What Now?

The ascension

The disciples’ lives had become completely different than they had been before meeting Jesus. Their vocation: different. Their demeanor: different. Their passion: different.

After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to the disciples several times. There leader was back with them. But they still had another lesson to learn.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 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. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 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.”

Can you imagine this experience? getting him back, and then just as sudden, they were seemingly on their own. Maybe some muttered to themselves, “What now?” Except they were not on their own. God knew they needed immediate assurance. They had been told they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. They were also told by the angels, a prophecy, Jesus will come again, in the clouds.

One of the things I talk to people about whose lives are totally different than it was before they began surrendering it over to Jesus. I say, “Look at your life without Jesus, and look at it now.” No one has said, oh my life has no problems now, some have admitted to have had more problems, or attacks, but EVERY TIME…you heard me…every time, they tell me. I have more hope. Some say, I have hope now, when before I had none.

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I’m going to share with you now the story of Roberta Langela. Roberta began her life in a seemingly happy and stable home, living in Brooklyn New York. Her family was devout Catholic, and her father worked as a longshoreman providing a steady income for a family that included 6 kids. When Roberta was 11 years old though her parents marriage ended and she and her siblings were on their way to Florida living with her mom. Roberta says, “I couldn’t believe it, I was taught families stick together. If you couldn’t rely on the adults in your life, who could you rely on? I was shattered!” She says within a year or 2 she was already smoking pot and drinking, actually purposely acting out of her unhappiness. Her Mother did eventually remarry, but that made life even more contentious, among her siblings, mother and now step-father. Things got so bad, at age 16 Roberta moved back to New York to live with her father. That living situation wasn’t any better and within a couple months, Roberta dropped out of school, and ran away from home completely criss-crossing the country on her own (still only 16 years old.) She says that within a year she back in New York living with a man twice her age. She says, “I just wanted somebody—anybody— to love me and take care of me.” Unfortunately the man she was living with was an IV drug abuser. She says, before long, they were both on cocaine and then heroin. Roberta overdosed several times. Roberta said, on one terrible night in 1980, she had shot up on so many drugs her heart actually stopped beating. Her boyfriend at the time ditched her thinking she was dead and was afraid to have to answer questions. She said luckily someone did call the paramedics and her able to revive her. At this time in her life, Roberta was sure of only one thing, and that was no one cared about her. She went from new boyfriend to new boyfriend because, as she writes, said she was terrified to be alone. She lived in a rundown apartment above a church with one boyfriend who would beat her endlessly. Every time though, she would beg him not to leave her. She recounts, one instance on a sunday afternoon, she threatened her boyfriend, “I’m going to take my life!” He was sprawled out on the couch watching the Jets game. He didn’t even look up saying, “talk to me at halftime!” He didn’t even care.

One thing that kept Roberta going was, that she never seemed to have trouble finding work. She would work as a bartender in after hour clubs deep into the night. She would then proceed to participate in afterparties, where looking back she understood there was definitely a strong demonic presence. She writes, these were the parties even craziest people found to be to much. Violence and drugs were everywhere, it was a miracle she didn’t die at one of those parties. She writes she’d head back to her home around 9 a.m. on sunday mornings and find people lining up walking in the church she lived above. This church was one some of you have heard of, the now famous Brooklyn Tabernacle. Roberta said she would walk by these people who would be smiling, some would even look at her smiling and invite her in, but she declined angrily. Other people being happy made her sick! They made her so angry inside, she would go home even angrier. She says though, one thing she could not escape was the music. Some of you I’m sure aware the Brooklyn tabernacle have become most famous for their great choir. Songs such as “How Jesus Loves” and “I’m clean” made their way through the walls and into Roberta’s ears. She recounts breaking down weeping several times in response to the music.

Eventually, or as Roberta, puts it, as expected her relationship with her live-in boyfriend deteriorated and came to and in. Very quickly she was in another relationship and moved in with another man on the upper-east side of Manhatten. She recounts though, although she no longer lived above a church, she still could hear a neighbor singing every morning hymns of praise. She met the woman in the hallway, and said to her, “I hear you singing all the time, are you a musician? The woman replied, not really but I sing in my church choir…In fact, roberta found out this lady sang in the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir whose music she had heard so many times. She couldn’t believe the touching music had followed her and touched her although she desired not to be touched.

