Text: Acts 1:1-11                   Title: Power and Witness                                   Calvary 051610

In one of the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strips (1985-1995), Calvin and Hobbes are lying under the shade of a tree on a hot summer day. Calvin, the hyperactive little boy, asks, “What if there is no heaven? What if this is all we get?” Hobbes, the tiger answers, “Well, if this is all we get I guess we’ll just have to accept it.” Calvin replies, “Yeah, but if I’m not going to be rewarded for my good deeds, I want to know it now.”

Life after death—immortality—seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. If I were picking a religion today, I would want one that spoke with clarity and authority about life beyond the grave.

Ironically, if you were to take a few months and study the writings of other religions, you would discover that the history of their founders stops abruptly with their death. What are Confucius, Mohammed (Islam), and Krishna (Hindus) doing now? What are their plans for the future? Not even their most devoted followers know for sure!

For me the Christian faith is different. The written record of God’s Word and countless eyewitnesses confirm that Jesus Christ was God’s Son. He died on the cross for the sin of the entire human race. God raised Jesus from the dead. These are the facts that set Him apart from every other religious leader in the world. The question remains—can He speak with clarity about life after death? Where is Jesus right now and what is He doing?

A bank in Binghamton, New York sent a floral arrangement to a business that had recently moved into a new building. There was a mix up at the florist, and the card sent with the arrangement read, “With our deepest sympathy.” The florist apologized, but became even more embarrassed when he learned that the floral arrangement sent to a funeral home read, “Congratulations on your new location.”

I have good news for you today. After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, He moved to a new location. He ascended to heaven! Furthermore, the Bible records what Jesus is doing now and what His plans are for the future.

Jesus was taken up into heaven. Life would go on for these disciples, but they would never be the same. The ascension of Christ changed everything for them and us.

Jesus Christ is eternal;    picture given in Psalm 24.
“Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” [Ps. 24:7-10]

Jesus Christ has crossed over death into life. This is the Bible’s report of His majesty in heaven. Isn’t this the kind of God you would want to serve and love?

Jesus closed sin’s account. If you believe in Jesus, your sin account has been closed forever! Quit beating yourself up. You have received the righteousness of Christ!

Jesus represents us as a believer before the Father. You might be thinking, “How can I be saved if I continue to sin? Doesn’t sin disqualify my salvation? John spoke to this when He wrote, “My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate before the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and not for ours only, but for those of the whole world.” [1 Jn. 2:1-2]

When you and I sin, the Lord Jesus presents His blood marks as the payment for our sin. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says, “…He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” [Heb. 7:25] True salvation cannot be lost because of Jesus death, resurrection, and continuing ministry before the Father!
Jesus prays for you. Do you ever feel as if life has caved in on you? You don’t know what to do or what to pray. Listen to what Paul wrote, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” [Ro. 8:34] Stop and think about this.

Jesus Christ, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, is praying for you. He wants you to be successful. He wants you to finish the race that is set before you. What a prayer partner! This is why the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.” [Heb. 4:16] We have access to the Father. He cares for us and Jesus prays for us. What more could you ask?

Jesus’ ascension shows us Gods power and authority.
But there is more than just assurance of God’s power in this passage. There is also a call to witness..

What are the marks of Spirit-filled community today? IT is those who help the community experience God’s love, know God’s Word, and discern God’s will. At times their activities may be grand events; but more often, leadership is exercised in the everyday faith and practice of the community.
1.  “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going” (1:10 NIV). Jesus gathers his followers after Easter to prepare them for their future without him. The initial spiritual crisis, that concerned the disciples, was whether they can follow after Jesus without seeing or hearing him, drawing strength from his physical presence among them.

The same remains true today: How can we live as earnest disciples of a now-departed Lord? Jesus prepared his followers to continue in the pattern of ministry that he had begun. According to Acts, discipleship is defined in terms of an active witness to the risen Jesus.

Whenever I’ve read this passage in the past, my focus always went to the fact that waiting on God is active not passive. But this week I noticed that it is more than active waiting.

6.  Waiting for God to act is also a community’s project. Waiting with others is an act of solidarity with friends. The apostles do not scatter and go their separate ways to await a private Spirit-filling or a personal experience of divine faithfulness. They “were joined together” in a specific place to await God’s action on them all.

10.  So much of this passage involves believers’ “coming together” in order to learn, to wait upon God, to pray in preparation, to witness in Jesus’ name by the Spirit’s power. All these images and ideas formulate a particular understanding of the church’s identity and vocation: The church of Acts is a missionary community called together by God’s Messiah and sent out into the world by the power of God’s Spirit to interpret the importance of Jesus’ resurrection for all people everywhere.

CLOSING
This life is not all there is. Jesus Christ has spoken with clarity and authority about life after death. He ascended into heaven. He stepped from this world into the next. Together, we see clearer the majesty, and the ministry of the ascended Christ.

In the first century, His disciples were changed forever. My prayer is that as Christians we would also be changed radically, everyday.     Amen.

Resources:
1- Sermoncentral.com (FBC, Richland)
2- NIB “New Interpreters Bible”
3- LAB “Arabic Life Application Bible”