기다림 가운데 보기: 초대 제자들 사이의 믿음과 신뢰
예수가 승천하셨을 때, 제자들은 그들이 제어할 수 없는 기다림 속으로 불러들여졌고 — 바로 그곳에서 믿음과 신뢰가 탄생하였다.
데오빌로여, 내가 먼저 쓴 첫 책은 예수께서 행하시고 가르치신 모든 일을, 그분이 하늘에 올려지신 날까지 기록한 것이니, 이는 그가 택하신 사도들에게 성령을 명하신 후에 이루어졌습니다. 그는 고난을 받으신 후 사십 일 동안 그들 스스로 나타나심으로 산 것을 증명하셨고, 하나님 나라에 관한 일을 말씀하시며 그들 앞에 보이셨습니다. 그들이 함께 모였을 때, he's les 명령하셨습니다, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence. They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey off. And when they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding; both Peter and John and James 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 with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said (and there was a multitude of persons gathered together, about a hundred and twenty), Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and received his portion in this ministry. (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take. Of the men therefore that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection. And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show of these two the one whom thou hast chosen, to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place. And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
사도행전 1:1–20은 구원사의 결정적 고리를 기록한다. 예수께서는 사십 일 동안 많은 증거로 자신이 살아 계심을 입증하신 후, 마지막 명령을 내리신다: 머무르라, 기다리라, 받으라. 본문은 승리적 정복을 서술하지 않는다. 작은 무리가 빈 하늘을 응시하다, 기도하던 다락방으로 돌아가는 모습을 서술한다.