“The End and A New Beginning” 2013

Isaiah 42:5-9 Acts 1:1-11

Isaiah 42:5-9

Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

It was several years ago, but I still remember exactly how I felt,

my anxiety and distress as I watched my parents drive away

when they dropped me off for my freshman year at VA Tech, some 5-6 hours away from home.

Even more than I realized at the time,

that lonely event marked an end to my childhood ----

of my parents being always present to comfort me,

to nurture and care for me, to provide and protect me,

to teach, guide, direct and be responsible for me…

… for all of that would change and never be the same again

as I was becoming a self-reliant and responsible adult.

According to Acts,

Jesus, the human being, was physically leaving his disciples.

For three years they had all traveled together.

The disciples had observed his miracles, heard his teaching,

and he had been always present and available to them.

Jesus had taught, guided and protected them.

He was always present, in control, and responsible.

Then they had experienced the trauma of the crucifixion,

but that wasn’t the end.

When he was raised from the dead, it was incredible,

but that wasn’t the end, and he was still with them.

For the next forty days after his Easter appearances,

Jesus had taught and explained many things

that hadn’t made much sense before his resurrection.

He showed them how he had fulfilled the words of Scripture,

and what it means to live according to God’s purpose,

for the reign and Kingdom of God to touch and affect every aspect of how we live out our lives …

… but now,

the physical presence of Jesus was coming to an end,

as he ascended into heaven, to the Father’s throne.

vs. 6

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Are things going to go back to the way they were?,

and end the Roman occupation

like when David or Solomon ruled over Israel? …

… are things finally going to be restored?

vs. 7-8

He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

His answer came in two parts:

1^st part, it’s a mistake and distraction to speculate,

for God only knows when or how, and it’s not for us to know.

People have always been fascinated to figure out,

when Jesus will return and usher in the Kingdom of God;

- yet Jesus is adamant … It is not for you to know.

I think it’s because God loves us and knows our weakness;

that our attention, if focused on the date and timing,

would distract us away from our relationship with God,

away from living a life of faithful discipleship,

and focused away from our true mission and call.

2^nd part, when you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit,

you will have a job, a mission to do ----

- empowered to bear witness, that will be your task…

… and anything else is a mistake and a distraction.

To bear witness, to proclaim the life & teachings of Jesus Christ,

that is our mission and purpose, that’s why the Church exists.

To proclaim God’s gracious love, mercy and forgiveness of sin,

and that all God’s children are invited to come home,

as together we are transformed by discipleship

into better disciples as we are being prepared

for eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

When Jesus walked this earth as a human being,

he could only be present in one place at a time,

for he was limited by his physical and finite body.

Now, Jesus is present always everywhere through the Holy Spirit.

God’s loving purpose, the salvation of humankind,

has become the life and mission of the Church,

as we are led and empowered

by the Spirit’s presence in and among us.

As Jesus ascends up into the clouds in the Acts text,

and as the disciples are watching his rising feet get smaller,

suddenly two guys in white robes are standing nearby… à

… and like the two guys in white robes at the tomb on Easter,

who asked, “why do you seek the living among the dead?”,

these two guys will also ask a focusing question, vs. 11,

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

When my parents dropped me off at college,

there was no point staring after the disappearing taillights

for I had a task to do, to get on

with living out my new life and responsibilities.

So, what is our new life, our mission and responsibilities?

The Isaiah text was addressed to the people in exile in Babylon,

reminding them of their tasks and responsibilities,

that the God of creation who gave them life,

still loved them and was up to something new…

vs. 9

See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

Their call and their mission was in vs. 6-7

I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

Beyond the literal meaning of these words,

the people of God are called and equipped by the Lord

to bear witness to the light ---

- to help the people see God’s love and mercy,

for those broken and lost in the darkness of captivity,

they were to proclaim God’s promises

of hope, release and anther second chance,

and as many second chances as it takes

to receive the joy and peace that our God intends.

* So, what do these Isaiah and Acts texts mean for us today?

First: Jesus instructs the disciples

to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

Don’t try to do this on your own,

but only as you seek and follow the Holy Spirit

can the mission be accomplished and fulfilled…

…as Jesus warns in John 15, “apart from me, you can do nothing”

Our call is not something of our own efforts, work or achievement,

but grace brings us into a cooperative-intimate relationship

in which the Holy Spirit empowers us, and accomplishes

God’s will and purpose by working in and through us.

God invites us to participate and share in His work and purpose.

as we trust God to produce the right results He desires.

Second,

I want to think more deeply about our task and mission,

which is to bear witness and proclaim the Good News,

though the Church does not always get that right.

Our call is not to nag and condemn every wrong that we see,

for the world has long stopped listening to that,

-- but I do think the world is still watching …

… to see how we live, to see if our faith is authentic,

to see if we respond to adversity with integrity,

to see if our faith really make a difference

when we struggle and life does not go our way?,

and to see if we really love and serve the least and outcast,

following the example and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

It’s not about feeling or being religious once a week at church,

but out in the world, does my life bear witness and proclaim

God’s mercy and grace, truth and trust in God’s promises?,

that Jesus is truly my Lord, and that I do live out the ways, example, and teachings of Jesus Christ?

Witnessing is not necessarily a Billy Graham-style crusade,

but has to do with living in faithful discipleship,

right where we are, who we are, where God has placed us.

This faithful discipleship and bearing witness

is simply the process of God’s grace and presence

making a difference by guiding and influencing

every aspect of our ordinary – everyday lives.

* This is really a living consciousness of the Holy Spirit

present as an on-going relationship and conversation

that changes us and our perspective of life over time…

… it is gradually becoming more Christ-like,

decision by decision over the course of lifetime.

This is not necessarily a clear choice between good and evil,

but something far more complicated and relational,

that asks:

what is the more loving and self-giving response

that puts someone else’s benefit ahead of my own?

** What is God up to, and how can I best cooperate with that?

* Or, if Jesus were me, as He is revealed in Scripture,

in this situation right now, how would He most likely respond?

There was a man begging on the street,

and a passerby who happened to be a Christian,

took him to a diner, sat down and ate with him,

while listening to his story,

treating him with kindness and respect.

After the meal, the Christian offered the man a few dollars,

who replied, “No, I don’t want you money.

I want to know whatever made you willing to share,

to give your time and attention listening to me,

and to see me and treat me as a human being.”

We all want our lives to be significant and to count,

to make a difference and to matter to someone,

and that deep longing is behind much of what we do in life.

In our world, broken, corrupt, self-destructive and hurting,

we are called and equipped by God’s Spirit to serve.

As we read earlier, vs. 6-7

I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

So, here is a very practical project along those lines for today:

consider, who in your world needs love, needs hope?

Pick a particular individual or individuals,

visualize them and name them,

and consider, what are their specific needs?

--- and how could you make a difference

and help them experience God’s love, mercy and grace?

Getting involved in costly compassion makes a life meaningful,

… so that our lives and our living bears witness & proclaims

that Jesus is alive and well, and is making a difference

in human lives, our relationships and in our world…

… reflecting what Jesus said, in Matthew 25:40

‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’