Meanwhile, her drug and alcohol use intensified, she began selling furniture to buy drugs with. One night finally she expressed to a friend. “I think I have a drug problem.” noting this was the understatement of the century. This was an important step for her, expressing a desire to live differently. She then proceeded to zero in on the biggest problems in her life. One was her drug addict boyfriend being high all the time. She kicked him out. Isn’t it often the case though, when we begin to make strides in our lives and God reveals what changes in our life needs to be made, the devil seeks to clamp his talons in deeper. Roberta, again found herself in another relationship, this time with a man who was clean. However, even though he didn’t use drugs, she found drugs to be even more a temptation because this man was a drug dealer! Very soon she began shooting up again. Her desire to be clean was still present in her though. She finally reached out to her mother, who in the meantime had become a Christian. Roberta told her about her life, and then couldn’t stop sharing. Her mother calmly replied by inviting her to come spend a couple days with her in Florida. Those couple days turned in 14 months. Her mother got her into a Narcotics anonymous program and finally Roberta got clean. She was even able to get her GED. Finally Roberta felt she was making progress in her life. Roberta’s next challenge was her greatest. It was just after she had made an outlined plan for her life and was about to implement it that she found out from the doctors, she was HIV positive.

Roberta was angry. She got angry with her mom, she got angry with the God her mom talked about so much. She was furious that nothing in her life could ever be right. She ended up moving back to New York and began her own business. She was clean at this but still very angry. Her brother had also become a Christian and began witnessing to her. She agreed to attend church with him once, in the very back and was out of there before the closing prayer was over. It was only a matter of time that she lapsed again with drug use. She re-entered heavily. She began a 5-6 day binge of drugs. She said she “thought” she wanted the drugs more than she even wanted to live. What she really desired, was the same thing that so many of us want. Peace. She wanted peace from the pain and wanted to be loved. When she ran out of money, she went driving with the last bit of gas in her vehicle. She ended up at the church she had once heard the beautiful music at beneath her apartment. They were having their tuesday night prayer meeting. She found herself accepting a call to come to the front and give all that was on her heart to Jesus. Within the year, she was singing in that choir she couldn’t escape. The pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Jim Cymbala shares, today Roberta Langela heads up their ministry called “new beginnings” a weekly outreach to drug abusers and homeless people on the streets of New York City. She has over 100 workers involved riding the subways on afternoons to shelters and rehab centers and they escort people to church and a meal. She also goes and sits on the curb with those who feel unworthy to sit in a church. She sees herself in them. She is a living example of the power of God to pick up the down trodden, the self-loathing, the addicted, and redeem them for his glory.

I’ve said it before. People the devil seeks to destroy the most are often the ones he fears God will do the most with. Is there anyone whom God is beyond rescuing? Is there anyone God gives up on, even after they relapse. No we give up on people, God does not. He is never unwilling. His love is relentless. To many of us have fallen into the same sins…and then gotten clean…and then fallen back in. Is God done with you then? No! He remains steady. His love never fades. He never gives up on us. As I wrote those words into my sermon, I realized i had written almost the exact lyrics to a Christian song. I the song writer may have had quite the testimony to.

Roberta, having her life changed by God, desired to and accepted the responsibility that comes with having her life changed. She wanted to share that change with others like her. She desired for others to know about the life changing power of God which was now working in her.

As Christ walked the Earth, he changed so many people’s lives. There were many who also resisted. I would suggest to you also, there were pretenders. You know the ones, who would follow out of convenience rather than following strong and genuine conviction. I believe there many today who are convicted of truth, who are convicted they must follow God’s law and live the way He calls for us to live. There are many who are convicted of all of the above but have chosen to follow convenience, or simply the pursuit of pleasure, over their convictions to God.

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There is this rich young adult, who has been witnessing from afar this man Jesus changing lives from town to town He enters. We can make guesses or assumptions at his motives. Is he interested in joining the latest fad? Does he sincerely want to follow God, but doesn’t understand the variables? You as the observer, lets look at the encounter found in : beginning in verse 16.

English Standard Version Chapter 19

16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus uses this encounter with the wealthy young man to teach his disciples a couple connected lessons. This is the only instance in scripture of someone declining to follow Jesus after a direct invitation. Many of us, and even plenty of commentaries I have studied have tried to suggest that somehow it was just simply his being wealthy that prevented him from following Christ. Yes there are great dangers in acquiring wealth and the pursuit of acquiring wealth. It can become an idol. It can be something that can lead us away from God being number 1 in our lives. In fact in my limited experience of preaching the gospel, it has been the wealthy who have been the most difficult to convince them of their need for a savior, or of their need for anything else at all. But acquiring wealth is not sinful in itself. Man will always look at the outside, but God looks at the heart. The first lesson, I believe that Jesus is teaching to his disciples by this encounter, is that there can be NOTHING of this world we are unwilling to part with. We can’t bring anything from the Earth with us to Heaven. When Jesus comes in clouds to take us to Heaven, are we supposed to go and pack our suitcases? Are we suppose to make sure we have our wallets or purses? Are we supposed to make sure our iphones are charged for the long journey. Should we make sure our bank accounts are full or that we are invested in the right mutual funds? Ultimately everyone of us has the same choice of the wealthy young man. Are we willing to leave everything behind and follow Jesus leads, when he asks us to?

