Acts 1:6 English Standard Version (ESV) So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

The disciples have just received the Holy Spirit from Jesus and have entered into the Kingdom of God.

They have retained their memories and feelings about the old life they lived in the world. They were not even aware that they had been “born again”. They had not experienced what it meant to have the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit within them. That is the same for all of us, our lives change but for the most part we are unaware of it because of the retention of our humanity. We did not stop being human just because we became sons and daughters of God by adoption.

What Jesus spoke to them about next did not answer their concerns. It was the right answer to the wrong question. Later, when the Holy Spirit moved in power, they understood.

Some may understand they have entered into the Kingdom of God and that their new life has begun even if they have not experienced it in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then their question about their former lives might be about those whom they have left behind. “What about the ones I love?”

While Jesus said not to love mother and father more than Himself, He did not say to stop loving them. In fact His instructions are clear that we are to love everyone in ways we never could love before. We are to love others from a better place, His Kingdom.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians said “Let me show you a better way.” Then he penned the attributes of agape love, a love so perfect that it seems impossible to perform. But that is OK because His love has conquered us. Just as the disciples had not control over their tongues on the day of Pentecost we have no control over the abiding love that dwells in our hearts by faith. He can love perfectly even if we do not perceive it.

We cannot stop God from being God.

John 10:28-30 English Standard Version

²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Shortly after Easter this verse of the day appeared. Two things are important here. The first is that Jesus Christ had given us eternal life which starts shortly after accepting Him into our hearts. I say shortly thereafter because we must accept that having this eternal life is a matter of living it. Newborns must breathe and are helpless to choose for themselves how to live this new life.

The second is that nothing we do can undo this gift of life eternal. We cannot give this gift back to God.

Fifty days on a calendar marked the period between Passover and Pentecost. Did the apostle have the Holy Spirit in them before Pentecost?

John 20:22 English Standard Version (ESV) And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

This was Resurrection Sunday evening, after sundown, and by Jewish tradition the beginning of Monday. This is not important to any specific intent other than to say that they received the Holy Spirit shortly after His resurrection.

Acts 1:6-8 English Standard Version

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.”

The disciples met with Jesus again shortly after that evening. At this time the Holy Spirit was abiding in them but had not as yet moved with power. Note closely what they ask Jesus. “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”