10-11-2019

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.”

    How long do you suppose the disciples stood there and looked up?  I bet it was quite a while.  I bet it was quite a while before the angels said, in effect, it is time to move along.  They were watching as Jesus, the one who had instilled so much hope in them, ascended into heaven.  There gaze upward would have been filled with joy but a certain sadness as Jesus left them.  The Gospel of Luke sys they returned to the Temple singing with joy.  Yet, you can’t help but wonder if it was a little bittersweet.  Jesus had left them but he left them with a promise; a promise to always be with them and to never abandon them.

    Their gaze upward was also based on a simple promise; he would return.  He would return and finish the work begun.  You wonder how often the disciples would look up.  Jesus did whenever he prayed.  Stephen did when he was being stoned and he gazed into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  The Apostle John did when the revelation was given to him.  Peter did when the Spirit revealed truth to him.  I would guess they all looked up, looking for the hope that knew was to come.  They looked often to see if they could see Jesus coming back.

    I think that is one of the troubles we Christians have today; I know I do.  We don’t look up.  We tend to look down and around and back.  We look back and think of a time (real or imagined) when Christianity was the strong voice in the country.  We look around and see strife, chaos, suffering and despair.  We look down because we feel so overwhelmed, so beaten down.  We are in the middle of a snowstorm; the early part of October and we have most of the crops still in the field.  It was a battle to get them in and now it is a battle to get them out; it is easy to get discouraged and defeated.  Meanwhile, some are battling health issues with little improvement in sight.  Relationships are breaking, churches are shrinking and it looks hopeless for many.  To all this, Jesus says, “look up!”  Look up and see where our help comes from!

    Jesus has promised to return and the ancient church would cry “Marana-tha: come, O Lord!”  The current church should do the same.  Look up and pray for Jesus to return and bring about peace; look up to the heavens knowing that each day is one day closer to our total redemption.  Look up and remember that our hope is not in this world but in Jesus.  Look up and remember that Jesus overcame all this struggle so we might have peace in his name and comfort in his arms.  Look up; for the Savior who ascended will return as king of kings!  Look up!

Gracious Father, keep our hearts and our minds focused on things above.  Keep us looking to you for all our hope and comfort.  Keep us ever mindful of your great mercy.  Keep us in your loving and protective arms.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen!

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret