Sunday, June 02, 2019 - 9 AM

Are We There Yet? – Acts 1:1-11 Bascomb UMC / June 2, 2019 / 9 AM & 11 AM Focus: The true nature of discipleship as a life of action and mission for the kingdom until Jesus returns or we cross the finish line. Function: To inspire believers to action now so that we do not stall for time. 5 Purpose Outcomes of the Church: Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Evangelism, Service Acts 1:1-11 (CEB) 1 Theophilus, the first scroll I wrote concerned everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, 2 right up to the day when he was taken up into heaven. Before he was taken up, working in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus instructed the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking to them about God’s kingdom. 4 While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me:” 5 John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” 7 Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.” 8 Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. 11 They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.” Are We There Yet? How much longer? She’s touching me! One of our early family cars had a DVD player in it and I thought it would change everything, but I was wrong. They couldn’t decide what movie to watch or the VCR would mess up. Traveling with children IS a unique challenge. Better stock up on some travel games and songs. I captured some tweets parents have posted about their experiences: Parents w/Kids VaCa Tweets: (8 slides) So “Are we there yet?” is a familiar line to these people. Sometimes the question gets asked before you have even left your own street. Time seems to drag when you travel, especially a road trip, and Luke is the one evangelist to tell us that Jesus was with the disciples for forty days before he ascended into heaven. Forty days is simply a holy amount of time. Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai and Israel spent forty years in the wilderness. Remember Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness and was tempted. Luke wrote this second portion of his great work to a friend - Theophilus — Luke/Acts provides around a fourth of the entire New Testament. Luke’s “history” is the story of a new reality which has turned the world upside down and enabled us to live as people “between the times”—between the end of an old age held by the powers of death and evil and a new age where the future is still open-ended to the movements of the Spirit. Jesus has been “taken up” (1:2) where he is “exalted at the right hand of God” (2:33). Now, when we speak of God we also speak of Christ. Jesus now reigns with God. The one that served, taught, and loved humanity now rules in heaven for us. We could have a pointless discussion about where heaven is or where Jesus ascended to, but the fact is we are ignorant of such things. Science tells us the universe is expanding…..into what? Well, into heaven I would think, into God. So there’s time and space, where we live now, and there is something where time and space are no more! Can’t know any more and I said last week that we can’t begin to imagine what God is preparing….. So if you’ve never been to the place, would you even know when you get there? I had no concept of a place like Disney World or Dollywood, much less natural wonders like the Grand Canyon, the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) or Victoria Falls. You have to go there to experience the wonder. My parents were not world travelers and had to choose some “off brand” sites for us to visit We went to sites like “Ghost Town” in North Carolina and some other “lovely” spots – like: Worst VaCa EVER: (7 slides) The point is again that God’s wonders surpass anything we can imagine, so let your expectations go and focus on the journey, the mission, the adventure! Now Jesus is leaving these first believers and they want the answer to a  “clock question” — “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” (1:6) But that’s not for them to know. So, Jesus may have felt like a parent in the driver’s seat here. “Are we there yet? Is Israel coming back to glory? Is this the time? Is it going to happen at last?” One way to think of our life here on earth like an adventure, a sporting event, a challenge. Paul called it “running a race.” Some challenges must be played by a time clock and the team in the lead may just stall at the end for the clock to simply run out. That’s a “Are we there yet?” kind of challenge. But think about baseball – baseball, like marathons, is a finish line challenge — it takes 27 outs and (with the exception of rain outs), it ain’t over till it’s over - there’s no purpose in stalling, so get out there and play. Our life is not so much about time (because some get lots of time and some get just a little). Our adventure, our mission is about the finish line. The Christian life is a finish-line challenge. While the disciples are staring up into heaven, they are scolded by angels for failing to get on with what Jesus told them to do. Jesus will return the same way he departed, but no time clock is given. You want a time? It’s time to go to work apostles! Apostle means an envoy who’s been sent out. They’re being sent out as witnesses and time is up when God says time is up, just cross your finish line, wherever that is. Paul knew when he crossed….. “I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith” 2 Timothy 4:7 (CEB). (ask Darren to join you) I, for one, enjoy team sports. I do much better in a group challenge. Look at the front page of the bulletin Bascomb and let’s grow a kingdom for 2030. Let’s do this together. After the ascension in Luke’s gospel, he says…. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God. Luke 24: 52-53 (CEB). Let us worship God together. The Lord be with you (and also with you)……. The Great Thanksgiving for Ascension Sunday You ARE worthy of ALL our praise, O God, for you are the source of all good power. By your power, heaven and earth were formed. By your power, you created us and gave us life. By your power, we are guided and protected. By your power, Jesus Christ triumphed over the grave. By your power, the Holy Spirit comes to sustain and care for us. And so, in praise and gratitude, we join the generations of the faithful in singing your praise: (sung version) Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory (congregation repeats) Hosanna, Hosanna, in the highest (congregation repeats) Hosanna, Hosanna, in the highest Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory Holy are you and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he promised his followers a baptism with the Holy Spirit, a power from on high. Clothe us in this Spirit, that we might share a common ministry of service to the world. By your power, fill our voices with stories of your grace. By your power, strengthen our hands for the work of your mercy. By your power, transform us into your representatives of your love. In great joy and anticipation, empowered by your Spirit, we await the return of Christ, as we offer praise to you, Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our being. Amen. On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. And so, we now offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes back in the same way he was taken into heaven. Then we will feast at Christ’s heavenly banquet. This hope is ours through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church. Now all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. People: Amen.