The apostolic church knows how to govern itself by patterns of authority

Let's go to the Word of the Lord in the Book of Acts. As you know, we are studying these passages from such a beautiful Book, as significant as the Book of Acts, and we want to imbue the mind of the Congregation with the aspect of that supernatural life and mentality of which the Book of Acts speaks to us. in such an eloquent way.

We are going to the first Chapter of the Book of Acts and you will remember that last Sunday we read the first five verses of the passage. I am going to do a very brief recount, a summary of that part and then we are going to enter the next part. But here in verse 6 it says: 'Then those who had assembled asked him saying: “Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” and he told them: “It is not up to you to know the times or the reasons that the Father put in his sole will. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

And having said these things, when they saw him, he was lifted up, and a cloud received him, which hid him from their eyes. And while their eyes were fixed on Heaven while He was leaving, behold, two men in white robes stood next to them, who also said to them: “Men of Galilee, why are you looking at Heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into Heaven will come like this…to Heaven”’. May the Lord bless his Holy Word.

Father, we now ask that you give us your wisdom as we meditate, Lord, on your Word, on your teaching. Activate, Lord, your power in our midst; Activate, Lord, your Holy Spirit of which we should speak more and we need to integrate it more into our lives. Give us Lord the ability to do justice to your beautiful Word on this beautiful morning and leave here with teachings that help us Oh, God! to be more effective servants, more powerful servants, Lord, in the ministry that You have entrusted to us.

We bless this time, Father. Saturate it now with your presence in the name of Jesus, Amen. Amen. Brethren, last Sunday we were talking about what constitutes a supernatural mindset. And we said that in the Book of Acts over and over again there is a mental model, an attitude, a way of thinking that is continuously manifested in all the events that the Book of Acts describes.

The Book of Acts is an imminently historical book and it is always showing different events that occurred in those early years of the church that is called the primitive church, not because they were cavemen but because it was the first church. The first church that God raised up. And those events that characterized... More or less the commentators of Scripture say that they are about thirty years or so. The time that describes the events of the Book of Acts.

A way of thinking, a way of processing the events of life, an attitude that I believe was the secret of the power that this church had. So many evangelistic achievements, so many missionary achievements that we see this church achieve. So much power and so much effectiveness in the Christian life. It wasn't a perfect church, but it was definitely an anointed church. And we have seen that this supernatural mentality, which is the mentality that we want to absorb and manifest, had certain key elements.

We mentioned, number one, the centrality of Jesus. The name of Jesus, the person of Jesus. And we saw that at the very beginning when Luke in his introduction talks about all the things that Jesus began to do and teach. We talk about the centrality of Jesus. I believe that the supernaturally minded, a person filled with the Holy Spirit with a mind that thinks in spiritual terms always thinks in terms of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the center, the foundation, the base. It is the source, the power.

So, that's one thing. Another thing, as we pointed out, the things that Jesus "began to do and to teach." That's in the first verse itself, isn't it? The idea that the Christian life is not just what Christ taught. Jesus Christ was not only a teacher but also a miracle worker in the most powerful sense of the word. He was a man, a healing God, a liberator of oppressed people, a victor over Satan, a victor over death, he raised the dead, freed paralytics, freed people oppressed by the devil.

A good part of Jesus' ministry was not only teaching, but it was works of power that pointed to Him as the son of God. And that they pointed out different aspects of their ministry and that they also told us through those works: “those works are going to continue. You are going to do it too. I, through my Spirit dwelling in you, will also continue to do these things."

That's why I think that last Sunday I didn't have time to say that, but notice that it says "the things that Jesus began to do and teach." Why did it "begin"? Because He continues to do them still. And in addition to that, there is a passage in Scripture -I don't know what book it is in- that says that if all the things that Christ did at that time were to be pointed out, all the books in the world would not be enough to record all the things that Christ did.

That is to say, that in the Gospels we only have some of the things that Christ did. But we also know He continues to perform miracles. He continues today to do works of power. The supernatural mind is oriented towards what is God going to do in my life? What is God doing in my life? How can I do the works of Jesus? We have to be men and women who have that expectation.

