1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:06,280 I'm a timeline kind of guy. I I like a a timeline to help 2 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:08,560 sort my thinking on things. When I first learned something 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,320 new, I found that I can categorize things well if I kind 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,320 of sorted into a timeline. And so timelines have helped me 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,520 very in various ways. When I first decided to get 6 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:22,080 serious about reading the Bible, one of the first things I did 7 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:24,080 was kind of put together a timeline in my mind. 8 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:27,440 So I know where Moses was and Elijah and Elijah and the 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,280 Babylonian captivity, King David, those kind of things. 10 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,160 I kind of sorted it out into a timeline that would kind of help 11 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:36,480 me to Orient myself. Now I realize that not everybody 12 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:40,120 is a timeline kind of a person or that operates with a timeline 13 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,440 possibility. So you're going to have to 14 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,240 suffer with me for a few seconds while I Orient those of us who 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,160 do. I want to give a quick timeline 16 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,960 of Jesus Christ, a quick timeline of Jesus Christ. 17 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:56,600 It begins way back at the garden than before with the promise of 18 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,440 the coming of the Savior. The promise of the Savior coming 19 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:04,200 from the very beginning, Genesis 315 and on forward Speaking of 20 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,920 the coming of Jesus Christ. And then that promise is 21 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,560 prophesied over and over again throughout the Old Testament, 22 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,800 that Old Testament section where we hear of the comings of of 23 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,640 Jesus Christ. And then of course you have the 24 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:19,240 birth of Christ, His life, the last three years of which were 25 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,600 spent in ministry, in public ministry with his disciples and 26 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,560 with the population as a whole. And then at the end of those 27 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,880 three-year period, of course, His arrest, His crucifixion, His 28 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,720 death, and then His resurrection. 29 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,440 Following the resurrection, there's a 40 year, sorry, a 40 30 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:42,240 day period during those 40 days where Jesus resurrected, 31 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,320 continued to minister to the population, continued to 32 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:47,720 minister to his disciples in particular. 33 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,600 Now 40 days is a either a real short period of time, if you 34 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,840 think of it that way, or it's a long period of time. 40 days ago 35 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,880 was somewhere a little bit after Thanksgiving. 36 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,400 So you can kind of think about that. 37 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,040 If you're like me, a whole lot has happened between now and 38 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,480 Thanksgiving, last Thanksgiving and and so you can sit there. 40 39 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:09,360 days is a long period of time. That 40 days ends with Jesus's 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,600 ascension into heaven. So you have the resurrection, 41 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,240 then you have 40 more days of ministry, then you have his 42 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,440 ascension into heaven. This is where Jesus is taken up 43 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,080 into heaven and then in heaven he rules during the next X 44 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,200 number of years. We are now in that period of 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,960 time where Christ is in heaven and he is reigning over this 46 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,840 world and he is reigning over this world until the 2nd coming. 47 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,880 You don't have the second coming of Jesus Christ, which is at the 48 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:37,960 end of time. You don't have the second coming 49 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,840 of Jesus Christ until you have him reigning in heaven, which 50 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,800 follows his ascension, which follows his 40 days of ministry, 51 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:48,640 which follows his resurrection, etcetera, etcetera. 52 00:02:48,640 --> 00:02:50,520 That's a timeline in which we're operating with. 53 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,800 We're about to read a passage of scripture that focuses our 54 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,960 attention upon the ascension. The ascension of Jesus is 55 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,400 something that is kind of happens as a coda. 56 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:01,280 I think for most of our our thinking. 57 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,840 It's kind of an epilogue. You kind of throw it in. 58 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,440 You realize that something happened at the end of 40 days, 59 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,240 but it's crucial from a biblical standpoint and also from a 60 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,200 theological one. We don't get to the Second 61 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,760 Coming unless we have an ascension. 62 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,680 It's crucial, you know, we do not have Christ reigning now in 63 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,760 this world if we don't have an ascension. 64 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:26,640 It's crucial that we recognize the, the, the essential nature 65 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:31,120 of the ascension and how absolutely crucial it is for us 66 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,360 in life. This is not something that is 67 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,920 just thrown out there or A tag on one of the fears is that 68 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,520 you're left with the thought it without the ascension. 