- Acts 1: 1-11
- Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9
- Ephesians 1: 17-23
- Mark 16: 15-20
- Jesus has left the building
- I often wonder what it was like for that first couple of generations of Christians after Jesus left them. If I had been there, I would have wondered why He had to leave at all. If I had been one of the apostles, I might have felt abandoned, and inadequate for the work that Jesus had so suddenly bequeathed to His us, His followers.
- If you were asked to find someone to replace you in one or more of your ministries, what would you look for in that new person?
- Doubtless, you would want to train them in their expected new role. How would you train them?
- How would you know when they are ready to take over?
- How would you pass your roles and responsibilities over to them?
- How would you gracefully step aside when the time came?
- God mounts His throne
- As Americans, we tend to reserve judgment regarding our leaders. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. So an unrivaled monarch strikes us as nothing less than disaster waiting for an opportunity to strike. But our God is incorruptible, because He is ever true to His true nature, His principals are unfailing, His integrity eternal.
- Just because God is incorruptible doesn't mean that His servants are incorruptible. Is it even possible for us to aspire to being true, and faithful to the destiny that God has planted in each of our hearts?
- Can you think of anyone who has encouraged to live up to your destiny in one way or another?
- How did you react to that call at the time?
- Who are the ones that you are calling to step into the fullness of their potential in God?
- How could you get better at that encouragement and affirmation of others?
- Welcome home
- You only die once. It might not hurt to do a dry run or two at your own death.
- Imagine yourself outside of the heavenly city. A vast throng is coming towards you, rejoicing that you have made it.
- Who are some of the folks you hope to see in that welcome delegation?
- What do you hope that they will say to you when they draw near?
- What are you doing today to make sure that reunion is joyful and joy filled?
- Finding freedom
- The disciples' following Jesus' retreating form as He ascended reminds me of those folks who stay in the theater after the movie is over, hoping for some good out takes, or an Easter egg of some sort to indicate what the next sequel will bring. I suspect that deep down, they were wondering to themselves "now what?" They had to move on.
- What is something that you have had to move on from before you could be truly free, truly able to step into the next chapter of your life? It could be saying goodbye to the child to make room for the adult, finding it in your heart to forgive another, moving into a new way of celebrating your faith ...
- How did you know that you needed to leave that behind?
- How did you mourn that loss?
- Would it have made any sense to try to speed up that mourning process?
- How did your community help in that process?
- Preparation for Reconciliation
- Where is God calling me to face a rewrite of my world view?
- Where might God be revealing Himself through me to another?
- Where is God calling me to take a longer view of my life?
- Where might God be inviting me into greater joy?
Proclaiming the Gospel
The elderly apostle shuffled to the front of the meeting room, lovingly supported on either side.
They gently lowered him into the chair reserved for him and quietly took their seats.
"Children", he began, "I learned something the other day that I want to pass on to you."
"I was telling another church about the time that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus.
Suddenly, I was back there with them so many years gone by. I could smell the perfume.
And I could feel the tension in the room when Judas objected to such reckless love.
I remember thinking to myself that I, too, wondered at such an expense.
Wondering at such extravagance. Wondering whether it was a waste.
And for the first time, I realized that was the whole point.
Our God pours out His graces and blessings on us day after day.
He never runs out, not now, not tomorrow, not ever.
And if we follow Him faithfully, neither will we.
In the telling of the tale, in the reliving of that blessed experience, in the giving that away,
In the giving it away was when I finally realized what it meant.
And I realized that there was doubtless more for me to learn from that encounter with Jesus.
And it is only in sharing that, experiencing it again and again with others -
That I'll ever really get to know the ongoing revelation of Jesus in my life and yours.
Don't just sit there waiting for me to speak from cherished memories.
Instead, let us renew each other, strengthen each other, be the Presence of Jesus for each other
Be the Gospel for, with, and through each other, that in the sharing of our stories -
In the sharing of our stories, we may deepen the revelation of Jesus to us
All of us, through each of us.
Shalom!
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