Sky Gazing

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed 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 and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11 ESV).

Soccer season has begun. The fall season is always a little challenging, especially with changing age divisions and getting new players on the team. Perhaps the most challenging is reevaluating all the players to see how they have changed through the summer and where they will best be suited to play. I always start the first few practices with drills that are designed to emphasize the “basics.” By drilling in the fundamentals of the game we are able to help the players return to the muscle memory they have built through the years of playing and teach the newer players proper technique which brings success to the team. As I thought about that I was reminded how important it is for the church to do the same from time to time. In the next few days we will concentrate on the basics of being the church. We’ll look at three basic areas. We can think of them as the fundamentals of the church. They are worship, personal growth, and ministry. As he prepared to ascend into heaven, Jesus called the disciples to be his witnesses. Our reading today says that after the disciples witnessed Jesus’ ascension they were found gazing into the sky. The angels asked the obvious question: “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” Especially in a day that seems to have all the earmarks of the last days, it is easy to spend more time, resources, and energy looking forward while neglecting the basics. So, let’s imagine we are starting a new season. The drills and exercises are often redundant and boring; however, let’s review and be encouraged to be the kind of church that our heavenly Father desires. In light of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the Great Commission he has called us to fulfill, we can’t afford to stand around sky-gazing. As individuals and churches, we must worship the Lord, build up ourselves and one, and minister grace to all of creation. These are the basics we must faithfully and diligently put into practice. Let’s not look up as much as we look out.