The Light of Christ Journey

Encouraging people on their journey with Christ

Surrendering to God

Tom Graves

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June 1, 2026

Surrendering to God is what we do as we realize we are on the wrong path in life and open our hearts to His guidance. Saul, who we know as the Apostle Paul, experienced this when Jesus broke into his life while he was traveling to Damascus to persecute believers. Acts 9:3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” [1]

As a devout Pharisee, Saul had extensive knowledge of the Old Testament, but he viewed Jesus as a false prophet and His followers as deceived. It was amidst this zeal to arrest the followers of Jesus that the Lord spoke to him. God revealed that he was the one deceived. Saul, bewildered and humbled, had a question. Acts 9:5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” [2]

Unexpected Transitions

There are times in life when we experience unexpected transitions that can be life-changing. This happens as the Lord leads us to take a different path. These transitions are often accompanied by transformation as we yield to God’s will and acknowledge His lordship over our lives. In Paul’s life, this transformation made him a different person, with a heart aligned with God.

When we choose to submit to God and His will, our lives, too, are dramatically changed as the Lord transforms us. Paul’s question, “Lord, what will you have me do?” signals a heart shift. Transition requires surrender, moving from self-direction to divine instruction. Our lives are never the same once we begin to let the Holy Spirit guide us. This is the transition that marks us as children of God.

Surrendering to God is an ongoing process, not a one-time choice. Each day, we face the choice to align our will with His. It requires humility and faith to surrender our own plans and trust that God’s ways are higher and better than our own.

Surrendering is Not Giving Up

Surrendering differs from giving up when faith in God is part of the process. Like Paul, we can surrender by letting go of our misperceptions and other paths in life that we realize are wrong. This form of surrender is about dying to self, and through it, we begin walking anew in life with Jesus.

Paul gives us insight into his transformation. Galatians 1:15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. [3]

Jesus was the focal point of this remarkable experience. Paul didn’t merely have a vision; he encountered the risen Christ directly. Genuine conversion stems from a personal meeting with Jesus and results in a transformed life dedicated to Him. This is the same kind of relationship we can also have as we surrender our lives to Jesus. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

When God Interrupts Our Direction

Paula K. Graves

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May 31, 2026

A transition can occur when God interrupts our direction. Saul thought he was serving God by persecuting the church. Acts 9: 1Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. [1]

Saul was a Jewish scholar and knew that anyone who is hung on a tree, or crucified, is considered cursed (Deut. 21:23). Surely, God would not take a cursed false prophet and declare him to be Messiah. It made no sense; Jesus was dead. So Saul must have considered that the miracles of the Jesus followers were done in satanic power. Thus, Saul sought to destroy what he considered a dangerous sect.

Saul Had not Transitioned His View of God

While Saul was well-versed in Jewish scripture, his mindset about what the Messiah would be had prevented him from understanding Jesus’ identity. Like many other Jewish leaders, Saul stumbled over the cross. He thought he could earn his own righteousness by obeying the law. He saw no need for a Savior, let alone one who died.

Most Jews were looking for a political Messiah who would rule a new Israel like King David had. Even though Jesus had done things that only a Messiah could do, Saul didn’t see Him as the Messiah. Jesus had given the Jews His identity in His “I Am” statements. Jesus was the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Gate, and the Good Shepherd. Jesus had pointed out that He was the only way to eternal life. To obtain eternal life, we must stay attached to Jesus, our Vine.

 Jesus had often referred to God as His Father, thus implying that He was the Son of God. Yet, Saul did not understand Jesus’ true identity and falsely accused Him of being a heretic. One must understand who Jesus is before they can truly follow Him. Saul had not transitioned from a traditional Jewish mindset to a Christian mindset.

God Intervened

Saul was moving passionately in the wrong direction. It took God’s intervention before Saul would change his mind about who Jesus is. God had to first stop Saul in his tracks before He could redirect him. God is willing to meet us where we are, even when we are at odds with Him. This is exactly what happened.