The second lesson is far less talked about.

It’s Jesus response to Peter’s not so appropriate question. Lord, we left everything for you, unlike that guy you just talked to, whats in store for us.

they were extremely amazed Jesus’ remarks in vv. 23–24 reverse the conventional wisdom of His day. It was commonly believed that if someone was blessed with riches, they had God’s approval and were thereby assured of entrance into His kingdom of heaven.

It’s Jesus response to Peter’s not so appropriate question. Lord, we left everything for you, unlike that guy you just talked to, whats in store for us. Peter possibly thinking in the line of the possible riches and glory in store for them, but Jesus emphasis is on LIFE that is recieved. The original intent for life would be restored for God’s faithful. Yes, thrones, yes glory.... but there is a clear statement in verse 30. Jesus says, the ones who were willing to be last for my namesake, will be first in my kingdom.

Lessons such as these would be important for the disciples to become apostles. These are lessons for us as Christians as well. We must stymie our personal desires, die to self, and reflect on God’s calling for us in our lives.

That is hard.

When I was a junior in high school, I came across a verse I had never thought of or considered before.

If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you.

Have you ever thought to yourself....Lord I am abiding in you, now it would sure be nice to have student loans paid off, or all my debts forgiven. :-)

I think it was last year, the Lottery Jack pot, was up to like $70,000,000 or some outrageous number like that, and I only know that because it was all over the news. I remember thinking. Lord, you know if i somehow were to win money like that, I’d be happy to donate most all of it to the church. We’ll build you a new church, and finally open a church school. Lord it will be great! I would just simply keep maybe 1,000,000 for my family.

Now is that abiding in Him? No that is me creating selfish plan masked as unselfishness and rationalizing to God how it would be a benefit to Him. I could get a billion dollars, and God wouldn’t need it. He doesn’t need our money, its all His to begin with. His will is not contengient upon our generous donations. Pastor Michael may want to thump me…no no I am not suggesting you no longer should give offering or pay tithe. I am saying its not us who lifts Christ up, its the other way around. Its about Him and what he has the ability to accomplish in us and for us.

The context of the verse I just shared with you begins in verse 1 of .

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Did you catch that in verse 8? Change slide

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

It’s not about convincing God about what is best for us and how through all our money, or through all our gifts and talents that we could be an excellent addition to his team. I think its about how God has the ability to use us, mostly despite us and our propensity to sin. Its about surrendering our own will and asking God to change us. He says, apart from me you can do nothing. He is our lifeline. He is our nourishment. He is our everything.

I heard a story recently from another pastor, and he talks about how when he and his wife first bought a home, he really wanted to impress his wife making outside of the house look beautiful. He painted the porch, he made sure there was some good grass on the lawn. An he decided to plant some rose bushes outside the front. He said, he went down to home depot, and got some of the best and what he was told were the most reliable bushes. He says watered the bushes regularly and made sure the soil right. For two years the roses bloomed without falter. But in the third year, he says, the roses weren’t opening up right, they didn’t bloom the way he wanted them to. He was still watering them, and still thought he was taking care of them, but he wasn’t getting the results he was looking for. Well, he went right back to home depot, where he had bought the bushes, and said, listen, I know Verizon has two year plans for their phones. I know my phone is going to go bad after 2 years, but I didn’t know those Rose bushes you sold me were 2 year bushes.

The Home depot employee asked him, have you been pruning them? The fellow, said, see your not even listening to me, I’m here asking about the rose bushes you sold me 2 years ago, and your talking about prunes. The employee, says, no no have you been pruning them? He said, what do you mean pruning them? The employee explained regularly trimming the leaves of the bush and the thorns on the stem will allow for more water to be accessed by the flower giving it the ability to bloom. Suffice to say this Home depot employee knew what she was talking about. He went home and did as instructed, and soon his roses were blooming.

Your wanting results in spreading the gospel of Jesus, its hard to do his will and get results if we are not connected to the vine. Its hard to bear much fruit if we have not been pruned. If we are not experiencing the living water of Jesus, will we bear much fruit? no.