That God the same God, the same Jesus who moved in the times of Galilee also moves in our time doing those same works of power. Although the teaching is good but it is equally important that the power of God is manifested in our lives. We also talked about the importance of the resurrection of Christ for the first disciples, for the Apostles. And before the Lord was received above, after having given the commandment to the Apostles and appeared alive with many indubitable proofs for the disciples.

It was absolutely important that it be known that Christ did not stay in the grave, but was raised from the dead. And that He gave proof that he was resurrected. And we said that if we do not believe that Christ rose bodily, physically, historically, then in reality we are not trustworthy Christians. We have to emphasize the fact that the resurrection is a historical fact. It is a true and real fact.

That was very important. What's more, look at something very interesting when – we were going to talk a little about it although I didn't read it – later in that chapter there comes a time when the first Apostles have to choose a twelfth Apostle to replace Judas. As you know, he betrayed Jesus and, full of guilt, hanged himself. And a replacement had to be found. And look how they talk in terms of that Apostle that they are going to choose to resurrect.

It says: 'May one be a witness with us of his resurrection.' They say “we are going to choose a substitute to be with us a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. Look how important the resurrection was for them, which was within the main function of an Apostle to testify about the resurrection of Jesus. Because they knew that this was like the most powerful argument for the deity of Jesus Christ and his messianic character.

And for us too the resurrection is something absolutely important. And the fourth thing that I pointed out last Sunday was what I would call the agency of the Holy Spirit, the action of the Holy Spirit. To the supernatural mind, a person who thinks in supernatural terms, I would say that the third person of the Trinity of the Holy Spirit is absolutely important.

One of the things that I want you to understand as a member of this Congregation is that we place great emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit and the person of the Holy Spirit. We know that apart from the Son and the Father who are so essential, evidently, in the whole economy of the Bible, the Holy Spirit as a source of power for our lives. As one who bears witness to Jesus Christ in our hearts, as one who is there to strengthen and encourage us in the difficult moments of life.

That is why he is called the "paracletos", the encourager, the comforter, the one who strengthens us when we are going through trials. The one who enlightens us when we have situations of need, the one who gives us passion and courage - to use a biblical word - when we testify about Jesus Christ. The one who does miracles, signs and wonders through us. The one who gives us power and effectiveness to testify about Jesus. The one who puts conviction in our hearts, the one who puts that seal of his presence.

Do you know? I believe that a person filled with the Holy Spirit –as I was saying on Sunday- may not be perfect. But I have seen that, that people who have had encounters with the Holy Spirit and who have received that infilling of the power of the Holy Spirit, have something of a thing. A spiritual flavor that there is a passion in them, there is an effectiveness, there is a spiritual weight that they have in their lives. There is a conviction that you know that this person cannot be sold a pig for a poke.

She is sure of what she believes and it will be very difficult for that person to stray from the ways of the Lord. Once that person is sealed with the Spirit, they may have their problems, their difficulties, but they will remain anchored. Because the Holy Spirit is like -the Scripture says- that, that seal that sticks to us and roots us to the Kingdom of God. And we have to seek that intimacy, that filling of the Holy Spirit.

I am going to talk more about the filling of the Holy Spirit in a future intervention and what characterizes that and why we have to look for it and everything else. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is very complex, but I encourage you to always seek that experience of that baptism of the Holy Spirit in your lives. That they are not satisfied simply with a religious, intellectual, let's say institutional experience of the Christian life.

Rather, have that enthusiasm, that passion that comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit. One of the things that one sees throughout all of Scripture and the Book of Acts in particular is that there are always references to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit did this, the Holy Spirit did that, spoke, gave a vision. Here, for example, the same passage says "given the commandments by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom he had chosen."

Here is a point that I did not touch on last Sunday and it is this that says "to have given commandments by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles that he had chosen". It says 'To whom he also presented himself alive with many indubitable proofs'. Why is this about the Apostles significant to me? The church of the Book of Acts is an Apostolic church, it is a church that is directed by the instructions, the teachings, the authority of this group of men that Jesus Christ chose when he was on Earth and made them part of his central council, of his intimate advice.

And He chose these men and commissioned them as if they were, shall we say, elders. What was later to be his church. He specifically commissioned them and gave these men a degree of authority that the other disciples did not have. He constituted them as his central government. And the primitive church, we see, the church of the Book of Acts allows itself to be directed and headed by these men. And the Lord channels his instructions to the church and his teachings through this central government that He has constituted.

