‘…why do you stand here looking into the sky?…’ ACTS 1:11 (NIVUK
In his farewell address before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave his disciples a mission and promised them assistance – the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, but they still didn’t understand the full implications of this mission. They still thought in political and nationalistic terms, and so they asked, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ (Acts 1:6). Jesus gently reminded them that his mission is much broader than kicking the Romans out of Israel.
The message of the Ascension is that the disciples are to be witnesses of Jesus, moving outward from where they were to the ends of the earth, and this is to be accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit (v.8). The story of them going out in the power of the Spirit fills the rest of the book of Acts, taking us all the way to Rome, where Paul bore witness to the message of Jesus in what was then the centre of the early Christian world.
But the story didn’t end there. As time wore on the church discovered that the world was a lot larger than the borders of the Roman Empire, and so the job was not yet finished. A future work beckons us with the empowering presence of the Spirit, who will guide and support us, as we participate with him in this mission.
Luke tells us that as Jesus ascended, the disciples ‘were looking intently up into the sky as he was going…’ (v.10). They were staring, not knowing what to do next. They had a commission and instructions to wait for the Spirit, but they just got caught up in the wonder of the moment. Just at that point, two angelic beings dressed in dazzling white broke their trance, saying, ‘Men of Galilee…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.’
(v.11). These angels serve to remind us that we should keep focused on our calling.
Jesus may not be with us physically, but the Spirit has come upon us so that we can move ahead into the future, extending the kingdom of God, knowing that a time will come when Jesus will return. But we can’t get caught up in simply waiting for that day, because when we look out into our world rather than up to the sky, we discover that there are still people who need to hear the good news that God is gracious and merciful and seeking to renew a relationship with them through Jesus.
The Ascension of Jesus shows us that we are a church with a mission and with the empowerment we need. So, let’s seek to be a church that is compassionate, serving, accepting, witnessing, spiritually joyful, and worshiping. These are things we should submit to as the Spirit works among us post-Ascension, post-Pentecost, and pre–Christ’s Second Advent.
Prayer Loving Father, we stand in awe of your plan and your power, revealed by the ascension of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Please grant us the strength and courage to be your witnesses, boldly proclaiming your love and truth to the world. Let our lives be a testament to your glory, and may we draw others to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’s name, Amen.