PREPARING TO GO OUT TO MEET HIM

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. . . . And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:6-7, 9-11).

Jesus gathered together those who were chosen to see Him ascend to the Father—“being assembled together with them” (Acts 1:4). About 120 were called together by Jesus Himself to the Mount of Olives. I don’t think they knew or grasped what was about to happen. He had tried to prepare them for His return to the Father: “I go to my Father, and ye [shall] see me no more” (John 16:10). How could a finite mind comprehend such words? How would He be going? Would He die again? Would angels take Him? Would a chariot come as it did for Elijah or would He suddenly vanish into thin air? It was something Jesus had warned them about: “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father” (John 14:28). They said, “What is this that he saith, A little while? We cannot tell what he saith” (John 16:18).

In the same way He gathered the disciples, Jesus will again gather His people to prepare us for His return. But will we understand? God has always had a people, but just prior to His coming He will do just as He did before He left. He is doing it now, in fact! It is happening here in Times Square Church and all across America, China, Europe, Poland, Russia. By the call of the Holy Spirit, small companies and larger groups are coming together to “go out to meet Him.” They have heard the trumpet! They have heard the cry, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (Matthew 25:6).