Acts 9: 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” [2]

Jesus demonstrated His true identity to Saul through a vision. This demonstrated how God is willing to engage with each of us personally. Jesus had to reveal the truth of His identity to remove Saul’s misconception. When God interrupts our direction, we can transition from the wrong path to the right road. Where is God pursuing you so that you can follow His will?

To find out more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/transition-follows-transformation

[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Urgency of the Last Days

Tom Graves

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May 30, 2026

Peter proclaimed the urgency of the last days on the day of Pentecost, quoting the prophet Joel. ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will also pour out my Spirit on my servants—men and women—and they will prophesy. I will cause wonders in the heavens and signs on the earth—blood, fire, and smoke. The sun will darken, and the moon will turn blood red before the day of the Lord. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[1]

     Knowing that we are in the last days is both exciting and sobering, reminding us that souls are at stake and echoing Jesus’ words. Matthew 9:37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” [2]

Time of Transition of the Church

As Peter stood amid the noise and wonder of Pentecost, he declared that what the crowd was witnessing was the fulfillment of Joel’s promise Acts 2:17In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. [3] This is not merely a prediction; it is an announcement of transition. The age of waiting has given way to the age of outpouring.

The Spirit is no longer for a few, as in the Old Testament, where it comes upon people for a time to carry out God’s purposes. The Holy Spirit is now pouring out on sons and daughters, who are both young and old. The last days are marked by an amazing increase in God’s divine activity.

God is moving history toward its appointed end, and He has chosen to involve His people in the process. The urgency of the last days is not about panic, but about participation. There is deep spiritual growth when we partner with God in bringing in the harvest. And when God pours out His Spirit, as promised, it is a clear signal that the moment to respond has arrived. It is the time to speak, to act, and to live boldly for Him.

Living in the Overlap of Ages

This passage reminds us that we are living in a sacred transition between Christ’s ascension and His return. The cosmic signs Peter quotes testify to the certainty that history is not random but is advancing toward “the great and glorious day of the Lord.” Yet amid this urgency comes mercy:Acts 2:21But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” [4] 

The last days intensify in both judgment and grace. They call us to discern the times, to refuse complacency, and to embrace our Spirit-empowered calling. We stand in the overlap of ages—rooted in what Christ has done and reaching toward what He will complete. Therefore, let us live for building His Kingdom, attentive and surrendered, recognizing that every moment carries eternal weight in this unfolding transition of God’s redemptive plan.

To learn more about the urgency of the last days, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1] Summary of Acts 2:17-21 from the Holy Bible.

[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Prophecy Fulfilled

Paula K. Graves

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May 29, 2026

Peter explained the curious scene of uneducated men speaking in languages they never learned by saying this was prophecy fulfilled. If a crowd asked me to explain why my friends and I were acting drunkenly, I don’t think I would use Scripture. But Peter was beginning to understand that this was the Spirit that Jesus had promised them. Jesus had explained to His disciples how He had fulfilled prophecy with His death and resurrection. Now Peter began teaching the crowd.

Prophecies of the Messiah and the Spirit

These Jews knew of prophecies of the Messiah to come and the giving of the Spirit:

  • Zechariah 12: 10 “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.[1]
  • Ezekiel 39: 28 Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. 29 And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” [2]

These prophecies told of a people who would repent and God would restore. There was a general Jewish expectation, often appealing to Joel 2, that an indiscriminate outpouring of the Spirit, manifesting itself in “all Israel prophesying,” would characterize the age to come.[3]

This is That

The Galileans astonished the crowd as they heard them speaking in their native tongues. This surprised them because they believed God gave His Spirit only to a select few. But here were 120 of their fellow Jews demonstrating the same Spirit that had empowered the patriarchs and prophets.