69 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:43,200 You're left with the thought that Jesus just kind of faded 70 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:47,160 out, or maybe he just disappeared at one point, or he 71 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,400 just wasn't present anymore. But the Scriptures want us to 72 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:52,400 recognize that that's not the case. 73 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,840 So it throws a lot of emphasis, a lot of weight on this 74 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,880 timeline, in this moment in the timeline, the ascension, where 75 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:04,000 Jesus goes from being with his disciples, physically manifested 76 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,640 with his disciples, to physically going up into heaven. 77 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,440 And we see that in Acts chapter 1, verses 9 through 11. 78 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,000 But we're going to start in verse 6. 79 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,240 And as always, I like it when my imagery here is the idea that 80 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,040 when God speaks to us, we snap to attention. 81 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,160 When God speaks to us, we pay attention. 82 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,680 And I like the imagery of that when we stand. 83 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,000 If you are able, please stand for the reading of God's Word. 84 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,720 Acts chapter 1, beginning in verse 6. 85 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,000 So when the disciples had come together, they asked him, Lord, 86 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,440 will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel? 87 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:46,680 Jesus said to them, It is not for you to know the times or the 88 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,280 seasons that the Father is fixed by His own authority. 89 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,080 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon 90 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,760 you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all 91 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,440 Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 92 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,800 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, 93 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,240 he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. 94 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,240 And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went, behold, 2 95 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:15,440 men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, 96 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,800 why do you stand looking into heaven? 97 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,840 This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the 98 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:26,080 same way as you saw him go into heaven. 99 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:28,280 And this is the word of the Lord. 100 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,440 Thanks be to God, the grass Withers and the flowers fade, 101 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,440 but the word of our Lord, it stands forever. 102 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:36,080 Amen. Please be seated. 103 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,080 If you would grab your Bibles, we're going to have the 104 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,600 Scripture in front of us as we walk through it on the screens. 105 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,400 But if you have your text with you, I think it's always helpful 106 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,600 in following along with the passage. 107 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,760 As we work our way through this. We are of course, focusing on 108 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,800 those verses, those 9/9 through 11 verses that talk about the 109 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,840 ascension, and we want to take a look at those. 110 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:57,400 So if you have your Scriptures in front of you or follow along 111 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:00,440 on the screens. Verse 9 And when they said these 112 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,520 things, when he had said these things, Jesus is speaking as 113 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:06,200 they were looking on the disciples. 114 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,080 He was lifted up and the cloud took him out of their sight. 115 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:14,880 This is a technical spot and I only tossed it out there For the 116 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,480 few of you that like to think about these kind of things. 117 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,680 Notice that this is passive voice. 118 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:24,360 Jesus was lifted up. Something happened to him. 119 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,400 This is not Jesus lifted himself up or Jesus decided to be lifted 120 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:31,560 up. This is something passive that 121 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:33,920 takes place. Jesus was lifted up. 122 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,720 And so of course, the question is by what power? 123 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,240 How did Jesus, how was Jesus's lifted up? 124 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,120 And this gets us into the interactions within the Godhead, 125 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,200 the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and 126 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:49,200 the power by which the Holy Spirit comes upon Jesus Christ 127 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,320 through the Father and lifts him up into the into the heavens. 128 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,240 It's worth mentioning only for those of you who want to think 129 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,720 more deeply about the ascension and and what it actually entails 130 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:04,440 for a human being, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be 131 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,600 nevertheless lifted up. Something happening to him, it's 132 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,960 passive voice there. He was lifted up and a cloud 133 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,360 took him from their sights. So you got to kind of picture 134 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,240 there on the Mount of Olives, by the way, or somewhere nearby. 135 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:18,400 So they're a little to the east of Jerusalem. 