“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence”
Acts 1:4-5

“After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep” 1 Corinthians 15:6

A promise is a promise. We will look at Acts 1:4-5 and 1 Corinthians 15:6 to see how important a promise of God truly is. Jesus is speaking specifically of the day of Pentecost. It is right before his ascension into heaven. He is telling the five hundred with him to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Ghost. The apostle Paul actually gives an account of around five hundred and twenty people in 1 Corinthians 15. How excited must Jesus’ followers have been to be gathered together in his presence. To hear him speak of the promise to come and then watch him ascend up into heaven. Then there were the two angels who spoke to Jesus’ followers about the Savior returning again in the same way he left.

Here’s the thing. Five hundred and twenty people were told to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise. When the time of the promise was at hand there were only one hundred and twenty people in the upper room. Four hundred of them were not obedient to the master’s voice. They missed the event which changed the history of mankind (the promise of the Holy Ghost).

What happened to the four hundred souls which failed to make it to the upper room?

• Were they too busy or too lazy to get there?
• Was it a lack of faith or a lack of patience that hindered them?
• Were they blinded by unbelief?

What keeps us, as children of God, from seeing His promises?
It’s easy to be one of the 500. It’s harder to be one of the 120.