ACTS 1:6-11: “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “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.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: Are you ready for the upcoming Solar Eclipse? Everyone is abuzz over a rare experience that will take place on April 8, 2024. It is a total solar eclipse that can be viewed by over 30 million people in the United States. On this day people from Texas to Maine will put on special glasses to gaze up into the heavens and witness the moon in its orbit covering the sun creating a moment of darkness similar to when the sun sets.

I must admit that this is a pretty cool phenomenon. I must also admit that it will do little to change my life. The moment will come and go and do nothing in the overall scope of things. Yet, you cannot turn on the TV today without constant coverage of this upcoming phenomenon. There is something mysterious about gazing into the heavens to see something far off.

The disciples were caught gazing into the heavens. They were not looking at a solar eclipse but something far greater. They had just witnessed Jesus Christ ascending into heaven. Jesus had just spent His final moments with the disciples, giving them His final instructions, and now they were spellbound watching as Jesus rose into the heavens – until they could see Him no more.

Jesus rose into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

Like a solar eclipse, this moment was over in a few seconds. Yet, the disciples kept gazing up into the sky. Perhaps they were hoping to get a glimpse into heaven. Or maybe they were so stunned at what they had just seen that they were for a brief moment – frozen in time. Regardless, it took two angels to awake them from their preoccupation.

“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “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.”

Jesus had just given His disciples specific instructions. They seemed preoccupied with future details of the Kingdom rather than these instructions. Jesus told them not to concern themselves with these future things – for they were in the hands of God the Father. Rather, Jesus called His disciples to be concerned about the mission He had given them. This mission is what we call the Great Commission. In every Gospel we witness Jesus giving final instructions to His disciples. Although the settings are different the message remains the same. In Acts 1:8 Jesus tells the disciples,

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The disciple’s job, and ours, is not to be preoccupied with the future details of the Kingdom of God. It is not to put on white robes and gaze into heaven from a mountaintop waiting for the return of Jesus. It is not to be preoccupied with visions and speculations about the heavens. We have a job to do on the earth until Jesus returns. It is a specific job and it is our sole focus and calling! It is a job that we must be occupied with until we hear the final trumpet.

This job is to MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations!

As long as there is a person in our neighborhood, city, state, country, continent, or world who has not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ – our job is not done! The Holy Spirit was not poured out upon the church on the Day of Pentecost so that it could hold conferences on how to be blessed. The Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church so that the church could fulfill the Great Commission.

Perhaps we are more enamored with gazing at the stars than witnessing about Jesus. So many are preoccupied with the study of End Times that they are of little effect in changing our Present Times through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When you study the spiritual armor outlined in the Book of Ephesians you will not find a pair of star-gazing glasses. Yet, you will find shoes that are equipped with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

“Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace.” (Eph 6:15 GW)

I hope that everyone enjoys the upcoming solar eclipse. Yet, I pray that when it is over we will not be found gazing into the heavens but actively fulfilling the call of Jesus to be His witnesses to the uttermost parts of the earth!

Let’s get our Good News shoes on!

In Jesus’ Name!