FALLING AWAY

[Albert Finch]

1 Corinthians 15:4-6 "He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: and that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, He was seen of above FIVE HUNDRED brethern at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, ........"

The issues which divided and kept away over 380 (1 Corinthians 15:4-6) people from remaining in the upper room at Jerusalem to wait for the Promise of the Father (500 who saw Jesus at the same time – 380 = 120 on Pentecost) are the same issues which now, and will be dividing and keeping away many from not only receiving this same Promise of the Father, but also from FLOWING IN THEIR DIVINE INHERITANCE – their land of milk and honey in Christ Jesus.

Acts 1:6 "Lord, will You at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel (or, insert your own country's name here)?"

Imagine being one of the chosen, "lucky 500+" who had the privilege and honor of witnessing the bodily resurrected Christ Himself; yet because you are a political zealot, your preeminent interest while seeing Him is whether or not He will strip the reigns of authority and control out of the hands of Rome (the foreign, yet present governing power), and restore those reigns of authority and control back into the hands of your own natural government. Sound familiar?

JESUS' RESPONSE TO HIS DISCIPLE'S POLITICAL CONCERNS

"It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own power... But [then, almost as if Jesus is ignoring their question] you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Was there a falling away? Yes, there was! Will there be a falling away? Yes, there will! See, hear, and understand: Over 380 political zealots deemed the resurrected Christ's answer to their politically charged question – to be both inappropriate and unacceptable!

Acts 1:12-15 "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an HUNDRED AND TWENTY,)..."

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