136 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:20,600 They're outside of Jerusalem, the walls of Jerusalem. 137 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,560 And the Mount of Olives is a place where Jesus has met very 138 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:25,960 frequently with his disciples. It was important. 139 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:27,480 It was a meaningful spot for them. 140 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,280 So they all gather at the Mount of Olives and Jesus has been 141 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,000 with them for 40 days. And I'm sure the excitement, the 142 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,040 overwhelming character of the fact that someone has risen from 143 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,520 the dead and is present with them in all of his glory and 144 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,760 majesty and displaying his divinity consistently to the 145 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,680 people, I'm sure that's overwhelming them. 146 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,240 And then he has this conversation with them, and 147 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,440 while they are looking, while they're talking with him, he is 148 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,160 lifted up before them. This is where we get the term 149 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,080 ascension. He ascends, He is lifted up into 150 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:00,880 heaven. Now think about how different 151 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,280 this is than just blinking out of existence. 152 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,920 He doesn't blink out of sight of the disciples. 153 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,920 He doesn't disappear. Rather, he's taken up into 154 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:11,480 heaven. And I don't know how you've 155 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,400 envisioned this. Imagine him, him rising up 156 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,720 before them, and then there's this cloud, cumulus cloud, or 157 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,200 something along those lines that he lived. 158 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,400 When my kids were young, we built a model rocket. 159 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,720 Folks build model rockets. We built a model rocket. 160 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,120 We took the time to care for it. We painted it and we named it 161 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,600 and all this kind of stuff. We we were all excited about it. 162 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,159 We took it into a field and we set it off and it was slightly 163 00:08:35,159 --> 00:08:37,400 overcast that day. Kel's laughing because she 164 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,320 remembers after all this time. We did this. 165 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:45,080 Then we fired off the rocket. It zooms up into the clouds and 166 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,320 never comes down. And there's the three of us, the 167 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,200 four of us standing there the whole time, staring into the 168 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,240 clouds. OK, if you have something like 169 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,240 that in your mind when we're talking about Jesus, get it out 170 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,920 of your mind. That's not correct. 171 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,000 When we're talking about a cloud enveloping Jesus, we are not 172 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,800 talking about a cumulus or an overcast night or a rainy cloud 173 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,480 or stormy cloud. Fluffy little white clouds. 174 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:16,400 This is the glory cloud of God. This is a Shekinah glory of 175 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,640 God's presence, that physical manifestation that has been 176 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,720 present throughout the Scriptures of demonstrating the 177 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,280 reality of God's glory there before God's people. 178 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,520 When the Shekinah glory of God shows up, he shows up for 179 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,480 whatever reason, for their good reasons back in the in the Old 180 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,920 Testament in particular, to demonstrate that there's a 181 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,400 cloud, this pillar of cloud, this pillar of fire. 182 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:43,000 And this is a fulfillment of Jesus prayer to the Father just 183 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,400 days earlier where he prayed Father, the end is near. 184 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,120 Glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world 185 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,280 began before the world began. The Father and the Son and the 186 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:57,240 Holy Spirit together in this massive beauty of glory. 187 00:09:57,560 --> 00:10:01,120 And here it is Jesus Christ who is now ascended, who, sorry, who 188 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,680 was resurrected from the dead, displaying divinity in every 189 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:09,320 way, yet nevertheless at this spot now being surrounded by the 190 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,480 glory cloud of the God the Father as he ascends into 191 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,760 heaven, surrounded by the glory. Now, what does that mean? 192 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,960 That helps us to understand what's happening between the 193 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:22,040 ascension that we just read about and the second coming that 194 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,400 is yet to come of Jesus Christ. We have the period in which we 195 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,560 are living in now. What is happening during that 196 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:29,040 time? Where is Jesus, what's he doing? 197 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,560 Hey, he's had a hard life. Let's face it, He was crucified 198 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:39,080 for my sin. That on its own takes plenty of 199 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,080 effort on on his part. And not just that, but he was 200 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,040 crucified for your sin, for the sin of the entire world. 201 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,320 He has taken upon himself. He gets to heaven and he kicks 202 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,840 back. Give me a lazy chair, boy and a 203 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,600 clicker and then you know this is what I'm doing in heaven. 