Thursday, 21 February 2019

Your first question

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Let me ask you a question. What will be the first thing you will ask Yeshua in the resurrection? This is a serious question, and I'm expecting a serious answer.

Let me set the scene for you. After your death, you are immediately resurrected and ushered by friends and family (who proceeded you in death) into the presence of Yeshua. He says, "Hello my brother (or sister) and welcome to the afterlife. Are you comfortable? Is there anything you need? What would you like to ask me, anything at all?"

The ball is in your court. What would you say next? Please pause before reading on ahead. You're speaking to the King of kings and Lord of lords. You can ask Him anything at all. What do you need to know first? Wait for it ...

The Apostles were told (after Yeshua's resurrection) by a messenger to go and meet Yeshua in the Galilee (Matthew 28:10). As they traveled, they thought about their answer to this one question ... "What will I say to Him when I see Him?" They had time to discuss their thoughts and arrive at a consensus. They spoke together and asked only one question to Yeshua.

Their question comes to us in Acts 1:6 "So when they gathered together, they asked Him, 'Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?'" This was their top-of-mind pressing issue.

He had already spoken a parable to them on account of this being on their minds, even before His crucifixion. Luke 19:11. "As they were listening to this, Yeshua went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they supposed that the kingdom of God was about to appear at once."

What Yeshua told the Apostles is known as the parable of the talents. The lesson is counterintuitive. The modern world describes fairness as everyone being equal. Robin Hood's idea of taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

The Kingdom of God (as illustrated in the parable of the talents) says give to the one who has (because he has demonstrated the ability to bring increase) and take away from the one who has not (because he could not increase what he had). This is exactly opposite Robin Hood's welfare state.

Later, in Acts 1, Yeshua answers the Apostles like this ... Acts 1:7-8 "He said to them, 'It is not your place to know the times or seasons which the Father has placed under His own control. But you will receive power when the Ruach ha-Kodesh has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'"

Yeshua was saying, "Father God will take care of when. Don't ask when. You're going to need power through the Holy Spirit to spread the Kingdom (be My witnesses). Make that your focus and God will take care of when."

Shalom and blessings. R. Michael.