Living in the Waiting - Acts 1:1-11

Jun 15, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Waiting Feels Like Wasted Time

The disciples waited 10 days between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, unsure what came next. Waiting often feels passive, like a detour from purpose. But Jesus used those days to prepare them for the Spirit’s power. Trusting God’s timing means seeing waiting not as emptiness but as soil where dependence grows. What feels like delay is often divine preparation. [14:10]

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God."
(Acts 1:1–3, ESV)

Reflection: What current “waiting season” makes you feel stuck? How might God be using this delay to deepen your trust in His timing rather than your plans?

Day 2: No FastPass for the Holy Spirit

The disciples couldn’t skip the 10-day wait for Pentecost. Modern life craves shortcuts—Amazon Prime, lightning lanes, instant fixes. But the Spirit’s work thrives in patient dependence, not hurry. Waiting cultivates humility, reminding us God’s power isn’t earned or rushed. The disciples’ obedience in stillness birthed a movement that changed the world. [15:15]

"While staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'"
(Acts 1:4–5, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you tempted to force outcomes instead of waiting on God’s Spirit? What practical step can you take this week to embrace patience as active trust?

Day 3: Your Street Is Holy Ground

Jerusalem wasn’t just a city—it was their doorstep. Witnessing starts where you live, work, and play. The cashier who knows your name, the neighbor walking their dog, the coworker sharing your break room—these are your “Jerusalem.” You don’t need a pulpit when you have a porch. Ordinary spaces become holy ground when we see them as mission fields. [27:56]

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
(Acts 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your daily routine (neighborhood, workplace, gym) needs to experience Christ’s love through your intentional presence this week?

Day 4: When God Redefines Your Map

The disciples asked about restoring Israel’s kingdom; Jesus redirected them to Samaria—a place they’d avoided. Mission pushes us beyond comfort zones to cross cultural, political, and relational lines. Your “Samaria” might be the family member you’ve written off, the coworker with polarizing views, or the community you’ve overlooked. [30:01]

"So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.'"
(Acts 1:6–7, ESV)

Reflection: What relationship or group feels “off limits” to you? How might God be calling you to engage rather than avoid them this week?

Day 5: Don’t Just Stare at the Sky

After Jesus ascended, the disciples stood frozen until angels jolted them: “Why are you looking into heaven?” Waiting for Christ’s return isn’t passive—it’s urgent preparation. Every conversation, every act of service, every prayer fuels the mission. The clouds that hid Jesus now frame our marching orders: live like He’s coming back today. [33:15]

"And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"
(Acts 1:10–11, ESV)

Reflection: If you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow, what unfinished act of obedience would you prioritize today? Start there.

Sermon Summary

Luke sets Acts in motion by pointing Theophilus back to “all that Jesus began to do and teach,” so the story does not close with a tomb but opens with a risen King who keeps working through a Spirit-empowered people. Jesus presents himself alive “by many proofs,” teaches forty days about the kingdom, and establishes that Christianity is not built on religious inspiration but on a historical resurrection. The forty echoes Sinai and the wilderness and signals that a greater Moses is preparing a people for a new work under his authority.

Jesus, the living King, therefore calls for response number one: trust the King. If Jesus conquered death, then Jesus can carry careers, marriages, finances, and futures. The world’s counter-vision urges self-trust and control, but Acts 1 redirects trust to the One who rose and still rules. Broken people make broken saviors; the risen Christ does not.

Jesus orders response number two: wait on the Spirit. He commands them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for “the promise of the Father.” “Not many days from now” the baptism of the Spirit will come, and they cannot manufacture it, speed it up, or earn it. Waiting trains dependence. The FastPass culture looks for shortcuts, but the Helper is worth every minute, and the Spirit meets disciples in ordinary places and exhausted moments.

The risen Lord gives response number three: join the mission. When the disciples ask about restoring the kingdom, Jesus does not rebuke; he redirects. “You will receive power” and “you will be my witnesses” is not a suggestion. Jerusalem means home base. For a church in Virginia Beach, Jerusalem is the street, the classroom, the base, the job site, the beach, the gym, the tee box. Judea and Samaria require crossing lines of comfort, culture, and preference. The ends of the earth are closer than they look through deployments, PCS moves, graduations, and even summer tourists. Virginia Beach becomes a launching pad.

