Odd Questions

Odd Question Introduction

Odd Questions Introduction

In my life I have asked several odd questions.

The response is varied but always along the lines of either laughing at the silliness of it all, or questioning why I would even think to ask such a thing.

Either way, the end is always the same, dismiss the question and move on with other things.

Odd Questions in the Texts

Today’s text has two odd questions, and the temptation is to approach them in one of the two ways.

Much like when we hear an odd question we are tempted to either laugh or move passed it, so too with these.

We instead focus on the narrative substance forgetting the questions and instead only seeing the Ascension

Odd Question Number One: The Disciples

The first question about the restoration of the Israel we typically see as funny, or silly.

We assume that the disciples are being the disciples, that even now they don’t get it, they don’t get Jesus and what He is about.

We tend to forget that the have spent the last 40 days, or at least some of those days with our Lord and in that time He expounded Scripture to them, that is, they understand Jesus now in a way that is better than we might imagine.

The first question ultimately focuses on what Christ is doing.

They are curious what He is doing, at the very least they are realizing that the end has come, the Messiah has died and risen again and now they look toward what He will do with the nation of Israel.

Looking at this first question, we would be wise not to run past it.

The question is not a bad one, and while we might not be asking the exact same question, there is nothing wrong with asking what is God doing now through the church.

There is nothing wrong with asking What Christ is doing in the here and now.

Odd Question Number Two: The Angel

The second question is that of the Angel, asking what the disciples are doing, with this question we typically read past it and move on to the next part of the text.

The question is odd to us, because we understand the disciples at this point, of course they would be looking to the sky Jesus just ascended into heaven.

The question is odd because it is obvious, and so often times we simply read past the question to what else they say.

The second question makes two points that are assumed in the wording.

The first thing it assumes is that the disciples ultimately have a task at hand.

The second thing it assumes is that by being there, and looking up at the sky, they are not completing that task.

Looking at ourselves and this question we are reminded about ourselves.

We must look to see where we are and see where we should be.

We must realize that the end is near and that there is a task to be done.

Two Odd Questions that Point to Good News

With these questions in mind we realize that we too have a task to be done, and it is a taks that deals with the good news.

It is the task that for the Disciples started on Pentecost.

It is a task that for us is always.

We are called to preach and proclaim the good news of Jesus so that it might reach the ends of the earth.

We are called to let someone proclaim the good news to us so that we may be strengthened in the faith and forgiven of our sins.

We are called to go.