204 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,040 That's not at all the picture. The picture here is that he's 205 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:02,280 swallowed up in the glory cloud of the Father, the glory that he 206 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,240 had before the beginning of the world. 207 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,920 The rest of the Scriptures portray for us as picture that 208 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:13,240 the Lord is reigning in heaven. They describe that as sitting at 209 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,400 the right hand of God the Father Almighty, sitting at the right 210 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:16,960 hand. Now. 211 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,080 Now the right hand is the hand of power. 212 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:22,680 It's it's the hand of of authority. 213 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,280 It's the hand of blessing and glory. 214 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,280 And so when Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God the 215 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,080 Father, when the scriptures articulated like that, they're 216 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,960 trying to give you the picture that he is in authority up in 217 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,200 heaven. Now, what does authority mean 218 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,920 for those of us? It means that every minute that 219 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:46,080 you live your life between the ascension and his second coming, 220 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:51,520 again, every minute in that time is covered by the authority of 221 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,360 Jesus Christ, dominated by his authority. 222 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,000 Now it's easy for us. We often talk about God having 223 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,680 God being sovereign, God being all powerful and all this kind 224 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:05,320 of stuff. And OK, we can appreciate that, 225 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:11,120 but that's God. Here we have Jesus Christ, the 226 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:18,120 Son of God, God himself, who we have spent weeks reading about 227 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,920 in the Scriptures. The disciples spent years 228 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,240 walking with him daily. We get every minute of our lives 229 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,080 spent engaged with Jesus Christ who has revealed himself to us 230 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,280 through the gospel message, who has revealed the Father through 231 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,880 the gospel message. That's the one who is reigning 232 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,160 in heaven for you. That's the one who is exercising 233 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,600 authority over your daily life right now. 234 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:48,880 Who can imagine a life that is free of difficulties and and 235 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,720 struggles? None of us have that life. 236 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,440 And yet in every minute, the joys of your life, all the 237 00:12:56,440 --> 00:13:00,120 blessings, everything good and glorious, our God reigns and 238 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,960 rules over all of that. Our Christ is authoritative in 239 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,960 every one of those moments and equally in every moment of your 240 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:11,680 suffering, in every spot where you're sitting there saying, 241 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:15,880 God, where the heck are you? He is reigning and rolling in 242 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,800 heaven for you. That's the God, the God who has 243 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,360 ascended into heaven. But the Scriptures always talk 244 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,680 about authority in ways that we don't. 245 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,040 When we think of authority, we think of power. 246 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:32,520 We think of might. We think of ability to 247 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,400 accomplish things and certainly that's true. 248 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:39,880 That is the authority that God, that God has it Christ exercises 249 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,960 in heaven. But authority also biblically 250 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:49,000 means care, nurture, responsibility. 251 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,640 If you have authority over somebody, it is your 252 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,560 responsibility for their for them to have care, nurture, 253 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:02,120 love, goodness, kindness. All of the qualities that we see 254 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:06,040 in Jesus Christ are not the qualities that he somehow leaves 255 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,200 behind when he ascends into heaven. 256 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,840 But when he ascends into heaven and claims the authority that 257 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,560 God has in store for that the Father has in store for him. 258 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,360 That authority then is exercised in the way in which he 259 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,720 communicates himself to us, the way in which he expresses his 260 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,320 authority in our lives. It is a care, it is a nurture, 261 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,120 it is a love. It's one of the reasons why the 262 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:32,280 scriptures talk about Jesus is interceding with the Father. 263 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:36,320 Imagine the fact that there is not a concern in your life. 264 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,360 There's not a a hope and a prayer that you ever experienced 265 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,640 that the Father is not consistently being whispered 266 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:48,520 into his ear by the Son. Christ is sitting at the right 267 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:53,120 hand, nurturing, caring, compassionate, kindness, 268 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:57,960 goodness for you, and He does so in part by interceding on your 269 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:02,080 behalf, by giving of himself on your behalf into the Father's 270 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,960 ear. This is the kind of imagery that 271 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:09,320 is built into the idea of him being taken up in a cloud and 272 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,080 sitting at the right hand of God the Father. 