Acts 1:6-11
Verse 11 "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.”
Yesterday we celebrated the long awaited coming of the Messiah. Today starts a time of let down for many. The celebrations bring joy and the aftermath brings loneliness and depression. This was what the disciples of Jesus must have been feeling as they saw Him ascending into the clouds.
Today also marks the start of the countdown to next Advent. That is the same thing Jesus’ ascension started. This countdown is a different kind of countdown though. Unlike the countdown to next Christmas where we can keep track of the descending numbers, only God knows the day and hour of Jesus Second Advent.
This waiting which the disciples were to do wasn’t about sitting back and propping up their feet. Jesus told them they were to wait for the Holy Spirit and then they were to take His message to the world (Acts 1:8). Since the day and hour of His return isn’t known, this commission to His disciples couldn’t be just for them, it must be our commission too.
This taking His message into all the world is just as important today as it was back then. They had seen a lot over the last few years as they traveled with Him. They had seen things which would forever change the way they looked at things. They knew His power like no one else. They had seen Him tell the seas to stop and watched them obey. They had seen people healed and raised from the dead. But the thing they had experienced themselves and had witnessed again and again was how Jesus changed lives.
Changed lives are still the mission. The nearer we are to Jesus the more our lives will be changed and the more our lives are changed, the more we can share what He has done in our lives with others. Just as we anticipate Christmas and prepare for the day, not just for ourselves but for those around us, we should be looking forward to the return of Christ. And this preparing for His return should include helping others be ready for the day too. We don’t decorate our homes solely for our benefit and we can’t live our Christian lives for ourselves either.
Making It Personal
How are you looking forward to the second coming? Who are you sharing the good news of Jesus with? What steps to you need to take to deepen your relationship with God?
Making It Personal Kids
Are you looking forward to meeting Jesus in person? Do you tell people what you got for Christmas? Do you tell people about how much you love Jesus?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the promise of Christ coming again. Help us tell others about You so they will be ready for the second coming. In Jesus’ name, amen.