Notes:

Command (vs 4)

Jesus gives a Jesus command. I’m not sure anyone else could have done this or would have done this. Wait here and don’t move until the gift appears. How long? No answer. How will we know the gift is here? No answer. What should we do while we wait? No answer. What kind of power? No answer. Notice they don’t actually ask any of these questions - at least not that we are told. But they do want to know about what the power will do for them. Will it displace the Romans?  Will we get our nation back? Will we get our lives back? In other words, we are willing to wait without questions if this is going to get us what we want out of it. 

Identity (vs 5)

The HS identity is a gift just as Jesus was a gift.  It is important to see him this way.  Gifts are given not earned.  They must be accepted.  They must be unwrapped or taken into our lives.

Wait in Jerusalem

Jesus commands his followers to wait in the place of their greatest defeat and worst tragedy. It is also the location of immanent danger to anyone associated with his name. They know Jesus is alive. He tells them about the kingdom. How exciting must this be?  How incredible to see these things and sense you are on the verge of all your dreams come true?  And Jesus command is to wait. That's fine. But he isn't going to wait with them. And that is not so fine. Jesus is leaving and we are waiting a "few days."  What does that mean?  We know God's sense of time and ours are not at all similar (2 pet 3:8). Waiting an indefinite amount of time without the real presence of God in Jesus and without the internal presence of God in the Holy Spirt, in a dangerous place full of bad memories is a daunting task.  This is a great act of faith. 

Why would Jesus leave them in this position?  What's the point?