Lessons Of A Lifetime

From The Mountain To The Upper Room
Or
One More Lesson Of A Lifetime To Learn

Scripture To Consider:
“Then they [the disciples] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.”

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with Jesus’ brothers.”    Acts 1.12-14

Something To Consider:
It must have been a long hike down the mountain of ascension. Every mind must have been racing with mixed emotions and memories of the past three years. Every heart must have been beating with all the uncertain anticipation of the future. But as a group, they did exactly what Jesus had instructed them to do. They went to Jerusalem and gathered together in the upper room.

What if the walls of that upper room could speak to the multitude of generations since then? What if they could reveal all that has already been written for our benefit in the Word of God? Therefore, are we truly taking full advantage of the wisdom and warnings contained within the Word of God? And if not, why not?

We are within a few weeks of finishing what has taken six years to reveal concerning the many lessons of a lifetime pertaining to the life and teachings of Jesus. If you have followed along then you have indeed taken advantage of what the written and preserved Word of God has revealed in and through the life study of Jesus Christ and His teachings! I hope your faith in God through Jesus Christ has become strong during your journey through these lessons.

Something Else To Consider:
In Acts 1.15, the written Word of God also reveals to us that the number of those gathered together in the upper room was about one hundred and twenty. The Scripture text further reveals to us, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

It is commendable that Luke mentions the brothers of Jesus being among those praying in the upper room. For while Jesus was alive there was no mention in the Word of God of His brothers believing in Jesus. But to the contrary, what was not accomplished by the life of Jesus was soon accomplished in and through His death.

Peter learned that very lesson. For the death and resurrection of Jesus became the central message of Peter’s future preaching. We too should learn that same lesson. It became the central thought of the preaching and teaching of the early church and provided a platform of belief for so many.

Seeing Jesus on the mountain top gave those early disciples the strength and courage to gather together in the upper room even under fear and threat of reprisal by the so-called religious leaders. Now many gathered together as was commanded by Jesus.

What are we doing for strength and courage to be instilled in us while we await the second coming of Christ? Are we studying to show ourselves approved unto God as workmen and workwomen unashamed of the gospel of Christ? For there is always one more lesson of a lifetime to be learned!

Something More To Consider:
A cursory reading through the remainder of Acts chapter 1, will reveal another much-needed lesson for every spiritual leader or leader in training to learn. Peter quoted Psalm 109.8 in the context of someone needing to take the place of Judas Iscariot. We are not told that Peter was led by the Lord or of the Spirit of God in this effort.

We are told that they chose two men of good report who had accompanied with them and Jesus from the beginning. After they prayed, they cast lots to decide. Casting lots was the equivalent of throwing dice or gambling. It was what the soldiers did at the foot of the cross for Jesus’ outer garment.

The lot fell to Matthias and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Not to take anything away from him, but we never hear anything else about Matthias in the whole of the New Testament. But in Acts chapter 13, the Holy Spirit spoke to the church, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul [soon to be Paul] for the work to which I [God] have called them.”

After Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost and after the filling of the disciples with the Holy Spirit, they never once again cast lots to determine the will of God. How is it that we determine the will of God? Hopefully not by casting lots or rolling dice! The Word of God is still the first and best starting place for us to determine what the will of God is for our lives.

And as we begin bringing these lessons of a lifetime to a close, what is the best biblical definition of the will or work of God for our lives? According to Jesus, which is the name of this website, the will or work of God is as simple as us believing!

A Few Final Words:
In John chapter 6, Jesus was asked a question by those following Him. “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work [will] of God, that you believe in Him [Jesus] whom He sent.’”

And in 2 Peter 3.9, we further find more biblical insight into what the will or work of God is. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise [His promise of coming again], as some count slackness, but is longsuffering [even at this very moment] toward us, not willing that any perish but that all should come to repentance.” And for many, if not most of us, that means coming to repentance through prayer as often as is needed!

Prayer to the true believer, whether echoed from a mountain top or softly spoken behind closed doors, is a lifetime spiritual lesson to be learned and taken much advantage of in this lifetime. How are we doing?

For according to Luke, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” God help us to do no less!

Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hopefully we have learned many lessons of a lifetime from the Word of God. Continue to teach us day by day of Your goodness and Your wisdom through the opening of our eyes to Your truth, of whom is Jesus, the way, the truth and the life. In Him Always, Amen!