The cloud that lifts Jesus establishes response number four: live for his return. Angels ask, “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” The King is risen, reigning, and returning. Speculation about times gives way to urgency in witness. Those who do not yet belong to King Jesus are called to repent and receive the free gift of salvation and the power of the Spirit. Those who do belong are called to trust, wait, join, and live for the King until he comes.

Key Takeaways

1. Christianity rests on a risen Jesus [07:19] Christian faith lives or dies on resurrection reality, not on vague inspiration. Luke’s careful witness and the forty days of appearances locate faith in public history. A living Christ keeps working and keeps sending. Confidence grows when the tomb stays empty in the mind and in the mouth. [07:19]
2. Trust the King in the waiting [11:09] Waiting always shifts trust somewhere, either toward self-made plans or toward the risen Lord. The King who conquered death can carry a career plan, a fragile marriage, and a thin bank account. Broken saviors promise control but cannot deliver; the living Christ rules timing, doors, and outcomes. [11:09]
3. Wait on the Spirit’s timing [14:10] Spirit-given power cannot be hurried, hacked, or reverse-engineered. Dependence is learned in the pause, where desire is purified and strength is borrowed. The Helper meets disciples in cars before the chaos, in whispers before bed, and in ordinary faithfulness that refuses the FastPass. [14:10]
4. Join the mission where feet stand [27:56] Jerusalem means the block, the classroom, the shop, the ship, the shoreline. Witness looks like real presence, honest work, unusual kindness, and named allegiance to Jesus. From there, love crosses lines into Judea and Samaria, and God turns a city into a sending base for the nations. [27:56]
5. Live now for His return [32:33] The ascension aims eyes back to earth with urgency. Speculation shrinks while obedience grows, because the King is coming back the same way he left. Prayer sets the pace, courage takes the step, and ordinary conversation becomes eternal seed. [32:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:08] - Greenville vision and gospel gateway
[02:20] - Living in the waiting
[03:39] - Acts as Jesus continuing his work
[04:30] - Response 1: Trust the King
[06:49] - Proofs and the forty days
[11:40] - Response 2: Wait on the Spirit
[14:10] - Dependence over manufacturing outcomes
[18:58] - The Spirit meets the ordinary
[19:49] - Response 3: Join the mission
[23:18] - Power to be witnesses
[27:18] - Jerusalem: live, learn, work, play
[30:01] - Judea, Samaria, and crossing lines
[32:33] - Response 4: Live for His return
[33:49] - Invitation to belong to Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Observation questions

What three specific locations does Jesus mention for the disciples’ mission in Acts 1:8, and how do these expand geographically?
Why does Luke emphasize that Jesus appeared for forty days after His resurrection (v. 3)? What biblical patterns does this timeframe connect to?
What practical instruction does Jesus give the disciples in verse 4, and how does this contrast with their question in verse 6?
How does the sermon describe the significance of the angels’ question in verse 11: “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” [32:33]

Interpretation questions

Why might Jesus redirect the disciples’ focus from “restoring the kingdom to Israel” (v. 6) to being His witnesses (v. 8)? What does this reveal about God’s priorities versus human expectations?
The sermon states, “Waiting trains dependence” [14:10]. How does waiting for the Holy Spirit in Acts 1 challenge modern cultural attitudes toward productivity and control?
The phrase “you will be my witnesses” (v. 8) is framed as a certainty, not a suggestion. What does this imply about the relationship between the Holy Spirit’s power and the disciples’ obedience?
How does the ascension (vv. 9-11) shape the disciples’ understanding of Jesus’ authority and their mission?

Application questions

The sermon says, “Broken saviors promise control but cannot deliver” [11:09]. What areas of your life (career, relationships, finances) do you struggle to fully entrust to Jesus, and what practical step could you take this week to shift that trust?
“The Helper meets disciples in cars before the chaos” [18:58]. Where are the ordinary, everyday moments in your routine where you could intentionally pause to pray and invite the Holy Spirit’s guidance?
If your “Jerusalem” is where you live, work, learn, or play [27:56], who is one person in that space you feel called to engage with gospel intentionality? What would it look like to start a conversation or serve them this week?
The angels’ question, “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” [32:33] challenges inaction. What is one specific way you can move from “waiting” to “acting” in your witness—even if it feels small or uncomfortable?
How does the certainty of Jesus’ return (v. 11) change the urgency of your prayers, conversations, or generosity? What habit could you build to remind yourself daily of His promised return?

