“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven,” Acts 1:11.
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven. For the disciples it was a rather shocking experience. As they stood on the Mount of Olives, they received some final instructions from Jesus. “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” Acts 1:8. Having given the disciples what we call the Great Commission to the Church unto the end of time, Jesus lifted His hands in blessing and, “While they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight,” Acts 1:9. The disciples stood there amazed as they gazed heavenward and watched Jesus ascend higher and higher until a cloud hid Him from their sight and they saw Him no more.
We can picture them standing on the Mount with their mouths wide open in amazement until the angels said to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?” They were reminded, and so are we, that until Jesus comes again, we should not be standing around gazing heavenward in amazement, as if we had nothing else to do!
Politely, the angels were saying, “There is work to be done! Get with it!” Yes, dear fellow Christian, there is work to do. “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,” Mark 16:15. These words are directed not only to pastors, but to all Christians.
During the days of persecution in the early Christian Church, Scripture reports, “Those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word,” Acts 8:4. We, too, should go everywhere witnessing to the faith and hope that we have in our hearts. We should witness by both word and deed that Jesus is the Son of God and our Savior, who was crucified to redeem us and who rose from the grave to conquer sin, death, and the devil. What we confess and how we live should be in harmony.
Fulfilling the task that our ascended Lord has given us should be a joyous one. We also must remember that we have a given deadline! The angels told the disciples, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Yes, the day is fast approaching when Jesus will come again visibly. In the Book of Revelation the apostle John wrote, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him,” Revelation 1:7.
My dear friend, how busy are you and I fulfilling the work that needs to be done? In the Christian Church there is no room for people who just want to stand around on the sidelines and be spectators of those who are working and witnessing that Jesus suffered, died, and rose again to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
Hark! The voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?”
Loud and long the Master calleth, Rich reward He offers thee;
Who will answer, gladly saying, “Here am I, send me, send me”?
Let none hear you idly saying, “There is nothing I can do,”
While the souls of men are dying, And the Master calls for you.
Take the task He give you gladly, Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth, “Here am I, send me, send me!” Amen.