He continues in verse 9:

English Standard Version Chapter 15

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

What am I supposed to do now? the disciples wondered looking at Jesus left them for Heaven.

The commission: Love as I have loved. Go and Bear much fruit, that is connected to the vine. I chose you first.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Jesus well known great commission in was to those who were worshipping him and also to the some who doubted. He said to them before he left.

English Standard Version Chapter 28

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

In light of this commission there are those who have dedicated their lives to building a body of believers who would be ready for His coming, they do not sit by idly by waiting, they are exposing the world to the truth of Jesus love for mankind.

There are also those who have become like maybe more like the pharisees simply more excited about upholding traditions than spreading and promoting the gospel. These are those who take more pleasure in judging than they do in loving. My friends Jesus returned to Heaven it was to go and prepare a place for His people. It was to go and be found worthy to sit upon the judgment seat.

Anyone had to go to court recently? My freshman year in college, I was in a car accident, and sadly I was at fault. I showed up to my court date doing as my father had suggested. I dressed up and wore my best and only suit. It was rather humbling experience. I was an 18 year old kid who had never done anything seriously wrong in my life and yet I had to go and see man who would also be judging men who walked in wearing orange jumpsuits coughed by the wrist and ankles. I still remember the judge walking and taking his lofty seat, and even though, I was sitting 5 rows back, still found myself looking up at him. This practice by modern judges is one that evolved out ancient practice. in Jesus day, judgment seats were elevated to allow the magistrate to be seen and heard. It was a place superiority and also safety, serving as a barrier in case of riots. Jesus, the only sinless human in history to walk this world, was put on trial, looking up at a man called to judge him who was in no way righteous. Satan had effectively succeeded in creating a recognized counterfeit judge.

Paul counsels his readers, that believers must not assume God’s role as judge, because they to will in turn stand before His judgment seat. The judgment seat is reserved for only righteousness. Jesus is the righteous judge. He is the only one found worthy to deliver judgment.I haven’t met to many people who will openly say, “i’m a bad judge of character.” Most of here probably considers ourself decent at judging character…some of you here might even have a gift for it. But if I asked you the question, Have you ever misjudged someone? I think everyone here can probably think of someone you have at one point in your life misjudged. You see Jesus has not. Jesus does not misjudge, and has never misjudged anyone. We as humans can judge primarily what we see. We judge mostly on whats on the outside, what is visible. Where does God look when making a judgment? He looks on the inside. He sees the things often we miss. He sees not just simply the heart or intentions of the heart, but also the circumstances and environment surrounding the cause and effect. He also sympathizes with our struggles, we serve a God who can identify with us our temptations. He can actively say, I’ve been there, I am with you.

the apostle Paul says:

16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.

That verse 1 gets me every single time. Paul is saying, you can have all the best intentions in the world. You can be 100% correct in your message, your thoughts, your abstaining things which do not benefit you, but if your message comes out without being tied to Christ’s love, the message itself is unclean…even evil. Has anyone here ever rejected something that was probably true, but because of how it was said or presented, you rejected it? Or maybe you’ve been the one who presented truth, but in the wrong the way.

Counseling the Jewish believers and new gentil believers of Rome, on disputes over food and priactices of the law. Paul says in : But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Paul wasn’t willing to jump into the dispute from their standpoint, about what was and what wasn’t moral living. He was saying, everything you do must be a reflection of faith you have in Jesus, and on those terms, He will judge. Its not for us to cross every T, count every step, and condemn every church member who doesn’t dress or eat exactly like you. As christians, their is time to lovingly rebuke, but with the intention of helping and loving and not for the pleasure of condemnation. My 5th grade teacher when helping us kids work through our disputes would always, now by what you are saying are you helping or hurting the situation? The same is to be said for us. In every thought or judgment we make, are we doing so with the thought to help or tear down someone?

When I was standing in court before that judge looking up at him, I remember being worried this judge was looking to throw the book at me, what happened was something quite different. He said, “son this looks like its your first visit to court.” i nodded my head. He said, I want you to know you need to be more careful when driving. I would hate to see you rack up a bunch points on your insurance so if your willing to take a defensive driving course, I’ll be happy to see this doesn’t go on your record.....Oh a rush of thankfulness rushed through me. This judge had offered me mercy from the judgment seat.

My friends I hope you know that mercy is the purpose of the judgment seat Jesus sits on. Pastor Michael is going to talk more in depth about Jesus role as judge, but I will spoil one point, and that is, his judgments seat is more for the purpose of mercy than destruction. So for us, out of conviction to be living and connected to the vine, it is our responsibility to Love as Christ did, and go and bear much fruit. By this our God is glorified.