Don't look up
Notes
Transcript
Title: Eye in the sky
Text: Acts 1:1-12
D.T
Introduction:READ Acts 1:1-9
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
After Jesus rose from the grave, he would spend the next 40 days with his disciples. Within these 40 days there were many great moments.
Thomas and his doubt
Jesus fishes with disciples
Jesus reinstates Peter.
I can also say with certainty, these 40 days would have gone by very quickly. March 19th was 40 days ago. I really think it's important to emphasize how quickly time would have passed for the disciples in the final days of Jesus' time on earth. The disciples very quickly found themselves reaching a point where Jesus was going to levy the task of building his church, and they still didn’t have absolute clarity on what their purpose would be next. They expected Jesus to establish a political and territorial kingdom. The disciples were just minutes away from seeing Jesus ascend into the heavens, and having the proverbial keys to the church placed in their hands.
The moment of the ascension had arrived, and I’m sure for many of the disciples, they wished it hadn’t.
They no doubt feared the uncertainty, they no doubt feared no longing having the physical personhood of Jesus in their presence
They no doubt wished Jesus would just restore his kingdom in the way they expected. So much of Jesus' time on earth was filled with unexpected moments, I’m sure the disciples were hoping that after his resurrection, Jesus would become more like the version every Jewish person throughout history expected him to be.
As the disciples tried to make since of the whirlwind of emotions and thoughts, Jesus was taken into the air before them. The disciples turned their eyes to the sky and watched in wonder as Jesus ascended into heaven.
READ Acts 1:10-12
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.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
As the disciples had their eyes fixed to the sky, angels appeared to them and asked them a simple question. Why are you guys just standing there?
When Jesus comes back, it will be as he ascended. They weren’t going to bring him back by just staring into the sky. The reason for the angel's presence was to provide an important reminder to the apostles. The apostles had work to do, they didn’t have time to ruminate on Christ’s ascension.
Oftentimes what is said is equally important to when it’s said. We know what the angels said to the apostles. However, what makes when the angels say what they said so important?
Remember what we discussed earlier? When the angels asked the disciples “why are you just standing there, you have work to do” The apostles were facing questions of uncertainty, fearing the lack of Jesus' physical presence, and the hope that Jesus would behave in a way which met their expectations of the messiah.
The circumstances of the apostles mindset dictates the reason why they said it in the first place.
The reason I draw such focus on the disciples mindset when the angels said this is for our sake, the modern biblical audience.
Modern Christians spend too much time with our eyes fixed upon the sky.
The modern day church is far too obsessed with the return or second coming of Christ. So much so that it's affecting the mission of the church.
The “left-behind” series has sold over 63 million copies
The book from Hal Lindsey “the late great planet earth” has sold over 28 million copies.
This book inspired other books from the 1980’s including The countdown to Armageddon and 88 reasons why Christ will return in 1988
When this obsession with the end times isn’t causing a distraction within Christianity, it IS undermining the credibility of our witness
Over 50 years have passed since Hal Lindsey’s book was written. Jesus did not return in 1988, despite the 88 reasons listed.
Evangelical Harold Camping has predicted the end of the world no less than 12 times, the latest being on May 21st 2011.
John Hagee predicted the return of Christ to occur between April of 2014 and September of 2015
In 1997 39 members of the heavens gate cult committed suicide because they believed the appearance of the Haley’s comet to usher in the return of Christ.
We are often reminded that the mission of the gospel is about salvation to the people of the earth today, not whether Jesus will return tomorrow.
In many ways we are similar to the disciples.
We face uncertainty
We’d like to see Jesus
We’d like to see Jesus fall within the expectation of what they believe will happen
Despite all of this, the disciples were given a clear reminder “Don’t stand around looking up at the sky, we’ve got work to do.”
Commentator John Stott says it this way. Their calling was to be witnesses not stargazers. The vision they were to cultivate was not upwards in nostalgia to the heaven which had received Jesus, but outwards in compassion to a lost world which needed him. It is the same for us.
So let us not stand around looking up at the sky, we’ve got work to do.”
READ Acts 1:12
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
They prayed together
Addressed Judas betrayal
Appointed his successor
They did as the angles suggested they got to work
