Are We There Yet

ARE WE THERE YET? Acts 1:6-11 May 9, 2021 Jesus comes back from the dead. He is Resurrected three days after the Crucifixion, just like he said. He makes numerous appearances to many, many witnesses over the next 40 days. And, then, he leaves. Why? He said he would come back, but when is that going to happen? Why did Jesus leave at all? Obviously, Jesus will never die. So, why not just stay here with us? If you and I could fly to Jerusalem, and meet with Jesus, wouldn't it make our faith stronger? And, what about atheists? If they could meet Jesus in person, 2000 years after the Resurrection, wouldn't they have to believe? Wouldn't it be undeniable that Jesus is God? After the Resurrection, why didn't Jesus do exactly what the Jewish church wanted him to do? If he drove the Romans out of Israel; if he made Israel an autonomous and undefeatable nation; wouldn't all of the Jews have immediately become Christian? Instead of trying to convert people to the faith one person at a time, wouldn't there have been a mass conversion to Jesus worship in a matter of months? All of Jesus' goals would have been accomplished much easier, and much quicker, if he had just stayed. And, if I can figure that out, why didn't God? Luke is the only one who tells us about Jesus ascending up to Heaven after 40 days.1 He writes about it in both his Gospel, and in the Acts of the Apostles. Matthew and John never mention Jesus leaving. He appears after the Resurrection, speaks to people, gives instructions - and that's it. Those books end without ever mentioning where Jesus is now. Mark simply says, "And then Jesus went to Heaven." If not for Luke, we would never know what happened. Part of that is because the other books were written by Apostles. And, the Apostles were convinced Jesus would come back, before they died. He has to come back before we're all gone. So, leaving isn't a big deal. Luke picks up the story 40 days after the Resurrection. And, the Apostles are pestering Jesus about the future. You came back from the dead, clearly you are God, so you must know the future. We want to know the future. Which brings up a problem if Jesus stays. People will constantly be pestering him to tell their future, and change it for the better. Am I going to get the promotion? No? I'm a Christian, why can't I have the promotion? Never dawns on them 10 other Christians are competing for the promotion. If Jesus stays humanity will besiege him with unreasonable requests, and even though their request conflicts with their neighbor's request, they will become angry when God says no. In the Apostles' case there are two things they want to know. First, will you make Israel the new super-power? Rome is in control of everything. Before Rome it was Greece, they were in control of everything. Before Greece was Persia, they were in control of everything. Isn't it our turn? We are supposed to be God's favorite people. We are the chosen ones. God has revealed himself to the world through us. You yourself were born a Jew. Doesn't that count for something? Will you make us the most powerful nation in the world, and will you do that soon? Their second question is - will you find the lost tribes of Israel, and bring them back home?2 After King Solomon dies, Israel is split in two by a civil war. Just like the United States they split between the north and the south. Each side wants one of their citizens made the new king. In the south are the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The tribe of Levi is distributed everywhere, so there are also some Levites. The other 9 tribes, and the rest of the Levites, are in the north. In the year 715 BC, the Assyrians conquer all of northern Israel, and take everyone away as slaves. And, those people are never heard from again. Most likely they all died. But, the Hebrews believe their lost cousins are still out there somewhere. And, it is the Messiah's job to find them, and bring them back home. We can't rule the world without all of our people here. So, Jesus, when are you going to bring home the lost tribes? Both of those questions have to do with ethnicity. If Jesus stays, even his closest followers (the Apostles) expect him to favor and benefit the Jews - at the expense of everyone else. They do not want the entire world converted to Christianity. They do not want a world-wide fellowship of believers. Jesus is supposed to be for us, and only us. The only way the new church goes world-wide, is if Jesus leaves. Jesus promised he would return. We often call that the Second Coming. The technical term is Parousia. Throughout the Old Testament the coming of the Messiah is prophesied. Isaiah and Ezekiel are jammed full of First Coming prophesies. And, the Parousia is prophesied throughout the Old Testament as well. Listen to this from the book of Daniel (7:13-14), "As my vision continued that night, I saw the son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal-it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed." Daniel sees Jesus go to Heaven and be crowned the king of all Creation, then return to rule the world. Now, at the risk of being obvious, Jesus can't come back if he doesn't go. The departure and return of Jesus is prophecy. Jesus is the only one who fulfills all of the prophecies in the Old Testament. And, it doesn't work if he just fulfills some of the prophecies. Jesus must leave, go to Heaven and be glorified, then return - if he really is the Messiah. Not surprisingly, the Apostles want to know when. If you're leaving, when will you return? Jesus - very politely - says, that's really none of your business. That's not your concern. You do not need that information. In fact, even I don't need that information.3 Of course, for the last 2000 years, that hasn't stopped lots of people from being absolutely sure they have that information. As early as 150 AD, predictions were being made about the Parousia. Irenaeus was one of the first Church Fathers, men who helped develop an orthodox theology for Christianity. Irenaeus, along with Hippolytus and Sextus Julius was absolutely convinced Jesus was coming back in the year 500. Even though Jesus said no one knows. