12-3-2016

Good Morning All,

              Acts 1:10-11; “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

    Back in my more playful youth, we used to play practical jokes on people, the more gullible the better.  One that worked fairly well was to get three or four people to stand together and stare up into the sky.  The goal was to get some unsuspecting soul to come along and begin to stare with you.  After the unsuspecting person was looking up there were a few variations.  One was to wait until they asked what we were looking at.  Then two or three would point to the sky and say,” that blue thing right there (of course there was nothing).  When the person stated that they couldn’t see it; we would move them around for a better angle or try to get them to tilt their head to the left and down a little and then peer up like that.  Eventually, the person either figured out we were teasing them or we all started to laugh.  Something like the men in our verse.

    The disciples are still somewhat confused by what is going on.  They went from fear and being totally lost to being excited and happy.  Now they are just confused.  They are standing on a hill with Jesus when He begins to float up and disappear behind the clouds.  They were jolted back to reality by two angels standing beside them.  

     We do the same thing.  We will see something and then just vaguely stare at it trying to figure out what we saw.  We usually have a puzzled look as we watch and try and process what we saw.  While we process what we saw paralyzed by our own thoughts, God’s Spirit moves us “to snap out of it.”

     The disciples had a lot of work ahead of them; they didn’t have time to stand there and look around.  God had a plan for them and it wasn’t standing on a mountain staring into the sky.  God’s plan for his disciples was to build His Church.  God’s plan was to use these disciples to be about the task of reconciling the world back to Himself and of reconciling the world back to itself bringing brothers and neighbors together to live in peaceful harmony. 

     God’s plan for you is the exact same.  God wants to use you to build his Church, to reconcile the world to Himself and to each other.  It is a daunting task but it is what God wants of us, from us and for us.  We are part of the Body of Christ, a living growing life which provides for us.  We receive the spiritual nourishment to continue our life here until we reach our heavenly goal.

     So don’t just stand there looking up into the sky; find the ways which you can serve God.  If you are an accountant, help mentor people who have trouble with their finances.  If you sew; help make clothes for those in need. Help mentor someone who needs help.  Give a ride to your neighbor.  Do what the Lord asks of you; do those things which benefit your neighbor and bring glory to God.

 Father, we often are left looking at the clouds as the needs of your creation go unmet.  Forgive us for our slowness to act.  Give us the wisdom to see the needs of your creation.  Give us the courage to act and bring your salvation and reconciliation to the world.  Lead us in your path of righteousness.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret