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334. The Ascension

 Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:1-11
Key Verse:  "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Acts 1:8

Again, the Great Commission is repeated and Jesus makes sure that the disciples understand that it includes their enemies, the Samaritans.  There are no more walls or boundaries to the gospel.  When Jesus says, "the ends of the earth," He means, "the ends of the earth!"  No longer will there be any exclusivity for the followers of Christ.  No longer will human traits such as being Jewish determine who are God's chosen.  All who believe, are invited and included.  No exceptions are allowed!

It is interesting that, while the resurrection is mentioned in all four gospels, the ascension is treated more as an anticlimactic event in the lives of Christ's followers.  It would seem to be a big deal to watch a man rise in the air.  We would expect a detailed description. It's understandable that the crucifixion wasn't given in detail.  As I said on an earlier day, the sight of a man being crucified was all too common, but ascending into Heaven? Yet, very little is said about the event.  The disciples are simply left staring into space, puzzling over this next unexpected turn of events in their lives.

Then, those two men, or angels, show up again to tell them to stop staring and go back to Jerusalem and wait some more.  Waiting seems to be an important part of the Christian life.  Abram had to wait for twenty five years to receive a promised son.  Israel had to wait forty years to enter the Promised Land.  David had to wait more than ten years to become king and on and on it goes.  Now, the disciples are sent back to Jerusalem to wait.  For how long?  The angels don't say.  For what exactly?  Again, the angels don't say.  Jesus had said that they would receive the Holy Spirit, but what would that be like?  Again, they are left wondering.  So much has happened to them over the past few years.  One wonders if they have come to expect the unexpected.

What would it be like for us if we were to live our walks with the Lord in this same way?  Instead of planning and figuring it all out before we act, what if we trusted God so much that we lived expecting the unexpected.  We keep trying to figure God out, but really!  He is God!  He is bigger than us!  He is the ultimate creator, "able to do exceedingly more than we could ask or imagine," (Eph. 3:20) if we even tried.  We limit Him when we demand that He fulfill our plans.  What if we let go and said, "Yes, Lord, we'll fulfill Your plans.”  We need to be watchful for His leading and not blinded by our expectations.  Trust that the Holy Spirit will enable us to do His Will and the impossible will become the expected.

Hymn:  "Look YeSaints the Sight is Glorious"

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