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church interpreted Revelation 12:14 to mean Jesus would return in the year 1836. William Miller founded the Millerites. He convinced over 200 people to sell everything they owned, give away all the money, and stand with him on a hill in Pennsylvania in 1844, so they could be the first to see Jesus' return. It didn't happen. Televangelist Jack Van Impe has made over 20 predictions on the date of the return. He finally gave up when Jesus didn't come back in 2012. If we believe Jesus is God; and if we believe Jesus always tells the truth; why don't we believe him when he says - no one knows. You don't need that information. Jesus says instead of focusing on my return, focus on your lives and your work. If we spend all our time waiting for the end, we never get around to living our lives. And, Jesus wants you to have a great life! Football teams all have a 2 minute drill. A plan for what happens if they are behind with only 2 minutes left in the game. Every team has one, and every team practices their 2 minute drill each week. But, no one goes into the game, and says, let's not do anything until 2 minutes. Let's just wait for that. Then, we'll run our drill. That is foolishness. Jesus says do not do that to yourselves. The Apostles, and in fact every Christian, have responsibilities. The Apostles had to build a brand-new church. It is our responsibility to keep that church alive. One of the themes Luke hammers, over and over in the book of Acts, is witnessing.4 Telling others - I believe. And, I believe because this is what Jesus did for me. If you never get around to living your life, how can Jesus help you? If Jesus can't help you, how can you tell others this is what Jesus did for me? It's interesting that logical, reasonable, evidence-oriented Luke, never tries to prove the Resurrection.5 He never tries to prove the Ascension happened. And, he never tries to prove Jesus is alive in Heaven right now. In both his Gospel, and in Acts, Luke repeatedly introduces us to person after person who says - this is all I know. I was blind, but now I see. I lived my life. And, in the course of living, I made some mistakes. I suffered some consequences. I was drowning in my own sin, until I met Jesus. Until I met the risen Savior. Let me tell you what Jesus did for me. We often believe that Jesus had only one purpose. He came to die for our sin. But, in fact, Jesus has other responsibilities. He is very clear with the Apostles. There is life after death. There is a place called Heaven. You will go to Heaven. But, I need to finish preparing Heaven for you. If I don't get Heaven ready, there won't be anywhere for you to go. That's another reason why I must leave. Jesus is the Lord of Heaven.6 He is at God the Father's right hand, preparing and ruling over the Kingdom of God. But, that doesn't mean we're on our own. Jesus knows we don't do well on our own. So, when he left, he sent the Holy Spirit. He promises the Apostles, before he Ascends, I am sending you the Holy Spirit. Stay here in Jerusalem. Don't go anywhere. You will know when the Spirit comes. There won't be any doubt. Just hang on, and God will be present to you and within you. You have lives to live, and work to do, and I will not leave you alone. I promise you all the power you need, to do everything I ask of you.7 I've given you several reasons why Jesus had to leave. Why does he go the way he does? You and I both know Heaven isn't up above our heads. So, why does Jesus rise up into the air? Two reasons. First, at that time in history, everyone believed in a flat earth. And, that was not the right time to introduce them to planetary physics. They believed the earth was flat. Hell was down below, and Heaven was up above. Rising up into the air communicates clearly to them where Jesus is going. He isn't dying again. He isn't traveling to another country. He is going to Heaven; just like he said he would do. The second reason to leave that way, is to set a specific and definitive departure story. Don't spread rumors Jesus is hiding. Don't spread rumors Jesus died. Jesus is gone to Heaven. We saw it with our own eyes. He is not coming back until the Parousia. We have just crossed a line in prophecy and world history. Why did Jesus leave us? Why didn't he stay and rule the world? If he stays, people will constantly beg him to tell their futures, and them change them for the better. If he stays the Hebrews will do everything in their power to keep him to themselves. Jesus is ours, you can't have him. If he stays, he will not fulfill prophecy - which means he is not the Messiah. If he stays, we will never get around to living our lives. We will never do the work Jesus has set before us. If he stays, there will not be a Heaven prepared for us. If he stays, the Holy Spirit will not come. And, we will not be directly connected to the power of God Almighty. God knows so much more than I do. And, he was right. It was necessary for Jesus to go. 1 William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1976), 13. 2 NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016), 1867. 3 R. C. Sproul, general editor. New Geneva Study Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1710. 4 Barbara E. Reid, The New Interpreter's Study Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003), 1956. 5 Hans-Werner Bartsch, "The Meaning of the Ascension," Lutheran Quarterly, 6 no. 1 (February 1954), 44-47. 6 Rembert Bularzik, "Sermon or Meditation Thoughts: Fifth Sunday After Easter," Orate Fratres, 13 no. 7 (May 1939), 289-295. 7 Barclay, 12. --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ 2