jesus, and their excitement when they carried the news to the
disciples. Each recalls the scepticism they read on the
disciples’ faces, and the spontaneous reaction of Peter and
John—running to tomb to witness for themselves.
Mary Magdalene: Her heart wells up with love and
gratitude that Jesus pulled her out of the gutter. She
remembers the rebuke of Judas as she broke the alabaster box
and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus’ head. New tears
come to her eyes at the recollection of the tears she spilled
on Jesus’ feet. She touches her beautiful head of hair as she
relives the experience of drying Her Savior’s feet with that
hair. Oh how she would miss His presence. But NO, she won’t.
He is sending something better, a presence that can be with
her at ALL times. She is anticipating the promised Comforter.
At times the congregation of one hundred and twenty men and
women would leave the Upper Room and assemble in the nearby
Temple, where they worshipped the Lord, always waiting,
expecting and thinking. They await the promised comforter.
They await the Power that Jesus promised to give them to
give them to carry out His commission of taking the Gospel to
the whole world. They await the day of Pentecost.
© Helen Dowd Continue
with Study 2
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