1. What Lessons Had to be Learnt Between Easter and Pentecost?

2. Acts 1: “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

3. …On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

4. …Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

5. …After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

6. …Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

7. …In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

8. …(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

9. … Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabas (also known as Justus) and Matthias… What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

10. …Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

11. So What Lessons did the Disciples need to learn between Easter and Pentecost? AGAIN I BELIEVE IT CAN BE SUMMED UP IN PARADOX’S! (two seemingly contradictory things that in fact are complimentary). Be a Worshipper and a Warrior. Be Weak and be Strong. Be a Student and a Teacher. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

12. From Acts Chapter 1 we see 4 Paradox’s that they had to learn: 1. Be a Dreamer and a Realist. 2. Be Satisfied and be Hungry. 3. Be in the World, but not of the World. 4. Be First and be Last. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

13. 1. Be a Dreamer and a Realist. Acts 1:10,11 – “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

14. Everything starts with a dream! Mike Vance, in his book ‘Think out of the Box’ about Walt Disney said “Soon after the completion of The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World which was after Walt Disney’s death, someone said, “Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?” Vance replied, “He did see it. That’s why it’s here.” What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

15. God calls us to dream beyond our own strengths and resources and to trust Him to enable and provide. (Doing the impossible in 2015!) The person who dreams the dreams of God is always backed up by the provisions from heaven. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

16. However, we need to be realists too! Luke 14:31 – “what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him with twenty thousand? What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

17. Don’t fall into the trap of simply being a dreamer and expecting it to come to pass. Joshua dreamed of living in the Promised Land but it took a whole lot of conquering to fulfil the dream. Keep the dream in front of you like a guiding star but at the same time see what is in your hand to work with in achieving the dream that you have. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

18. 2. Be Satisfied and be Hungry. Jesus said to the disciples: “My food is to do the will of my Father (John 4:34). In Scripture food speaks of satisfaction or rest. In other words Jesus’ satisfaction came from doing His Father’s appointed work. When you are busy doing the plan of God for your life you will experience a tremendous sense of satisfaction and rest. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

19. Acts 1:14 shows that the disciples learnt to have a hunger for the right things: “They all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…” May we too learn the lesson. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

20. 3. Be in the World, but not of the World. Let’s be honest this world is controlled by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2). Someone once called it the desire for girls, gold and glory! What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

21. In John 17:15-16 Jesus prayed that His disciples would not be taken out of the world but that they should not be of the world. Likewise in 1 John 2:15, the Apostle encourages us not to love the things of the world even though we live in the world. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

22. We are not to be of the world but paradoxically we are not to remove ourselves from the world either. Throughout the ages there have been sections of the church that try to detach themselves from the sinfulness of the world through physical means. For instance monks built high walled monasteries to keep the evil out. Our separation from the World is a spiritual one. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

23. 4. Be First and be Last! In Matthew 20:24-28 Jesus teaches that it is best to be last. But, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul teaches that it is best to be first. What a paradox! What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

24. There is a time to be first and a time to be last! We must be first to ask forgiveness, to offer help and to act in faith. We must be last to quit, to stop believing in others and to lose patience. We must be first to set the example of faith and Christ-likeness and last to prefer man’s favour to God’s will. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?

25. In Conclusion may we all learn to: 1. Be a Dreamer and a Realist. 2. Be Satisfied and be Hungry. 3. Be in the World, but not of the World. 4. Be First and be Last. What Lessons Had To Be Learnt?