Acts 2: 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel. [4]

Joel’s prophecy emphasizes that God will give the Spirit to all, regardless of gender, age, or social status. All believers can receive the Spirit. Jews weren’t the only ones to be God’s people. Now the church would transition to bring the Gospel to the entire world. This was a revolutionary thought to first-century Jews. The giving of the Spirit at Pentecost indicated that the Messianic age had come. Jesus was prophecy fulfilled. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1,2,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

[3] Trites, A. A., William J. Larkin. (2006). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 12: The Gospel of Luke and Acts (p. 391). Tyndale House Publishers.

Misunderstanding the Moves of God

Tom Graves

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May 28, 2026

Misunderstanding the moves of God on Pentecost came from viewing them through the lens of sin. Sin always clouds God’s works. Devout Jews from many nations were in Jerusalem when a loud noise drew a crowd together. They were amazed and bewildered to hear the believers from Galilee speaking in their own native languages. People from regions such as Parthia, Media, Egypt, Rome, Crete, and Arabia all heard the wonders of God declared in their own languages.

Acts 2:12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” [1]      Have you ever misunderstood what God was doing? When we seek the Lord, He will give us discernment to understand, even when what He is doing does not make sense to us in the natural.

Being at a Crossroads

In Acts 2:12-13, the crowd witnessing the outpouring of the Spirit stood at a crossroads. Some were amazed and asked, “What does this mean?” Others mocked and dismissed the miracle as drunkenness. The same powerful move of God produced two very different responses. When God moves, not everyone understands, and not everyone responds in faith.

His works often stretch our expectations and challenge our assumptions. The question is not whether God is moving, but how we will respond when His work does not fit neatly into our understanding. There will always be people who misunderstand how God works, mock it, or question His integrity. Christians have a choice: they can either worry and fret or, like Peter, take the chance to share with others the wonderful things God is doing.

What Lens Will You Look Through?

How we respond to what God is doing that we don’t understand is often determined by what lens we look through. Scripture explains looking through the lens of faith. Hebrews 11:1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. [2] The lens of faith does not use reason as its backdrop, but trusts in God even when we don’t understand. This is the lens that will lead us to prayer and to seeking the Lord when we are confronted with something we don’t understand.

When I look through the lens of unbelief, no matter what evidence someone gives, it is never enough. The good news of the Gospel is that it can change our hearts if we are open to the work of the Holy Spirit. A once hardened heart does not have to stay that way. Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. [3]

Prayer

Lord, I don’t understand what You are doing, but I know You do. Please give me a discerning heart and help me respond as You desire so I can fulfill the plans You have for my life.

To learn more about misunderstanding the moves of God, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Witness to What God Has Done

Tom Graves

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May 27, 2026

Being a witness to what God has done was the beginning of the Holy Spirit’s effects on believers on Pentecost and part of the transition of the early church. Although many associate Pentecost solely with the New Testament era, its origins are in the Old Testament. Specifically Leviticus 23, where God established the seven biblical festivals, one of which is Pentecost.

Pentecost, one of these festivals, was a prominent agricultural festival observed 50 days after Passover. This is one of the three holy days when male Jews aged 20 and above, if possible, were to travel to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. As people traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, the city’s population swelled several times over. It was during this feast, ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, that God did something special by pouring out the Holy Spirit.

The Wonderful Things God Has Done

For those visiting Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, many would encounter God in a way that would lead them to faith and change their lives. How did this happen? Believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confidently proclaimed the good news of Jesus. The Spirit actively worked in those listening.

On that day, devout Jews from every part of the Roman Empire were in Jerusalem. When they heard a loud noise, they came running. The believers speaking in their own languages bewildered them. They wondered, “How can this be?” Since the believers were all from Galilee, they were amazed to hear them speak in their own languages. These visitors included Parthians, Medes, Elamites, from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, Libya around Cyrene, Rome (Jews and converts), Cretans, and Arabs—all hearing about God’s wondrous deeds. (Ref. Acts 2:5-11).   

The miracle was not merely in speaking, but in the hearing. God made His mighty deeds known in a way each heart could understand. From the rushing wind to the many tongues, the message was unmistakable. The God who acts in power also reveals His works so that all may know Him. God’s wonderful things are too great to be confined to one people or one place. Because they are meant to be heard, understood, and proclaimed to the ends of the earth.