By the way, later on, for example in the Book of Acts... the Apostle speaks of the fact that God has constituted the Apostles and the Prophets, that the church is founded on the teaching and on the word of the Apostles and the Prophets. And this is very important for us to understand. There is an authority structure that God establishes. God is a God who thinks in terms of authority. In the church He places a pastoral authority, there are elders, also who head the church. In the discipleship class groups there are teachers.

And one of the things that I believe about the supernatural mentality is that it is a mentality that knows how to govern itself by patterns of authority. Respect your authorities and that does not mean that they become people who do not think or who do not have individual, personal criteria. But I believe that one of the distinguishing things of a person who truly has the stamp of the Holy Spirit on his life is that he is comfortable submitting to authority.

We clearly see that the Apostolic church, definitely the Church of the Book of Acts, is a church that thinks in terms of its authorities. God chooses men or women, endows them with his power with his anointing and the rest of the people knowing that these people are anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit and that they receive from God seek their instructions from them. And they joyfully submit to that authority. For example, you remember – and we will discuss this later – there is a case in which the Lord baptizes Cornelius and his family with the Holy Spirit. Something that has never been seen.

The Jews were only them and the rest are pagans, people who do not know God. And for the moment the Lord baptizes Cornelius who is a Roman soldier. And he fills his entire family with the Holy Spirit. Send Peter to come and preach the message to them. And at the moment more Gentiles begin to convert and then there is a dispute between the Christian Jews –those who have converted as to whether the new converts –the pagans, the Gentiles who have converted also have to use all the rules and all the commandments and all the ceremonial stipulations and food and dress and all the things that orthodox Jews kept.

And some said that it had to be done, others that it was not. Well, who was going to solve the problem? They sent word to the Apostles who were in Jerusalem and asked them, 'What do we do? This is not in any manual, there is no rule about it because it is something new that God is doing. We do not know what to do'. Then the Council in Jerusalem, these Apostles who were in Jerusalem meet – I imagine they prayed, they sought wisdom from God – Peter himself went there and gave them a report about what God had done, etc.

And out of all those conversations comes an Edict, a commandment from the Council in Jerusalem that says "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us" -Wow!- who would dare say that: 'It seemed good to the Holy Spirit? Holy and us? Doesn't sound like a bit proud, does it? But, they didn't say like that, why? Because they knew their authority. They knew that God had called them, Christ had commissioned them for a specific work. They moved. There was no pride in that, just a statement of fact.

They knew they were called, commissioned, anointed, enlightened by the Holy Spirit. And after they discuss the matter, they say, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us that new believers should not be bothered with all the rules of Judaism." If not, they simply send a couple of basic commandments –which they believe are fundamental- and the rest simply continue with their normal culture and receive Christ as Lord, of course, and have a solid spiritual life.

But once the Apostles gave their verdict the whole church aligns itself with what the Apostles declared. Because? Because it was a church that flowed according to that principle of authority. I think that one of the things that happens many times in the churches in our modern time is that everything is for democracy. Everything is good, we are going to vote and we are going to see what everyone decides and there is a meeting and everyone says this, that. A 'sal pa' is put together out there' and the one who is the most mouthy is the one who calls the shots and the matter is sometimes resolved by voting. And it's not necessarily what God wants.

So I think there has to be a balance. I believe in the congregational voice and you know that we have congregational meetings and other things. I believe in shared government. We here in our church have elderly deacons who are people that you yourselves confirm. They are chosen through a process of prayer and mutual reflection. But we also believe that it is important that we respect our authorities.

Right now I would like not to be the Pastor to tell you this. And it is that the Bible says that we have to respect our pastors. We have to hold on to them. Wherever you go, if one day the Lord takes you to another church, respect your Pastor; stick to your authorities. Be a person who honors authorities. There is blessing in that, there is protection in that. There is protection when one sticks to a church. There's people out there that ride their own bikes by themselves, all over the city, and they don't hold on to any church.

You see them jumping from one church to another. When they are contradicted about something, contradicted about something, or have a bad experience, they step foot, go to another and another and another and their life is just a jump. I don't know, understand what I'm saying, brothers. I know that there are circumstances, there are situations that we change. That's ok. But when one changes Congregation, he must do so after much prayer, much reflection, seeking the Lord. In everything possible, talk to your authorities and take a step, then, safe and well thought out and well thought out.

