These days, many people believe that the Bible is irrelevant. It was written so long ago, how can it speak to us today? This challenge is something we face and have to fight continually, because there are so many other things that can take our time and attention away from the Bible.

Many times we fail to see the relevance and excitement God’s Word brings to our lives. Often when we struggle to find the relevance and excitement of the scriptures, it means that we aren’t experiencing the truth and life changing power we have within God’s Word. This is why I love the book of Acts. No matter where we are in walk with Christ, we can see the exciting power of God through His Word.

Luke, the writer of Acts, begins the book describing the Jesus' final days on earth. It harkens me back to Jesus describing what life would look like after he was gone. He tells them to look forward to Him returning to rule with God the Father. 

John 16:7-  Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

You may ask, as I would, how can life be better without Christ physically with them in ministry day-after-day? It doesn’t seem to make sense. But Jesus insists, if he doesn’t leave then the Holy Spirit will not come. This is all part of God’s perfect plan. We will see played out through the book of Acts.

Jesus’ ascension is so important. Tim Keller says it well: “The ascension is the that which takes what Jesus was and did on earth and releases it into the universe and into our lives.” 

How can we celebrate Christ's return to Heaven? Here are 4 ways: 

1) Rejoice in the proof that our Savior overcame death forever.

Our faith is not built on human speculation or on someone’s wild imagination but on historical truth people really observed. Jesus Christ really did live. He died. He rose bodily. He appeared to hundreds of witnesses. He taught for forty days before ascending to heaven.

This shows us something important about God. He meets us where we are, and lowers himself to reveal His truth in ways that we can understand. As God of the universe, Jesus didn’t owe his followers the opportunity to observe His resurrected body, or receive His teaching about the kingdom and the Holy Spirit, yet he chose to do it. In many ways, this is the nature of God’s relationship with us. He lowers himself so that we can connect and have a relationship with Him.

2) Have patience to trust in God’s perfect promise.

In Acts 1:4, Jesus tells his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to come before they start the great work He had for them. Let this quote below sink in:

“Take note that the first ministry activity of the disciples was not to develop a plan, to hold a large meeting, to create a program, to publish a book (even an inspired one), to raise money, to train leaders, or to start knocking on doors. The very first activity was to wait. They were to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.” -Mark Vroegop

Waiting and praying go hand-in-hand, and they were vital parts of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus often spent time alone in fellowship with the Father. In Luke 6:12, we see that He continued all night in prayer before calling His disciples.

This teaches us much. when we pray it means we slow down and admit that we must depend on God to lead us. He uses our inability and dependence on Him to lead us on His mission. 

Without this important rhythm of waiting and prayer, it is easy to assume you are self-sufficient to succeed in life. Prioritizing prayer challenges our self-reliance and pushes us toward God’s power and presence. Remember that God doesn't waste your waiting. 

3) Recognize the power we have through God’s Holy Spirit to be God’s faithful witnesses.

Acts 1:8 proclaims: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Jesus wants us to know, the mission I’ve called us to do is impossible without His Holy Spirit leading and empowering each of us. There is no question that the disciples and the church at large would need to be filled with the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Their success in ministry would not come by their own strength, but they would be filled with the power of God.

Verse 8 also gives direction for God's mission. The different locations provide four critical questions for us as we consider how we engage with others and the world. 

• Jerusalem –“Who are the people near me every day?”
• Judea –“How do I reach the people around me?”
• Samaria (was a neighboring country and a totally different culture) –“How can I bring the gospel to those who are different than me?”
• Ends of the Earth –“What is my role in reaching people who’ve never heard the name of Jesus?”

 Jesus' call to action gives us direction as we participate on God's mission. 

4) Proceed with passion on God’s journey because He who has promised will deliver.

Acts 1:9-11 shows us that the disciples weren't quite sure how to react to Jesus ascending in the clouds. The disciples were much like children watching a floating balloon drifting in the sky, they were enamored with the sight.

The truth sunk in on the way back to Jerusalem. Luke 24:52 says that after Jesus ascended the disciples were filled with worship and joy. Just thinking about the magnitude of the scene filled them with joy.

Christ had to leave the earth and sit at his rightful seat at the right hand of God the Father so that His kingdom plan could be set into motion. We have our savior who died for us ruling on high. We have His Holy Spirit to lead us each day, and we have direct access to this same God at all times through prayer. 

Here is a final thoughts to take with you this week. 

• Dependence on God must be a way of life. 

It is so easy to go through life with the mentality that it’s all about we can do ourselves. We can believe that living for God is about us keeping up a set of rules or checking off a series of boxes. Trying to live an honorable life in our power is exhausting, demoralizing, and impossible. Because Jesus ascended and sent his Holy Spirit to empower us and indwell us, Christ lives through us as we live in light of his power. We must choose to submit ourselves to his leadership each day. 

This truth has huge implications for our life. This means that living a god-honoring life isn’t about doing more things for God, but instead it's about pursuing Him intimately through prayer and mediating on His Word. We don't pray and read God's Word so that we can mark off a list, but because we realize our connection to God is our lifeblood, what makes it possible to survive in this life. 

Do you realize the amazing power you have in Christ through the Spirit?

As believers in Christ, we are spirit-empowered witnesses for God’s glory. We have are equipped with God’s power through His Spirit.

You have power to trust in God’s plan for your life even in the midst of deep hurt and pain. You are empowered to be content is what you have in Christ, because in light of eternity, it is the best gift you can imagine. You have the power to cling to God and praise Him even when you’ve been wronged and hurt by others.You have the power to walk across a room or share the hope you have in Christ with someone, not knowing how they might respond. All of that comes from God’s power through the Holy Spirit. This is the kind of power that changes the world, one life at a time.

I pray we never forget the power and confidence we have through the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide as we live on God’s mission to our world.

See you Sunday! 

Pastor Sam