This Makes All the Difference
When Jesus finished his “earthly ministry,” He returned to Heaven. This "returning to Heaven" is termed the ascension of Jesus. Luke 24 and Acts 1 record the event. Immediately after Jesus left his 12 disciples and returned to Heaven, they were standing speechless, staring up into the sky. The disciples had seen many unusual things during the three years that they followed Jesus, but watching Jesus ascend into the sky and disappear from sight had to be one of the strangest. What do the disciples do now? Jesus had told these special followers that they were to take His message to the world. They were to teach the things Jesus taught them to the rest of the world. I don’t know about you, but I think the apostles were given an immense task. After Jesus left the scene, they had to think to themselves, what do we do now? In response, God sends two angels to help the disciples sort things out.
Some see the angels as having a simple conversation with Jesus’ amazed disciples. They believe the angels just dropped in to “shoot the breeze,” so to speak. To think such a thing is to miss what is actually happening. By the way, do we ever read a story in the Bible where God sends His angels just to hang out and have idle conversations? Are the angels so bored in Heaven that God sends them to earth for some rest and relaxation? No, God is sending His powerful messengers to move the bewildered disciples along. I contend that these followers of Jesus were more than just a little confused; they were discouraged. Every time Jesus told the 12 apostles that He would leave them and return to Heaven, they were disheartened. They did not want Jesus to leave. And who wouldn’t feel the same way? Which of us wants to see someone we dearly love leave us? I don’t know about you, but I’d give anything to hang out with Jesus.
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, His followers were obviously discouraged, perplexed, and overwhelmed. Jesus had told them to go to Jerusalem and wait until God’s Spirit showed them what to do next. The Holy Spirit was going to do some powerful things with and through these men. Standing around and allowing discouragement to dominate their thinking would do no good, so God sent these two angels to offer encouragement. As a result of this angelic pep-talk, the disciples set off for Jerusalem with great joy. What caused this radical transformation? We’ll talk about that next week.
Right now, let's be practical. Do our lives ever bog down with discouragement, confusion, and doubt? How are you doing now in your service to and worship of God? If you are like the average Christian, the surveys tell us that you are not doing very well. What do I mean by that? How can I be so presumptuous? Many studies have been made over the last several decades. These studies and surveys have asked Christians about their spiritual lives, and the results of such surveys indicate that Christians admit to praying less than those who came before them. Not only is prayer on the decline, but there is less Bible study, less involvement in regular church attendance, less giving of their time and money to God, and less conviction that sin is something to be avoided. While these surveys and studies paint a bleak picture of what the average American Christian does and believes, I believe a key issue is one of perspective. What perspective are you using to view life? Are you looking at God through the lens or perspective of your problem? If so, God will look small and inadequate. Are you looking at life or life’s problems through God’s lens or His perspective? If so, the problem will look smaller. The real question is: Are you living your life God’s way or your way? Too many people put God in a box; they limit what they believe God can do. Many people believe in God, but they do not believe God. They do not believe that God can deliver when He makes great promises. They do not believe God when He says that He is with them and wants to bring victory. Don’t let doubt or difficulty dictate how you live. Turn to God. Keep looking up!