Pastor's Message

Theme: “Don't Keep Looking Up!”

Seventh Sunday of Easter 

 Text:  Acts 1:6-14                                          May 4. 2008

Have you heard parents, maybe employers or someone in jest say, “Why are you standing there, don’t you have something better to do?”  Two men in white robes said it this way, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”   They were to be witnesses of this crucified, resurrected and now ascended Christ, “in Jerusalem , in all Judea and Samaria , and to the ends of the earth.”  “Don’t keep looking up, don’t you have something better to do?” 

What a challenge.

            This past Thursday was the 40^th day after Easter, the day to recognize the Ascension of Christ.  We are fortunate that our first lesson from Acts recounts this significant event.  During this 40 day period Christ taught, he taught the disciples about the kingdom of God .  Then he gives them a promise, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”  That will be on Pentecost, which we observe next week.  Then he gives them a purpose, “You will be my witnesses.”  All that Jesus had lived and died for was now being left to the disciples, and to those who would follow, and that would include us. 

            Something I read this week suggested that perhaps we should be fired.  Maybe some people dressed in white should come along and say, “Don’t keep looking up.”  Another suggestion was not to call it Ascension Day, but Commission Day.  They, we, have been given a duty, a mission. 

            There they stand looking up, expecting him to come right back.  I can’t blame them; we would do the same thing.  Think of the shock of what they would be facing, and to be facing it without him, that would leave you… looking up. They are told to carry on without their teacher.  Isn’t that what happens this time of the year.  A few weeks ago we recognized graduates, they too carry on without their teacher, uncharted waters lie ahead. 

            Haven’t we all looked up to Christ and said, help me out here, but Jesus did not lift the disciples out of the troubled world.  He sent them off into the thick of things and not just for a short time either.  In the face of impending trouble and darkness, Jesus left them.  But he didn’t leave them without help, and what he leaves behind is no slouch, it is the Holy Spirit.  He left them, but he left them with the Holy Spirit.   

            Next Sunday is Pentecost; we hear the story of the Spirit coming to this same group of people.  Like a roaring, uncontrollable wind, we’ve been seeing that first hand, the Spirit enters our lives, just as the spirit will for Kendra in the waters of Baptism this morning.  These same followers had been hiding behind locked doors, now the Spirit moves them out into the streets of Jerusalem , and even Dubuque , Asbury, Peosta, Farley and the tri-state area.  The Spirit sets them in motion; it takes these timid followers of Jesus to do things they had never dreamed of.  Don’t keep looking up, is the battle cry.  Don’t you have something better to do? 

            Mercedes Benz has a commercial about their energy-absorbing car body design that has been copied by other companies and it says, “Because some things in life are too important not to share.”  We have an energy creating spirit that enables us to be witnesses about a loving God that is too important not to share. 

As Jesus said in our Gospel, “For the words that you gave to me I have given to them.”  Now the words that have been given to us, we are to give to others. 

Imagine; just imagine what might be accomplished when the wind of the Spirit blows in our hearts and congregations.  Bill and Sharon will be attending a 3 week training school looking at two areas:  youth ministry and family ministry.  Pray for them.  What can happen in those two areas that have not yet been thought of?  What new things might we do in other areas?  Don’t keep looking up; he left us with the Holy Spirit. 

A lady asked a seminary professor what he taught, he replied, “Evangelism.” “Oh,” she said with a sigh, “and I thought you were such a nice person.” It’s tough doing this and there are times that we just might need protection.  Jesus knew that, listen to what he prays for in the gospel. “Holy Father, protect them in your name.”  What comfort this is for us to know first that Christ is aware of the challenges the church will face, and that he solicits God’s protection for us.  Because of God’s love for us there is this investment in our wellbeing, and this goes beyond anything that we might imagine or envision. 

A humane society in a large city ran an ad campaign showing a dog and cat together, the caption read, “A couple of VIP’s—Very Important Pets.”  At the bottom was a 2^nd line, “What makes them important is who owns them.”  If we are VIP’s it is because of who owns us, we are children of God, followers of this teacher, Jesus, in his footsteps we tag along.  Using our gospel language we are one in faith, all children of God and followers of Christ. 

How fortunate we are to have such a dedicated and faithful Sunday School staff.  Helping your students to not always be looking up, sharing bible stories, sharing your faith, being a model with your words and lives as you are empowered by the Holy Spirit and protected by God.

            At my fast food study hall this week I noticed a young father go up to an elderly gentleman.  I didn’t hear the whole conversation, but I did hear this, “Thank you for all you did for me as my professor.”  We have so much to thank our teacher Jesus Christ for, thank the Holy Spirit for the power of the witnesses that passed down the faith that we now share, and we thank God for protecting us and the oneness we have in the church.  No one blames us for looking up, but look what happens when we don’t. 

            “With the Spirit’s gifts empow’r us for the work of ministry”