The Elephant (& Donkey) in the Room - Part 2 | Pastor Kris Bojorquez | Strong Church | Mesa, AZ.

Acts 1 stands up in an emotionally exhausting moment and shows anxious disciples asking a political timeline question. Jesus has just walked out of the grave, taught forty days on the kingdom, and promised the Spirit, yet the disciples still want to know, “Are you restoring the kingdom to Israel now?” That question exposes a control reflex. Anxious souls demand timelines because control feels like rest. Jesus refuses to feed that anxiety. He answers with a hard mercy: “It is not for you to know the times or seasons the Father has fixed.” In blunt street language, he says, “It’s none of your business.” The future belongs to the Father, and that truth is meant to hand stressed hearts real descanso.

Matthew 4 already showed how the enemy tempts with political power. Acts 1 shows the same trap circling back. Jesus redirects the question away from power and toward presence: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” The Spirit’s power is not a lever for control but an engine for testimony. Dunamis is resurrection energy, not electoral muscle. That power raises the dead, breaks hard hearts, and turns atheists and prodigals into worshipers. The Spirit produces fruit that no one can manufacture on their own: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. That is why political power cannot solve a spiritual problem. The Spirit can.

“Witness” carries weight. The Greek martys becomes “martyr.” The call is to testify about what Jesus has done, no matter the cost, and to let God keep the timetable and the results. Faithfulness speaks; the Father fixes the seasons. That frees the church from fear-based activism and lazy Christianity that tries to outsource mission to laws. The Spirit’s way is slower, deeper, and stronger: Spirit-empowered believers opening their mouths and their homes.

Jesus lays out the map. God’s mission is global, but it starts local. Jerusalem means home, neighborhood, church. Judea widens to the region and workplace. Samaria names the people one does not like, who vote different, who have mocked race or nationality. The ends of the earth call for sending and going. America is not the center of God’s clock. The Father has fixed the times; the Spirit supplies the power; Jesus defines the task. Rest comes when control is released and witness is embraced.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Anxious souls demand timelines [15:28] Anxiety grabs for control by asking for dates, plans, and guarantees. Jesus refuses to baptize that control; he redirects it to the Father’s fixed seasons. Rest begins when the need to know gives way to trust. The future is not empty space; it sits in the Father’s hands. [15:28]
• 2. The Spirit produces witness, not control [28:43] Dunamis does not crown parties; it raises the dead and opens mouths. The Spirit’s main work is to make living testimonies, not magic-wand miracle chasers. When testimony is central, fruit grows, courage rises, and politics loses its power to disciple the church. [28:43]
• 3. “Witness” means costly testimony [32:40] Martys names a life willing to lose comfort, status, and even safety to tell the truth about Jesus. That cost refines motives and clarifies identity. God does not ask for outcomes; he asks for faithfulness, then he handles timing and fruit. [32:40]
• 4. The Father’s fixed time frees hearts [21:30] What looks unstable is already “fixed” by God’s authority. That doctrine undercuts fear-mongering and doomsday manipulations. Trust in the Father’s calendar releases people to do today’s assignment without panic about tomorrow. [21:30]
• 5. God’s global mission starts local [44:04] Jerusalem means home and street; Judea means region; Samaria means enemies; the ends of the earth mean sending and going. Proximity is not permission to hide; it is an invitation to begin. Faithful presence next door becomes credible mission across the world. [44:04]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:28] - Rest for the soul amid anxiety
• [02:00] - Elections that feel like apocalypse
• [06:45] - Forty days and the kingdom of God
• [07:08] - The disciples’ political question
• [18:52] - “Not for you to know” authority
• [21:30] - The Father’s fixed times bring rest
• [28:05] - Power to be witnesses
• [30:57] - Dunamis vs political power
• [32:40] - Witness as martyrdom
• [36:36] - Faithful witness, God handles results
• [39:57] - Pentecost produces witnesses, not parties
• [44:04] - Jerusalem: start at home
• [47:04] - Samaria: love across hostility
• [48:55] - To the ends of the earth
• [50:26] - Sending churches and missionaries
• [52:20] - Empowered by the Holy Spirit

1. What specific question did the disciples ask Jesus in Acts 1:6, and what does their question reveal about their priorities? [07:08]
2. How does Jesus redirect their focus in His response (v. 7-8)? What two things does He emphasize instead of answering their timeline?
3. The Greek word martys (translated “witness”) is the root of the English word “martyr.” What does this imply about the nature of being a witness for Christ? [32:40]
4. What four geographical areas does Jesus name in Acts 1:8, and how do they expand in scope?

1. Why might the disciples’ question about restoring Israel’s kingdom have been rooted in anxiety or a desire for control? How does this mirror modern struggles with political or cultural power? [15:28]
2. Jesus contrasts political power (dunamis) with the Holy Spirit’s power. How is the Spirit’s power fundamentally different from worldly power, and what does it accomplish (e.g., Galatians 5:22-23)? [30:57]
3. Why does Jesus command the disciples to start their witness in Jerusalem (their local context) before expanding outward? What might this pattern mean for believers today? [44:04]
4. How does trusting God’s “fixed times and seasons” (v. 7) free believers from fear or urgency to control outcomes? [21:30]

1. Where do you feel the temptation to demand timelines or guarantees from God (e.g., career, relationships, cultural issues)? How can you release that anxiety and trust His sovereignty today? [15:28]
2. The Holy Spirit’s power is meant to fuel witness, not control. What is one situation this week where you can rely on the Spirit’s fruit (love, patience, kindness) instead of trying to force an outcome? [09:21]
3. Who is your “Samaria” — someone you struggle to love due to differences in beliefs, politics, or background? How can you intentionally show Christ’s love to them without avoiding hard conversations? [47:52]
4. Jesus calls believers to start witnessing at home (Jerusalem). What simple step can you take to share your faith with a neighbor, coworker, or family member this month? [44:41]
5. When have you felt pressured to prioritize political solutions over spiritual ones? How can you shift your focus to prayer and testimony in areas where you’re tempted to rely on human power? [38:30]
6. What does it look like to embrace “costly testimony” in your current season? Is there a comfort, reputation, or safety you need to risk to speak about Jesus boldly? [33:24]
7. How can your small group support one another in trusting God’s timing rather than reacting to cultural or personal anxieties? [27:23]