273 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,640 In a couple of months we're going to talk about the stoning 274 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,160 of Steven, the first Christian martyr. 275 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,000 And I'm going to let the cat out of the bag now because none of 276 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:23,120 you will remember a couple of months from now, but you've got 277 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,440 a great picture. While Stephen is being stoned, 278 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,840 the heavens open up before him and he's able to see the 279 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,280 heavenly throne. Do you remember this? 280 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,120 Some of you were picture this. And he sees the Father sitting 281 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:40,560 on the throne and at his right hand, Jesus Christ not sitting. 282 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,240 It's the only time in Scripture where Jesus is sitting is at the 283 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:50,840 right hand of God the Father. Not sitting, but standing at the 284 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,760 right hand of God the Father. I got to tell you, for me, this 285 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,520 gives me goosebumps because it's one thing to think of Jesus 286 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,080 sitting that's passive at the right hand of God the Father. 287 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,000 He's powerful, he's active, he's going to control, he's reigning 288 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,640 and all that kind of stuff. That's true, but he's sitting. 289 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,320 That's the way it's usually described for me in with the 290 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,440 with the martyrdom of Stephen. You see him, he's not sitting. 291 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:21,080 He's he's arisen, he stood up, he's standing actively working 292 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,440 on behalf of Stephen. And that's the way I love the 293 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,240 picture of what Jesus is doing with each of us. 294 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:30,880 He is at the Father's right hand actively pursuing our good and 295 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:35,600 our kindness back to the text. And a cloud took him out of 296 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,280 their sight. And while they were gazing into 297 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,080 heaven as he went, behold, 2 men stood behind him with two white 298 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:43,480 robes. These guys were coming back from 299 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,040 laundry, so they want. That was funny. 300 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,160 You know, it's really not good if I have to cue you two things. 301 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,640 No, no. OK, Two men in white robes 302 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,760 coming in our present. This Harkins easily back to the 303 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,520 resurrection scenes where again we're told that two men show up 304 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:03,080 in white robes. We have the picture. 305 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,960 These are angels. And so angels, God's messengers 306 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,920 come, and they speak to the people and they say, men of 307 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:10,960 Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? 308 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:15,880 This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the 309 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:20,640 same way as you saw him go into heaven because of the ascension. 310 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,960 In the same way he will come again. 311 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,000 Now what does that mean? In the same way, how, how, how 312 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,840 are we supposed to anticipate the coming, the second coming of 313 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,840 Jesus Christ In the same manner, in the same fashion, in the same 314 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,240 way that the ascension took place. 315 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,040 How did the ascension take place? 316 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,320 Here's the key. Look at the beginning of that 317 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:46,240 sentence. This Jesus who was taken up from 318 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:51,920 you, this Jesus, it's not the Jesus of our minds. 319 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,680 It's not the Jesus of some spiritual entity. 320 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:02,040 It's not the Jesus that might exist 20 centuries from now when 321 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:07,280 Christ comes again or whatever. It's this Jesus, the one that we 322 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:11,680 saw going into heaven, the one that we worked with and walked 323 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:15,920 with, the one that we talked with and heard from, the one who 324 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:20,200 we cared for and cared for us, this Jesus. 325 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,680 Here, what we see is the understanding that right now 326 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,640 reigning in heaven is not OK. Two ideas here. 327 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,320 First is theological. The theological idea reigning in 328 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:39,520 heaven right now is not the mystical essence of Jesus or the 329 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:43,360 spiritual form. It is the physical form, the 330 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:48,440 human being, Jesus Christ, yes, the Son of Man, Son of God, yes, 331 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,360 indeed. All of the second person of the 332 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:55,160 Trinity, God himself fully and divine that Jesus Christ, but 333 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,160 also the fully human Jesus Christ with a physical body, 334 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:04,280 with a physical presence in God's presence right now, in the 335 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,360 Father's presence right now. Which is the promise of course 336 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,840 for us that we too will be able to dwell in God's presence in 337 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:12,920 physical form. We too will be able to 338 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,960 experience his love and his care. 339 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,520 Why? Because we've experienced, 340 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,600 because Jesus himself has experienced that. 341 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,840 Jesus himself has known that. So firstly, in the same way that 342 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:27,840 he went up with a physical form as a human being, so in that 343 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,320 same way as a human being, he will return to earth. 