In the name of our ascended, yet ever-present Lord, dear friends in Christ,

This past Friday I was asked to sit in on a meeting with our district president, Joel Frank, up in Salina. Afterwards we stopped by at McDonald’s for something to drink. While Pastor Frank enjoyed the “senior citizen special” – the $.59 cup of coffee, I took advantage of his offer to pay and got a $2.79 cappuccino. While discussing our meetings, I noticed one of the new DVD-rental “red boxes” a few feet away. Having never seen such technology up in little Plymouth, Nebraska, I showed Pastor Frank how these boxes worked and explained what a bargain they offered – DVD’s for $1/night. Although somewhat impressed by the technology, Pastor Frank still expressed surprise at why people rent so many movies in the first place. To him sitting and watching a movie comes across as a complete waste of time.

I doubt if I won him over with my logic, but I argued that for many watching a movie offers a brief escape from reality, a chance to forget about their problems and cares for a couple of hours. Many like to imagine living in a different world, under different circumstances, perhaps longing for a life different than their own. But then comes “the end,” the movie’s over, the lights come on, and it’s back to the life as they know it. It’s back to reality.

The disciples may have felt as if they were watching a movie that lasted for three years. For the past three years their lives had been different – they had given up their occupations to follow after Jesus, the God-Man himself, hearing him preach a powerful message of salvation and watching him exhibit miraculous abilities in healing the sick and raising the dead. Then the “plot” took a sad turn, with their Lord undeservedly being found guilty of a crime that brought with it the death sentence. But – hang on! – there was another twist in the storyline, for Jesus broke free from the grave and was back with them once more. Still, the story didn’t end here, for the living Lord would leave them yet again, only this time in triumph as he returned to his throne in heaven.

So the lights came on, and the skyward-gazing disciples had to get on with life. Jesus may have returned to heaven, but the disciples were left behind. What would they do? The same thing we are to do still today. Jesus is back in heaven:

“Meanwhile, Back on Earth . . .”

I. We witness

II. We wait

III. We worship

After his resurrection Jesus did stick around on this earth for another 40 days. Earlier in this chapter Luke tells us why (Ac 1:3), “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Jesus wanted the disciples to be convinced, without a doubt, that he was alive and well. They may have still been a bit confused as to why he had come back from the dead, still holding out hope of him setting up an earthly kingdom, but Jesus would help straighten out their thinking. Our text begins with Jesus promising to send them someone special (v 8), “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” For three years these disciples had been privileged to see Jesus’ power in action, culminated by his own resurrection from the dead. Now this power was going to be at their disposal. They would be sent out in Jesus’ name with a message of good news all wrapped up in a powerful little package known as the gospel, the message Paul calls “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Ro 1:16).

With this little dynamo of a message the disciples would have all they needed for their new occupation. No longer would they just be followers of our Lord – now they would also be his witnesses! “You will be my witnesses” (v 8) is the command Jesus gives them before heading back to heaven. A witness is one who verifies the truth. With Jesus leaving this earth, the disciples were to verify the truth of what he had accomplished for the world’s salvation. Peter does just that when he writes (2 Pe 1:16), “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” The baton was being passed. With Jesus in heaven, meanwhile, back on earth, the disciples were to take over as his spokesmen. The world had been saved from sin. That mission was accomplished. Now all that was left was to get the word out.

Jesus even came up with a plan for their witnessing. Call it “the ripple effect.” Toss a stone into a pond, and you’ll see ever-widening circles branching out from the spot of the splash. So it was to be for the disciples (v 8), “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” He was telling them, “Start at home in Jerusalem, but then keep branching out into the surrounding territories until finally you cover the entire world. Make sure everyone hears that their sins have been forgiven!”

Today we assume the role of those first disciples. We are the Lord’s witnesses, and our assignment — our “ripple effect”– might be stated this way, “You will be my witnesses in your homes, at work and in your neighborhoods, and to the ends of the earth.” Our Lord has ascended to heaven. Meanwhile, back on earth, we witness. And that means all of us, not just the pastors or the Board of Evangelism members. Witnessing is the responsibility given to all our Lord’s children, and it’s something that requires us to be proactive. Sitting around and waiting for people to “find” their Savior won’t cut it. We have to go out and search for the lost. Start with those you know. Studies have shown that up to 75% of people who visit a church do so at the invitation of a friend or relative. Those who have joined our church as adult confirmands support this fact. We are God’s tools for reaching the lost! We have the power of the gospel to proclaim! It’s our calling. Jesus empowers us from above with the same Holy Spirit he promised the disciples. Meanwhile, back on earth, you and I, we witness!

