Denver Seminary

“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’” - Acts 1:6

The question was not a question of an individual, it was a group question: “When they had come together they asked Him…” If you’re a teacher, and the whole class asked you a question that represents the feeling and perplexity of a nation, you would take it seriously. To understand the disciples’ question we need to comprehend the historical context of the Jews and listen to their question with empathy.

The disciples were taught about the kingdom of God before and after the resurrection. These are people who had seen Lazarus rise from the dead, the blind eye opened to see, the lame walk, water changed into wine, the storm calmed and Christ walking on the water. Most of all, these are people who saw the empty tomb of Christ and interacted with the resurrected Christ for forty days. Yet still, they had questions lingering in their mind.

The question of the disciples has to do with a common hope. The question is loaded with deep sadness, religious sorrow, intense earnestness, hunger for freedom, emancipation from economic depravity, and the pain of years of suffering and humiliation. It was a national security and individual well-being question. Without getting a clear and affirmative answer, they still determined to serve their savior. To grasp the impact of their work, read the book of Acts and Christian history. You and I are only a few of the beneficiaries of their obedience. Are you waiting for a blue print of your life from the Lord, an answer for your questions, or will you serve him even in the midst of uncertainty?