Don't just do it for reasons that “Ah! He went there and I like him and he has a tremendous tie that he wears every Sunday” or “I like the way he talks” or whatever. Sometimes we make decisions for reasons like that, right? “I had, they told me this and I didn't like it and I left. They didn't give me a position and I'm going to look for one where they give me a position”. So many superficial reasons that people use instead of submitting to their authorities, to submit to a church. I believe that one always, wherever one goes, to a city or wherever one moves, should always look for a church that provides coverage.

A community to which one is accountable and to which one feels covered by a pastoral, ministerial authority. One must respect their authorities. When you are working, for example, in a ministry, whatever the ministry, do you know how difficult it is to run a ministry? Whatever it is. Be it a cell, be it a ministry of worship or of anointers. It's hard to be in the head. It is not easy to shepherd people from different countries and of different nationalities and cultures. So we have to make life easy for our leaders and we have to be people with a team mentality. Work together, help our authorities.

To be a resource for the people who are above us. Don't whip them, don't harass them, don't make life miserable for them. Because many times we deform our leaders when we don't respect them and we don't give them the recognition they require. I'm not talking about laying on the floor and worshiping them, no. I'm talking about that respect and that recognition that what the leader is doing is a very difficult thing and that we have to help them in any way possible.

This week I have been watching a documentary about Richard Nixon. How many remember Richard Nixon? I know most of you were not alive at the time, but Richard Nixon is a tragic man. He is a tragic figure, truly. A great statesman, a man who had great accomplishments, tremendous things. The opening to China, the treaty with Egypt, treaties with the Middle East. Many important things. He made a number of very important legal initiatives here in the United States.

He was very advanced for his age, for his time, but he was also a man with some demons, there, internal resentment and feeling persecuted and unappreciated. And one of the things that I saw, watching the documentary about the great failure that he finally had. You know he had a Democratic Party office broken into. And it blew up in his face, and he tried to hide it and ultimately got out of favor. The only president who has been forced to resign. But one of the things that struck me about Nixon: this lonely, isolated leader, who was like an ugly duckling.

Richard Nixon, despite being a great man, was rather a timid man. Some have said that he should have been a university professor instead of President. He didn't get along well with people and had emotional conflicts and felt like he was rejected by people. And I believe, in part, that although he made the mistake that he did, but in part those mistakes were made by the same people; For example, the press that hated him and many enemies that he had when he became president distorted this man emotionally.

Already the wounds that he had as a man, as a human being, when he reached that position of power and all the people who jumped on him and all the criticism and all the eyes that did not want him to succeed brought out the worst in him in time for the best part. And I found myself thinking that if that man had found people who, instead of harassing him at those high levels of power, would love him, affirm him, help him, that man would have been one of the greatest presidents in the entire history of the United States in instead of going out in disgrace. And I was interested in the fact that in the end Henry Kissinger puts it at a moment and says exactly what I was thinking, that Richard Nixon was brought against a rock and a hard place with his leadership.

Because the people who were around him and even large sectors of the North American nation, the Vietnam War distorted this, the student movement jumped on him and attacked him. And this man did not have the emotional and social skills to deal with this fight, with this huge war that he was fighting. And finally, he sort of got rid of all the demons he had: hatred, rancor, feeling persecuted, wanting to do things in secret. How important it is, therefore, brothers, that we understand our leaders, that we submit to them, that we help them, that we pray for them, that we affirm them.

And of course, if there comes a time when you cannot be under the leadership of a person, well look, there are many things that can be done. Talk directly with the person, advise him directly and if there comes a time, well look, discreetly leave the ministry and find where you can truly where you can feel good. That's no problem. But what I mean is, let's use that. There is another leader in the Bible so they took him to the point of taking everything out of him and destroying him, not destroying him but it cost him a lot.

Do you remember Moses, that the Jews criticized him so much? And by the way, I feel very happy with you, you know? I feel happy, I'm not here getting anything. On the contrary, this is part of teaching. Glory to God. I feel in love with my Congregation and thank God that they have always been so generous to me and a great blessing. But it's not so much about that but about so many other leaders in our congregation, other leaders with whom you will deal throughout your life. Help your leaders, be a resource to them. Learn to submit to authority.

