We often ask the wrong questions, the answers to which don't always point to meaningful activity in the Christian life. OK, maybe that statement does not cover every inept attitude we have or wrong action we take. Yet it's time to ask better ones, the right ones.
Our family just started reading through Acts again, as we wanted to revisit the evangelism and zeal of the very first church group. We often call them the early church, and when we look at what they accomplished with the power of the very same Holy Spirit we claim to have, we should find some great role models when God speaks to us through them.
Acts was written by Luke, who accompanied Paul and others on several of the journeys you’ll find here. He picks up where he left of in his gospel. I want to focus today on the questions asked or implied in this chapter. I’ll paraphrase for conversational tone:
First question: “Jesus, are you restoring the kingdom of Israel now?”
Jesus’ answer: “It’s not for you to know that now, I have other work for you to do besides worry about that.”
Second question, implied: “OK, so Jesus just went up, into the clouds. Hmmm, let’s stand here and look up for a while. What should we do now?” (Granted, this would have been an incredible sight)
The angels reply: “Why are you standing around here looking up? He’ll come back again the same way.”
The rest of the chapter is devoted then to the replacement of Judas, which was foretold in prophecy and had to be done, as wisely understood by Peter. A common fisherman, Peter knew his Bible (the Septuagint then). There’s lesson number one for us. We would do well to emulate him in that aspect, for sure.
But think of the questions we are asking at times. We continually want to know what is going to happen, and when, and why, and what will it look like when it does, and so on. I truly believe it is important, crucial, even, to properly understand the end times, what the “caught up together…in the clouds” means, why there will be a literal seven-year Tribulation and 1000-year literal reign on earth. Where we interpret the Gospel literally, understanding the supernatural resurrection, so too must we recognize a literal Creation, and literal book of Revelation, knowing it’s apocalyptic nature literally.
However, if we spend our time constantly delving into that conversation, waxing eloquent about the millennial kingdom, about which we know very, very little, we miss the point of what God has for us to do…NOW! I saw lost people being led to Christ yesterday, I saw saved people asking, begging to be discipled, not being spiritually fed where they are now. God’s glory was on full display, because people were focused on the here and now work! What a tremendous praise!
We talk and talk at times about Christ’s return, which is imminent and certain. Amen! But how often do we catch ourselves standing and looking for that time, and getting little or nothing done now? I’ll answer that, WAY TOO OFTEN!
Praying today for renewed and refreshed desire to pay attention to what God has for me to do to make a difference now. Praying for more and more lost people to seek the truth, and more and more saved people to desire to grow. It happened yesterday, and I was privileged to witness it. Pray with me that we can make and take many more opportunities to continue the efforts He desires, clearly seeing and pursuing the opportunities He places before us.
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