SUNDAY, 9/28/14 Acts 1:9-11 “Why Are You Staring Into Heaven?” (By Barry) WORSHIP: Our worship song today is a challenge from one of the groups I used to really enjoy. (Yes, the song is older than you! IT’S FROM THE 80’S! CHECK IT OUT!) https://youtube/watch?v=pOxpry6ZUHM SCRIPTURE: blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=1&t=NLT#s=1019009 Let’s use our imaginations… Today has been one of the strangest, most exciting days of your life. How do you even put it into words? You are one of Jesus’ best friends. Let’s say you are Andrew or Mary Magdalene. When you met Jesus, your life changed. I mean, it was turned absolutely upside down. You knew immediately that He was more than just a great man. You understood, deep inside you, that this was the Son of God. From that moment, you had decided to follow Him, no matter what. When the soldiers and religious leaders had come to arrest him, you had felt so helpless. And when He went through that horrible trial, with Roman soldiers punching and slapping Him and making fun of Him, and the priests and crowd insulting Him in such terrible ways? And then the cross! How you had cried as you watched Him tortured in agony. As you watched Him die before your very eyes, you were hurt, and angry and confused. Then, three days after His death, you had been filled with indescribable joy when Jesus had miraculously been raised from the dead. Those next few weeks, just spending time with Him, had been some of the best times of your life. And now, as you and your friends are with Jesus, and He is-as usual-teaching you such amazing things, and-as usual-you have so many questions for Him. You want to know what’s next. You want to know everything. He smiles, and reminds you that sometimes, those are the wrong questions. You’re not sure exactly what He means. Then, He tells you and your friends that the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you, and you are going to receive power. Power? You glance at your friends. What does this mean? Jesus then tells you that this power is going to allow you to tell people about Him. In fact, He tells you that you will be going all over the world! Those words are exciting enough, but your day is about to become crazy. I mean, really, really crazy. Jesus suddenly begins rising. It’s like he is some kind of a ghost, or bird, flying higher and higher. This is amazing! He keeps going up, and He seems to be getting smaller and smaller. It’s as if He is passing through a cloud, and you can’t quite see Him anymore. Everyone is straining to see Him, and pointing. All of a sudden, there are two giant men next to you. Men? Well, they are men, you think, but they are giants. And they are glowing! “Why are you staring?” they ask. Why are you staring? Um, because the Son of God seems to have just floated away from us, and into Heaven? Maybe THAT’S why we are staring? “Jesus has been taken into Heaven,” these men tell you, “And one day, He will come back, the same way He left!” Yes, this has definitely been a crazy day! THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS: —1. What would it have been like to have been there the day Jesus rose into Heaven? —2. How do you think you would have reacted to angels suddenly appearing in front of you? —3. The angels promised that Jesus would return. What if that happens today? Will you be ready? —4. When you look at the clouds today, can you imagine the scene of Jesus disappearing into one? OR, can you imagine looking at a cloud, and suddenly, He APPEARS? —5. Sometimes, it’s possible to be so focused on Heaven, that we lose any hope of being effective while we are still here. God did not save you just so you could go to Heaven! He wants to have a “BFF” relationship with you NOW! So, stop staring at Heaven! As the song says, If you believe Hes coming back tomorrow, then live like He is coming back today! PRAYER: Ask God to give you a sense of wonder. Ask Him to cause you to be amazed by Him. And ask Him to make you crave His presence. He is coming back! Ask Him to make you ready!
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 03:59:41 +0000
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