I see here that from the very beginning, the Lord speaks to the Apostles that he had chosen so that they are in charge of transmitting the commandments, the teachings to the rest of the Christian people. And that is a rule, I believe, that I hope that every day more and more our church can flow in it: respect for authority. Respectful people. And that brothers, I tell you that it brings a great, great blessing to the life of a congregation. So there you have some things.

Now there is another very interesting thing here that was what we read in Verse 6. It says that the disciples were gathered together, the Lord appears to them. Is the Lord ready for what? To ascend. Here we have a very beautiful explained doctrine that is the doctrine of the Ascension. The rise of Jesus after his resurrection. When the Lord rises, about forty days pass, more or less, says the Bible and he appears to the disciples in different contexts. He says that in one he appeared to five hundred of them.

Can you imagine a congregation like this more or less, more or less this group of people here and seeing the risen Lord? How would that have been? I was thinking about that this morning. What a great show! We saw him crucified, we saw that they killed him, we know that they buried him and now he is, he appears to five hundred of them in a meeting and begins to talk to them. I want to see that video when I get to Heaven. It must have been something incredible. To five hundred people the Lord appeared.

Then, when He has had all these apparitions, it is time for Him to ascend to Heaven. So at that moment, at that moment, He speaks to them and gives them some final instructions. And remember this because this is an important doctrine, isn't it? That the Lord wasn't like in Star Trek that he just fell apart and went to Heaven. Literally He was lifted up and it says that 'a cloud met Him above and covered Him and then He'… we even have background music here, how cool!

That is a teaching, it was a teaching of the Scriptures, wasn't it? the ascent aspect, the ascension of Jesus. I don't know, the only one they tell me... there is a doctrine that says that Maria also ascended if I'm not mistaken. That's a lesson, isn't it? I don't see anywhere in the Bible where Mary is taken. That is something that is not in the Bible anywhere. It is simply, it is beautiful and spectacular, but there is nothing true according to Scripture. The only one who ascends to Heaven is Jesus.

And this doctrine is very interesting because it has a couple of teachings in it. Now, Christ ascends and then, says the Bible, that He sits at the right hand of God the Father. It says 'where he is sitting until his second coming'. Here are two very important things that are being taught here: the ascension of Jesus and the second coming. Remember this, that the ascension of Jesus also involves there and that idea is involved that when He ascends, God receives Him and the Bible says 'that He sits at the right hand of the Father'. I don't think that's just a metaphor. But it is something that is real.

If you look at Ephesians chapter 1 verse 20. It says here: 'Which operated in Christ', that is, the power of God. 'Which wrought in Christ, who rose from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the Heavenly places', Ephesians 1:20. “Raising him from the dead”, that was when the Lord also ascended to Heaven. And 'God seats him at his right hand in the Heavenly places. Above all principality, authority, power and dominion and over every name that is named not only in this age but also in the age to come.

Why does God ascend to Heaven? The Lord ascends to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Why at the right hand of the Father? He is using there an image of a King who to his right is the second most powerful person in his reign, the chosen person, the preferred person, the prince. We could say the Father and at his right hand he is seated –indicating the absolute authority of Jesus Christ, for this reason he says over all principality, over all power, over all dominion. Now look at something very important. In the same book of Ephesians in Chapter 2 in Verse 6 it tells us here: 'And together with Him He raised us up and also made us sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus.'

Do you know that you are also with that Christ who ascended and was seated at the right hand of the Father as a sign of his total authority over all principality, over all power? You, in terms of the rights that you have, the power that you have, you are also sitting with Christ on the right. There's a little chair there that has your name on it, and you're sitting there in that chair next to Jesus. There is the throne of the Father, there is the throne of the Son and there is a little golden chair where you are sitting there like a great potentate at the right hand of God the Father. Why does the biblical writer say and why is it important for us to understand that?

Because, brothers, we have great authority. The same power, he says, that raised Christ from the dead moves within us as well. The same power that lifted Jesus up and made him ascend after he was resurrected, that same power is in your life. Therefore I believe that part of the task of the believer is not so much that God gives us power but that we become aware of the power that we have. And that we cultivate that sense that "I have authority because I am seated at the right hand of God the Father together with Christ Jesus."