And we wait. The disciples would have to wait for Jesus to come again. As Jesus ascended to heaven before their very eyes, their heavenward gaze was interrupted by a couple of angels sent to snap them back to reality (v 11), “‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” “He’s coming back, but not right now. Don’t linger in the past. Remember, he has work for you to do. And you will see him again, because he’s going to come back again in the same way you just watched him leave. Just be patient and wait!”

We can understand the disciples’ reluctance to let Jesus go. They thought they had lost him once before, and they were so distraught and upset with him gone that they huddled together and hid behind locked doors. Was he going to leave them for good this time? Not at all! Angels came to tell them he’d be back. Angels always showed up for important occasions. One came to announce the Savior’s birth. They were there when Jesus was tempted by the devil, when he was in Gethsemane, and after he had risen to announce his resurrection. Now they came to his ascension to comfort and assure the disciples. Jesus was back in heaven. Meanwhile, back on earth, the disciples were to wait, but they were to do so confident that Jesus would be coming back for them.

The assurance of our Lord’s return is what gives us today the patience to wait while living in a sinful world. Most people don’t like to wait. Think of the last time you had a doctor’s appointment and had to wait to be called in and had to wait again for the doctor to finally come see you. Try waiting five seconds after the traffic light has turned green and the horns sounding behind you will let you know that people find it hard to wait. Patience is a rare virtue here on earth.

And yet as Christians we know our wait will be well worth it. We know what we’re waiting for, and the end result of an eternity with our Lord makes our wait here on this earth all the more bearable. While we wait, we don’t sit idly by, but we look for ways to serve in which we might exhibit the joy that is ours as redeemed children of God with a future in heaven. Keep in mind that others are watching. May we never be guilty of turning others off to Christianity by the way we lament our lot in life as if we had no hope and were only living for the here and now. May we never give people the impression that living the Christian life is nothing but a burden and a hardship for us to endure. Instead, may people see in us our joyful hope and our enduring patience. And may they see through us the reason for our hope – may they see Jesus! Right now he’s preparing places for us in heaven. Meanwhile, back on earth, we wait, letting others know that our wait will not be in vain!

So what do we do when this world starts to get the best of us, when the doom and gloom of sin keeps popping up all around us? When you’re sick, you take medicine to start feeling better again. When you’re feeling spiritually worn out, take your spiritual medicine. Take healthy dosages of God’s Word! While waiting on earth, it’s important that we also worship.

That’s what the disciples did. After their angelic experience, while waiting for the Lord’s promised gift of the Holy Spirit, we’re told the disciples “returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives. . . . They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (vv 12,14). “They all joined together” with one another to be mutually strengthened through the Word in prayer and in worship! Makes sense, doesn’t it? They all shared a common faith, and they wanted to express that unity in prayer and worship. Jesus was gone, but he had left them with so very much for which to be thankful – the certainty of his resurrection, the assurance of forgiveness, the hope of heaven. So while Jesus was in heaven, back on earth they joined together to praise their Lord. They worshiped!

That’s what we do. That’s what we’re doing right now. That’s what we do every time we assemble here in God’s house. And it’s a good thing. God encourages us to worship in his Word (Heb 10:25), “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” As Christians we’re called to worship. It’s a response of faith. That’s why, if you’re not regularly found in God’s house, we see it as a faith-problem. I once had a member take me to task for telling her that she had a faith-problem, even though she had been absent from worship for over six months! Think of your church attendance as the barometer of your faith. Those strong in faith can’t help but worship the Lord in all they do, and that includes the act of coming to his house to praise him and to be strengthened in faith. Someday we’ll be singing our Lord’s praises for all eternity. In the meantime, while here on earth, we take advantage of the opportunities to recharge our spiritual batteries and to encourage one another by gathering together around God’s Word. It’s important to be here. It’s important to worship!

Jesus is back in heaven, but “life goes on.” Ever have someone say that to you – “life goes on”? It’s as if they’re trying to tell you that even though something bad may have just taken place in your life, still you have to keep living. You can’t escape reality. Even movies end, and “life goes on.”

Maybe that’s the advice Jesus had in mind for the disciples as he was about to ascend back into heaven. Yes, he would be leaving them, but before he went, he would leave them with one last promise (Mt 28:20), “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” That’s a promise he has made to each of us as well. Even though he has ascended into heaven, our Savior never really left us. That’s why, back on earth, we witness, we wait, and we worship. Yes, life goes on. But, remember, we’re never alone. Life goes on with Jesus at our side, and he’ll accompany us all the way home to heaven!

Amen

-Rev. Jonathan Rockhoff