Good Morning!! I suppose that if I had been there, I would've just stood with my mouth
open looking up, too. What would you have done if you had just seen
Jesus ascended to heaven? One minute He is standing there with you,
giving some sage instruction. The next minute, He is lifted into the
skies. A couple of angels were there, but apparently they didn't capture
the awe of the moment, because they asked one of the most outlandish
questions I've ever heard: "Men of Galilee,' they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?"
" Men of Galilee," they said, " why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."—Acts 1:11 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.—Acts 1:8-9 (NIV)
I guess angels are used to seeing people zip around in the air. The disciples?...Not so much. Thankfully, the angels didn't dwell on the disciples daze and got right to the point. In other words, the angels were saying; "Quit standing there like a bunch of baby birds waiting for a worm. Jesus came, He saw, He gave it all,...and He'll be back. What are you going to do now? " (Learn to wait on the Lord) As usual, the context of this event is critically important. Jesus had given them the next step just before He ascended. He promised to send the Holy Spirit, and He told them not to do anything until that had happened. The disciples returned to the upper room where they had been staying in Jerusalem, reflected on everything that had happened and all that Jesus had told them, and then, like a rushing noise from heaven, the Spirit of God came upon them, giving them everything they needed for the mission ahead.
" Men of Galilee," they said, " why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."—Acts 1:11 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.—Acts 1:8-9 (NIV)
I guess angels are used to seeing people zip around in the air. The disciples?...Not so much. Thankfully, the angels didn't dwell on the disciples daze and got right to the point. In other words, the angels were saying; "Quit standing there like a bunch of baby birds waiting for a worm. Jesus came, He saw, He gave it all,...and He'll be back. What are you going to do now? " (Learn to wait on the Lord) As usual, the context of this event is critically important. Jesus had given them the next step just before He ascended. He promised to send the Holy Spirit, and He told them not to do anything until that had happened. The disciples returned to the upper room where they had been staying in Jerusalem, reflected on everything that had happened and all that Jesus had told them, and then, like a rushing noise from heaven, the Spirit of God came upon them, giving them everything they needed for the mission ahead.
The pattern is powerful. Jesus’ design is for us to live in dependence on His Spirit within us,
as we live out the mission He has already prepared for each of us.
Lord Jesus, we want to be a part of the great witness that is reaching the
remotest parts of the earth. But right now, right here, we're trusting in
the power of Your Spirit in us to lead us and empower us to do whatever
it is that You have called us to do. We place our whole life in Your hands
today, asking that You would live through us in any way that You
choose. Amen.
" He is rich indeed, who is satisfied with what he has."
" He is rich indeed, who is satisfied with what he has."
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