I’m staring out the window. I can see the lawn needs to be mowed, some trees need to be trimmed and the door to the back shed needs a bit of repair. I’m staring out the window. I can see the flower garden is covered with weeds, and that my black car now appears to be green because of all the pollen mixed in the air. I’m still staring out the window just staring up into the sky when out of the clear I hear a voice, saying, “So when are you gonna get started with the work that needs to be done?” I look around. It is not a divine voice. It is my wife, Joan. She has a unique way of keeping me busy.

How about you? I bet we all can relate to that weary, prolonged gaze into the sky. Sometimes I think we’re all overwhelmed by all the things we see that need to be done: teenagers see chores that need to be done; moms and dads see important things waiting to be done; and, grandmas and grandpas always see things to do. I think we all have our own ways of avoiding the things that we need to do, and I think it’s not unusual to be caught doing nothing while staring straight up into the sky.

That’s what the disciples were doing after Jesus “was taken up before their very eyes.” They were staring straight up into the sky. Forty days after his resurrection from the grave, Jesus gathered his disciples and gave them strict instructions about the things that needed to be done. He told them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. This would take place in ten more days on the Day of Pentecost which we will celebrate next Sunday. Then, Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This having been said, I can imagine the disciples were a little weary of what they needed to do because earlier it says that Jesus “spoke to them about the kingdom of God.” These conversations have not been recorded for our reading. However, Jesus regularly instructed his disciples that he wanted them to do great things for the sake of God’s kingdom and that would mean actively practicing the Gospel in word and deed. How, when, where, and all the rest of what was expected probably was as vague as our staring out the window into the backyard. So, for this reason, “as [Jesus] was taken up before their very eyes . . . . They were looking intently up into the sky.” And that’s when voices were heard, saying, “Men of Galilee . . . why do you stand here looking into the sky?” And, even though it’s not recorded, I’d be willing to bet that one of “the men dressed in white” quickly added, “So when are you gonna get started with the work that needs to be done?” because “this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Here’s where I will add a quick comment on the history of the early Christian church. It will be a quick comment because I know that most people are not interested in history, especially early church history so listen carefully. This is important. If we can learn anything from the history of the early church, we can learn that a church without seminaries, church-growth seminars, elaborate youth programs, or large, organized conventions can still grow at a phenomenal rate. The book of Acts points to the rapid growth of the early church over and over again. That growth was not attributed to any particular “program” or individual leader. The early church grew rapidly because early Christians were captivated by the gospel and they lived in such a way that caused the world to stand up and take notice. They were followers of Christ, and as such, they were determined to live as he lived and love as he loved.

“So when are you gonna get started with the work that needs to be done?” Each of you has all that it takes to continue in the work that the Lord sets before you. You have been baptized into Christianity and enjoy all the blessings that are connected to the Christian faith—forgiveness, complete restoration in God’s sight, and the promise of eternal life. How can you live as he lived and love as he loved? Well, you could roll up your sleeves and do some of the things that need to be done for the elderly in a local nursing home, or you could volunteer some time at a local hospital or you could volunteer to serve as a tutor once a week with our Academic Resource Program or you could . . ., well, there are so many things that need to be done for so many different people that you could just talk to any one of our deacons and I’m sure they’ll find something for you to do.