God Wants All to be Saved

God wants all people to be saved and to know about His wondrous deeds, especially Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. John 3:16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.[1] The verse explores themes of love, sacrifice, and eternal life.

God’s love is shown as unconditional and universal, reaching out to everyone. This love’s sacrificial aspect is clear in the giving of His “one and only Son,” referring to Jesus crucifixion. This act emphasizes the seriousness of God’s love and Jesus’ willingness to sacrifice for humanity’s redemption. The promise of eternal life is central to Christianity. John 3:16 assures believers that trusting in Jesus grants them eternal life, offering comfort, hope, and purpose.

The witness to what God has done is key to coming to faith. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 3:16). Tyndale House Publishers.

From Fearful to Bold

Paula K. Graves

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May 26, 2026

The Holy Spirit helped move the disciples from fearful to bold. At the Last Supper, Jesus had predicted that all the disciples would desert Him. Peter responded by declaring that He never would, and the other disciples vowed the same. (Mat. 26:31-15).

At Jesus’ arrest, all the disciples scattered. Peter followed Jesus to the courtyard next to Jesus’ trial, but there he denied Jesus three times. John was the only disciple at the cross; the rest were hiding behind locked doors. (John 19:26)

Doubting the Resurrection

The women who went to anoint Jesus’s body were the first to discover the resurrection. They ran and told the disciples. Peter and John did go to the tomb and look, but then returned home. (John 20:1-11). They needed the Holy Spirit even to believe Jesus was alive.

John 20: 19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.[1]

Luke 24: 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” [2] Jesus had given the disciples a portion of the Holy Spirit to enable them to believe in the resurrection and to be obedient, staying and waiting for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Emboldened by the Spirit

Ten days after Jesus’ ascension and during the Festival of Pentecost, God sent the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [3] God enabled the disciples to speak in the various languages of the Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem, as they celebrated Pentecost.

Jesus had given the disciples the mission of taking the good news of the Gospel to all nations. They were to begin in Jerusalem and spread out. They were to make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then they were to teach these new disciples to obey all Jesus’ commands. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) They couldn’t do this from behind locked doors.

So, the Holy Spirit took the disciples from fearful to bold. Peter, who only a few weeks before had denied even knowing Jesus, now boldly stepped up and publicly preached about Jesus. Acts 2: 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem![4] The other disciples joined Peter as they told the Good News about Jesus to Jewish pilgrims in their own language.

The Holy Spirit continues to empower and strengthen believers today. He can give us words to speak to give witness to our faith so that we can continue the same mission the disciples had. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

External Presence to Internal Power

Paula K. Graves

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May 25, 2026

In the events of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit goes from an external presence to internal power. In the Old Testament, the Spirit came selectively, often only temporarily, upon God’s people. Some examples of this are:

  • The seventy elders in the wilderness, Numbers 11:25 Then he (God) gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again. [1]
  •  David, 1 Sam. 16:13 Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on.[2]
  • The prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel 2: 2 The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words.[3]

God sent the Spirit for a specific purpose for a specific time.

Jesus Promised the Spirit

John 7: 37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” 39 When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.[4]

Jesus entered His glory when He ascended into heaven. Mark 16: 19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.[5] Jesus received honor and glory for what He had done for us while on earth. He gave us the gift of salvation by willingly dying on the cross to pay the blood price we, as sinners, could never pay

The night before He was crucified, Jesus also promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. John 14: 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.[6]

The Spirit Lives Within Believers

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to all the believers in the upper room. Acts 2: 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. [7]

As promised, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within and empower these believers. Through the outward signs of wind and fire and the gifts of tongues, the believers understood that something supernatural had happened. They had the power to witness to the world because the Spirit had transitioned from an external presence to internal power. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1-7] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.

