Waiting on the Promise: The Church’s Posture in a Hostile World An Exegetical Sermon on Acts 1:4-14 Text: “And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.’ Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.” (Acts 1:4–14, ESV) Introduction: The Church in a World of Impatience Brothers and sisters, we live in a world that despises waiting. We want instant answers, immediate results, and overnight success. We microwave our meals, stream our entertainment, and demand our politicians fix everything by next week. But here in Acts 1, we find the disciples in a posture that is utterly foreign to our modern sensibilities—waiting. This is not passive waiting. This is not twiddling their thumbs, staring at the sky, or wasting time. This is active, expectant, obedient waiting—the kind of waiting that prepares God’s people for His sovereign work. And in this passage, we see three critical truths that define the Church’s mission and posture in a hostile world: The Promise of Power (vv. 4–8) The Ascension and the Assurance (vv. 9–11) The Unity of Prayerful Expectation (vv. 12–14) Let’s dig in. 1. The Promise of Power (vv. 4–8) “Wait for the promise of the Father… you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit… you will receive power… and you will be My witnesses.” Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t say, “Go figure it out.” He doesn’t say, “Here’s a five-step plan for cultural dominance.” He says, “Wait.” Why? Because the mission of the Church is not sustained by human ingenuity, political strategy, or moral reform. It is fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples wanted a timetable for Israel’s restoration (v. 6), but Jesus redirects them: “It is not for you to know times or seasons… but you will receive power.” A. The Danger of Misplaced Priorities The disciples’ question reveals a preoccupation with earthly kingdoms. Sound familiar? How often do we fixate on elections, policies, and social movements while neglecting the real battle—the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom through the Gospel? Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for wanting God’s Kingdom; He rebukes their timetable. The Father’s authority is absolute (v. 7), and our calling is not to speculate but to obey. B. The Power for the Mission The Spirit’s coming at Pentecost was not about personal ecstasy but evangelistic urgency. “You will be My witnesses” (v. 8)—not “you might be” or “if you feel like it.” This is a divine imperative. Today, the Church in the West is paralyzed by fear—fear of cancel culture, fear of persecution,