And that I have power over circumstances, I have power because I am above circumstances. My judicial position puts me above any situation. The same Christ who was resurrected, who was lifted up and who was seated at the right hand of God the Father is the one who is within me and next to whom I am also sitting. It is a sign of the believer's authority. And that fact of the ascension of Jesus and being at the right hand of the Father and of me also being at the right hand of the Father is pointed out over and over again. Look at Revelation Chapter 3 Verse 21 as well. It says here: “To him who overcomes I will give to sit with me on my throne. Just as I have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Jesus is lifted up, taken up to Heaven and received and seated on the Throne and we also have that same right. That same image is emphasized over and over again. Look, Hebrews chapter 1 verse 3. This is like a Bible study that I'm giving you here, later you can review this doctrine. It says "Who being the brightness of his glory and the very image of his substance - that is, the deity of Christ who is equal to the Father, made of the same essence as the Father - and who sustains all things with the word of his can. Having effected the purification of our sins by himself, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High.”

When the Lord ascends, he ascends to sit at the right hand of the Father. That is why the apostolic creed says "who is seated at the right hand of God the Father." How is? Catholics or ex-Catholics, someone help me. Yes, the Apostles' Creed, right? and that he comes again to judge the living and the dead. But one of the basic doctrines of the Christian Church is that Christ is seated, he ascended to Heaven, he sat at the right hand of God the Father and from there he comes to judge the living and the dead.

Now notice that whenever this idea that Christ is taken and ascends and sits at the right hand of God the Father is to exalt his power, his lordship, his deity. And one last verse is in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 12. It tells us here: "But Christ having offered once and for all a single sacrifice for sins" - notice how interesting, this is always linked to the Lord ascending to Heaven and sitting down at the right hand of God the Father, is linked to his sacrifice on the Cross.

All of this, the crucifixion of Christ, his death and resurrection, his ascension, sitting at the right hand of God the Father, his second coming, all these doctrines are essential for a believer and are part of the very essence. We can never allow those doctrines to be stolen from us. Those teachings are basic. If you hear any so-called Christians out there denying one of these things, literally, run away from them because they are not Christians, at least they are not taking away from the basic doctrines that the church has held for two thousand years.

Today there is much questioning of that doctrine. But it is very clear. So it says here in 10:12 that "having offered his sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." He has sat down at the right hand of God. The lordship of Christ. It also occurs to me why is it so important that we understand all this about all the stages of the life of Jesus Christ? Because, as you can see, one of the things that the Bible wants to point out over and over again is that superiority of Jesus.

There are schools of Christian thought, for example, like the Jehovah's Witnesses – I say this with respect – that try to diminish the uniqueness of Christ. That superior character of Christ. The fact that Christ is God himself, that he is the very substance of the Father, that he is the very essence of the Father; who has a supreme authority, who is on the same level as the Father. All these kinds of things are implied in the Scriptures and we always have to hold on to that. And then he says: “He has sat down at the right hand of God. Henceforth waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool." So that? Waiting for that to happen, why? To return again, the second coming of Christ.

That is, He is there, we don't know what He is doing at that time because He does many things, not just sitting there vegetating for two thousand years. The Lord in his Spirit does many things. But his judicial position, his position of authority is at the right hand of the Father. And Heaven is waiting for something so that the moment comes when they give the word to the Son to descend again and come in his second coming. Here he is mentioned by this which is 'he is waiting for his enemies to be placed at his footstool'.

I believe that God waits, there is another passage that says that "He is waiting for the consummation of time." God is waiting for a moment and I believe that moment is getting closer and closer every day. I believe that the church here on Earth, God wants the church to do something absolutely powerful. As I have told you, there is something that has to happen in humanity before Christ comes. I do not believe that Christ is going to come looking for the church that is currently there. I believe there comes a time when the church is going to have to dominate to a certain extent. There is going to have to come a moment of unprecedented glory of ruling nations, of having authority on a level like it has never had before.

So –I think, I don't know how long that moment will last- because I know that it will be accompanied by other struggles, also, other things. But then, Christ, at that moment he will be given the 'Yes' so that he can come to pick up his church and take it with him and the consummation of time comes. Meanwhile, the Lord is there at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the moment when God gives him the green light.