Unity in Transition

Tom Graves

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May 24, 2026

Unity in transition is the miracle unfolding after Jesus’ ascension, in which believers find themselves between promise and fulfillment, waiting yet together. Acts 2:1On the day of Pentecost, all the believers were meeting together in one place.[1] Before the sound of the wind filled the house and before flames of fire rested on their heads, there was unity. They were not scattered in purpose or divided in heart; they were gathered, praying, and expectant together.

The power that God would soon display did not fall on isolated individuals but on a united community. Unity prepared the way for the outpouring of the Spirit. When God’s people align their hearts, humble themselves, and seek Him together, they create space for His Spirit to move in powerful and transformative ways. There is something about unity that elevates all of us spiritually, because our focus is not on ourselves but on Christ’s mission.

Unity Helps Me Focus on the Big Picture

When the body of Christ is unified, it helps everyone stop thinking about their own needs or desires and look at the larger picture the Lord is unfolding. When a church body becomes divided, we forget the Gospel that unites us and drift, becoming motivated by our own pride. As the disciples waited, they looked to Jesus’s words, which told them to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Whatever needs or desires they had, they set them aside because they knew the most important thing was to wait as the Lord had told them.

Transitions often test the integrity of our unity. When leadership shifts, when familiar rhythms change, when prayers seem suspended between heaven and earth, it is easy to fragment. But the early believers show us another way. They did not allow the discomfort of waiting to divide them. They remained present with one another, anchored in Christ’s promise. Their unity was not passive; it was an active, faithful posture of trust in what God was about to do.

Unity in Transition Today

In our own seasons of change—new callings, unexpected endings, or uncertain beginnings—God invites us into that same kind of togetherness. Unity in transition does not deny the tension of the moment; it shows us that tension doesn’t have to separate us. When we choose to stay connected, to pray together, and to hold fast to God’s word, we create space for His Spirit to move.

Just as He met the disciples in their waiting, He meets us in ours, often transforming our most uncertain transitions into a new beginning of the season ahead. Paul offers additional insight into the importance of unity. 1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.[2]

Just as the disciples, who came from diverse backgrounds such as fishermen and tax collectors, focused on their shared hope in Christ, we too are encouraged to embrace our common identity in Christ, especially during times of change. To learn more about unity in transition, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/pentecost-the-church-in-transition

[1,2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

Living Between Promise and Return

Paula K. Graves

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May 23, 2026

After Jesus’ ascension, the disciples were living between promise and return. They watched Jesus ascend and disappear into the clouds. It seems they were stunned into inaction. Acts 1: 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go.[1]

The angels got their attention and then gave a promise. Someday, Jesus will return in the same way they saw Him go. They had the promise of His return but no idea when it would happen. Even so, they responded with joy. Luke 24: 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.[2]

The Time of the Already but Not Yet

Jewish theology thought the kingdom of the evil world would be replaced by the heavenly kingdom when the Messiah came. Instead, at Jesus’s coming, these two kingdoms overlapped. The “already and not yet” concept refers to the tension in which believers experience the partial fulfillment of God’s promises through Christ’s first coming, while still awaiting the complete realization of those promises at His second coming. It highlights that while Christ followers are already saved and reconciled to God, they still live in a world affected by sin and await final redemption.

The disciples had the promise of the coming Holy Spirit. Through what Jesus did on the cross, they could receive forgiveness for their sins and the promise of a new life here on earth. What’s more, they had the hope of Jesus return and His perfect Kingdom to come.

Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”[3]

Our Purpose as We Wait for Jesus’ Return

Twenty centuries later, we are still waiting for Jesus’s public return. There are many theories about how and when Jesus will publicly return. But no matter when or exactly how He returns, there can be a private return time when we die.

Yet all believers through the ages have been given the same purpose as the first disciples. We are to go and make disciples so that all will know Jesus. Our lives are gifts to be used to glorify Jesus and to live for Him. Jesus has given us the promise of salvation and has work for us to do. Ephesians 2: 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [4] Let us find lives of purpose as we go on living between promise and return. To learn more, listen here:

https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/ascension-jesus-and-the-disciples-in-transition

[1-4 Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.

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