Final Instructions, May 24, 2020

On top of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem is a very small Crusader-era church called “The Chapel of the Ascension.” The Chapel of the Ascension is not popular and crowded Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which marks the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, people flock from all over to see the site. But The Chapel of the Ascension.” this little chapel sees few visitors. Administered by Muslims since the end of the Crusades, the chapel marks the traditional site of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Muslims believed that Jesus was a prophet, so they maintain the site and allow Christian pilgrims to see what’s inside. According to tradition, you can see the place where Jesus footprints were. We talk a lot about the crucifixion and resurrection but not much about the ascension. 

The passage I read in your hearing Jesus is giving final instructions before he goes back into Heaven. Acts is written by the same author of Luke. The first chapter the author starts by recapping what happened in the Gospel gives a quick 3 verse cliff notes version before we get to the instructions. Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples teaching them again about the Kingdom of God, in an upper room, a sort of callback to where they had the last supper. Jesus is giving the 11 apostles, and other people some final instructions before he leaves. 

We should be used to getting instructions before something takes off. When we go into this store, don’t ask for nothing, don’t touch nothing, don’t get loud, keep your hands to yourself, and if you show out, I will show out too. Jesus gives some less forceful instructions. 

Don’t worry, Watch, Wait, and Pray

There is plenty of reasons to be worried, it is not easy being a follower of Jesus Christ during these times, their leader and savior was just executed like a common criminal, everyone scattered, then Jesus comes back, now he is leaving again. That is something to be worried about. The apostles still have to navigate being a believer where the government basically said, "is this your king?" Keep bringing them and we will show you what we do to them. 

Even though Jesus has been with the apostles the text says they still misunderstand the Kingdom of God, Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God and they ask when is the kingdom of Israel going to be restored. They were looking for the messiah to overthrow the government and while the government was overthrown, it was not the way the apostles thought it would be. They are also waiting in uncertain times. But Jesus gives them these instructions and the apostles do their best to abide by them. Don’t worry, watch, wait, and pray. 

Don’t Worry

It's hard not to worry in uncertain times, to feel uneasy, uncertain, uncomfortable. It's hard for some to not worry when times are good. Don’t negate your emotions, but change how you respond to them. In times of worry, change  "what if, to "how can I?” the Bible says in Roman’s 12 not to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Don’t waste time on the what if, but spend more time on the problem solving. Rahm Emmanuel former Mayor of Chicago and chief of staff to President Obama said not to let a good crisis go to waste. Yes these are bad times but they don’t have to be all bad for you. Now is the time to reframe your thinking and see how you can come out better. What if the apostles just said “well, Jesus is gone now, I’m going to go back to fishing, tax collecting, or whatever” some did but then when they saw Jesus satin they stayed the course after he ascended. The apostles had to stay the course, if they did not, we would not be here today worshiping him. Uncertainty is a fact of life, save your energy by not worrying about things that are not in your control to begin with. 

2 Timothy 1:7 New King James Version (NKJV)

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Isaiah 41:10 New King James Version (NKJV)

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Watch

Jesus ascended, and the apostles, and others were looking at Jesus. I can understand the apostles looking at Jesus, but Jesus gave them some instructions about bringing on the Kingdom of God. You have to be watching the right thing. The men in white asked them why are you looking up? Churches and church folk can be looking at the wrong things sometimes. We worry about hymns vs contemporary, whether or not our names get on a plaque, or if somebody is going to sit in our assigned pew. Neighborhoods around the church buildings are changing and the people in the building on Sunday don’t look anything like the people who live in the neighborhood surrounding the church. We are worried about not being able to go to a building on Sundays when the church is not the building but the people. We have to watch the right things. The people who did the best in the California gold rush were the ones that sold shovels and pans. We have to make sure we are watching the right things. We need to watch the word of God and the work we have been called to do as believers. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever.

Wait

We all hate waiting, Today, we have multiple entertainment options right at our fingertips to keep us occupied while we wait. But despite all that technology, waiting is still hard. Before this pandemic we hated waiting we would wait at airports (security lines, boarding lines); we would wait in waiting rooms; we would wait in traffic; we wait at the post office; we wait at the bank; we wait for a human when calling customer service. We wait ... and our patience runs thin. We wait now waiting to see if it is safe to go back out, waiting to see when our church is going to go back to in person worship services. The reactions to waiting has disappointed me to be transparent. I’m watching some of my colleagues have trouble with the waiting. So much so that some not all but some question their faith, and complain about their freedoms. Really, this is what it took to get you riled up? Segregation didn’t do it, redlining didn’t do, predatory lending,Jim Crow laws, police brutality, food deserts and hunger, poverty, homelessness, school to prison pipelines, none of that bothered you. But now because you can’t go to your favorite restaurant, you wonder where God is, you cry about your freedoms… way to look out for your fellow man. I’m not saying you can’t have a crisis of faith and have questions, just that I find it funny that this is what gets you riled up. We all hate waiting but you have to wait and keep waiting.

Isaiah 40:28-31 King James Version (KJV)

28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Pray

Now is the time to be praying, praying more than ever. 

Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Know that the same way you saw Jesus leave is the same way you are going to see him return in the meantime, don’t worry, watch the right things, wait on the Lord, and pray. 

The church is not a building The church is not a steeple The church is not a resting place, The church is the people

A people with power from the Holy Spirit, power to make it through these times. Jesus is not gone forever, Jesus is just working from home.