Now let's go back then, and with this we finished, to chapter 1 of Acts verse 6. Then “those who had gathered asked him, Lord, will you restore the kingdom of Israel at this time? And he told them 'It is not up to you to know the times or the seasons that the Father put in his sole power'. That is already some last words, one last conversation that He is having with them. Let's go to verse 9, it says: 'and having said these things and seeing him, he was lifted up and received by a cloud that hid him from their eyes. And with their eyes fixed on Heaven while He was leaving'… imagine that spectacle.

The Lord is being lifted up little by little and they are looking at it like a ship that is leaving and it is getting smaller, smaller and they are looking at it so fascinated with this image that they are seeing. And it says 'behold, two men in white garments stood next to them. That is one of the most beautiful pictures in all of Scripture. For me that is memorable. They have their eyes set on this spectacle that they are seeing and when they come to see for a moment they find that there are two men in resplendent clothing who were obviously what? They were angels.

They were angels and they said to them: “Galilean men, why are you looking at Heaven? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into Heaven will come just as you have seen him go to Heaven.” That is one of the most beautiful promises in Scripture: that the same Jesus who was raised up will also come a second time. And just as we saw Him bodily, just as these men saw Him bodily ascend, so we too will see Him appear in Heaven.

It says that "every eye will see him." Today with the Internet and communications, I believe that we do not know how it will be, but rather that it will be a world vision that the whole world will be able to see the Lord. Physically I don't think that's possible, it will have to be a spiritual experience or I don't know exactly. But surely "every eye will see him when he comes." He is coming visibly, He is coming in glory, He is coming in the same physical way that He left, and He is coming as well. And meanwhile, while He comes, we here on Earth, what are we doing? Working, evangelizing, preaching the word, bringing people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, strengthening his church, giving to the Lord, serving, sacrificing, striving to bring the greatest possible number of souls to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

That is why when they ask him, "Lord, are you going to restore Israel?" They are thinking there about eschatology and theoretical and theological and mysterious questions. They want an answer there to their curiosity and the Lord tells them 'You know what? Don't mess That is not your business. That is up to the Father to solve it. He knows the moment. Meanwhile, it says "You will receive power and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and in all the Earth". In other words that He says: 'Do not put me to be lucubrations and dark curiosities of apocalyptic and eschatological issues, no. The important thing is that you are going to receive power and that you are going to be my witnesses.

The believer is a witness of Jesus Christ. That is what you have been called to be. That's why you need to arm yourself with the power of God and you need to arm yourself with these basic knowledge of Scripture. Practical things so that you can be that effective witness of that Christ Jesus who is resurrected. Let's stand up. Let's give glory to the Lord. We are going to ask the Lord to fill us with that strength, with that energy to be witnesses in Boston, in Massachusetts, in the United States and on all the continents of the Earth.

Let multitudes leave here from León de Judá to preach the Gospel. Each one of us is made a witness of that risen Christ. That Christ who was raised up by the Father, that Christ who is seated at the right hand of God, that Christ who has told us “come and sit by my side too and reign. Exercise power over every situation and over every circumstance.”

Lord, we bless you, we adore you. Fill our minds this morning with that image of the risen Christ, the Christ of power, the Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father. Give us that mindset Lord who is not afraid to accept the truth of these teachings. That we can believe in those mysterious stories, Lord, that your word shows. May it not be strange, rare, or difficult for us to think of a Christ who rises and is carried away after rising from the dead and suffering for our sins. He is lifted up by the Father, is received in Heaven and sits in glory at the right hand of God waiting for the day when the Father gives the word to come again and change history for all eternity.

We want to be at that moment, Father. We want to be part of that redeemed church. While we're here on Earth, we want You to fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit, to baptize us with Your power, Lord. May You give us new languages, Father, may You pour out gifts of prophecies, of tongues, of interpretation of languages, of revelation, of healing.

Lord, all the charisms and gifts that You have placed, Lord, in the hand of your church. We bless you this morning, Father. Take us out of here now with your blessing, with your joy, Lord, to live as what we are: people who have been placed in authority, people who have power over all circumstances. People who have the risen Christ in their favor, people who have the Holy Spirit within them and therefore we are more than conquerors. We adore you and we bless you. Thank you for this time, Father. We surrender this time to you in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen and amen.