Sermon Clips

42s

“Guys, Luke emphasizes evidence. Right? He's a physician. He cares about these things. Jesus suffered. Jesus died. Jesus rose. Jesus appeared. Jesus taught for forty days. The risen Christ is now appearing to his followers proving, and I repeat proving that the resurrection was not a myth. It was not a legend. It was not just some wishful thinking. Paul tells us in first Corinthians 15 that Jesus presented himself alive to over 500 brothers at once. What that means is that Christianity is not built on religious inspiration. Christianity is not built on religious inspiration. It is built on a historical resurrection.”

from 00:07:05

#HistoricalResurrection

32s

“Well, it's because the gospel doesn't end with a Jesus in a tomb. Right? The gospel is still at work with a risen king who works through his local church and people like all of you. That's why I love the name of your church. I mean, risen? Come on. You live that. You can embody that. Think about the gospel. Jesus was born to a virgin. He lived a life that you and I could never live. He died a death that we deserved in place for us on the cross. And then when he died, what'd he do? Three days later, he rose from the grave. What I'm saying is Jesus is alive. Right? Hallelujah.”

from 00:06:18

#GospelIsAlive

39s

“when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Church, that's not a suggestion. That's a commission. Right? He doesn't say you might receive power. He doesn't say you might be my witness. What does he say? He says you will. Guys, these are the last words of the risen king before he ascends to heaven. And a thousand years later, these words are still true for us today because what Jesus begins or began, excuse me, continues through his people.”

from 00:23:13

#WitnessCommission

25s

“But finally, church, if you are a Christian here, remember, by his spirit, what Jesus began continues to his people until he returns. So what that means is because Jesus rose, we trust him. Because the spirit has come, we depend on him. Because he is coming again, we are going to live for him, and the only way we can do that is join him in the mission.”

from 00:34:46

#TrustAndJoinMission

31s

“Maybe you're in the military, and, man, waiting just feels like a big time tactical failure. Right? You were trained to move, to act, to go. But even the most disciplined soldiers and sailors know timing is everything. My brother's in the Marine Corps, he talks about it all the time. Timing. Timing. Timing. Well, see, this is what the disciples understood. They were not weak for waiting. They were obedient by waiting. There is an enormous amount of strength in spirit led patience.”

from 00:17:52

#StrengthInWaiting

33s

“And then one more group of you is maybe you're sitting here today, and maybe by all the outside measures, maybe the house is beautiful, maybe the retirement is funded, maybe everything looks good, but the thing is is there's this quiet amount of emptiness that money and comfort's never actually going to satisfy. What's filled by that is actually the holy spirit, the one who brings us into fellowship with God through Jesus Christ alone. There is no amount of comfort or money that's ever, I repeat, ever going to replace the person that Jesus has promised.”

from 00:19:03

#SpiritFillsNotMoney

31s

“See, but you may not even know what waiting on the spirit looks like right now in this season. Well, let me just go ahead and tell you, maybe it just looks like five minutes in the car before you go in the house. Maybe it looks like, you know, before bed, you and your wife sit down and you pray before bed even though you are too exhausted to say anything at all. I get it. But, guys, what I'm trying to say is the spirit will meet you in the ordinary. You have to invite him in and wait for the holy spirit to move.”

from 00:18:36

#InviteSpiritInOrdinary

37s

“Trust the king because if Jesus conquered sin and death itself, he can be trusted with your career, your marriage, your finances. Anything you brought in today, he can be trusted. And so where we land right now is that Jesus didn't just say something and leave. He rose. He appeared to them. He proved it, and now he's going to continue his work through his people, through the local church, through you and through me. See, but we can't do that on our own. We can't walk in the mission of a risen king on our own power, and that's why Jesus tells him something so cool in the next verses. He says, don't he says, don't go anywhere. Wait.”

from 00:12:00

#TrustTheKingWait

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Living in the Waiting - Acts 1:1-11

Devotional

Day 1: When Waiting Feels Like Wasted Time

Day 2: No FastPass for the Holy Spirit

Day 3: Your Street Is Holy Ground

Day 4: When God Redefines Your Map

Day 5: Don’t Just Stare at the Sky

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Living in the Waiting - Acts 1:1-11

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