344 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:38,440 It is not a feeling of goodness or, you know, we're all kind of 345 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,840 reflecting Jesus's goodness while we live in this world and 346 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,240 stuff like that. No, what we are anticipating is 347 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:50,720 the physical return of the human being, the Son of God, Jesus 348 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,200 Christ himself. That's what was going to return 349 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,440 to us. That's the theological, the 350 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:02,240 discipleship picture here is the way the angels say this Jesus. 351 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,960 This is the Jesus that is reigning. 352 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:10,160 This is the one who you come to in heaven when we come in 353 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,600 prayer. This is the one that we come to 354 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,400 when we come to the Lord with our needs and with our desires 355 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:20,200 and with our yearnings and with our hopes and our expectations. 356 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:24,120 It's this Jesus, the one who raised that will they saw go up 357 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:27,840 into heaven and who is now reigning in eternity until the 358 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:32,280 2nd coming again. That's the Jesus, and you can 359 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:38,600 know Him, and you can have a relationship with him, and you 360 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:44,760 can love him, and you can walk with him and serve him and be 361 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:48,680 beloved by him. All of all of the pictures that 362 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:50,880 we see from Jesus. This is why we spend so much 363 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:54,160 time focusing upon Jesus Christ in the Gospels. 364 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:57,160 It's why the Scriptures provide us four different accounts of 365 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:01,680 Jesus's life and teachings. So we get to know this Jesus 366 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,040 because it's this Jesus who is reigning in heaven. 367 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,760 And when you say to yourself, I don't know what to say to this, 368 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,960 to Jesus, I can't imagine talking to the one who was 369 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:14,040 rolling in all of heaven and controlling all the world. 370 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:16,800 It is the one. He has revealed himself 371 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:20,280 consistently in scriptures that we are to come to him and to 372 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,080 give ourselves to him and to abide by him. 373 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:30,040 This is the Jesus they who is up in heaven right now reigning on 374 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,800 your behalf. Take a look back at the text 375 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:39,520 again for us, verse 11, men of Galilee, why do you stand 376 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:44,040 looking into heaven? And I sit there and think, how 377 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,560 can you really ask that question? 378 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,880 OK, Does it strike anybody else as a bit of a rebuke as a mild 379 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,880 rebuke here? Strikes me as a mild rebuke that 380 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,520 the angels are kind of saying Now, I suppose there's different 381 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,800 tones you could read this in, but I kind of read it like, hey, 382 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,040 guys, why are you staring up into heaven? 383 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,720 Why are you being a stargazer? Now this is a challenge to all 384 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,160 of us who are stargazers. Kell and I went to Steeler game 385 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,120 a little bit ago. Somebody gifted us with tickets 386 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,680 really down near down low was beautiful. 387 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:17,080 We got to see a lot of happening. 388 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,960 The game wasn't that exciting. And so I very quickly got caught 389 00:22:21,120 --> 00:22:22,920 in watching other things take place. 390 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,760 One of the things that I saw was the broadcast team that was 391 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,360 running back and forth and the and the and the reporters that 392 00:22:30,360 --> 00:22:32,200 were around. I watched the coaches as they 393 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:33,920 milled around, around the medical staff. 394 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,000 I kind of got distracted by everything else that was 395 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,720 happening and I was engaged in that. 396 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,440 But I really got caught in the security personnel. 397 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:45,960 There was a security guard that stood with her back to the game 398 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:52,040 and staring up at the stands the entire game and never flinched. 399 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:57,240 The crowd would go wild and she was staring at the stands. 400 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:00,840 The crowd would Boo. She was staring at the stands. 401 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,600 People would come and jostle her. 402 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,480 The the reporters would walk by the broadcast teams, everything. 403 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:13,560 She stared at the stands. This is the kind of commitment 404 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:18,760 and the dedication that the angels are saying to the fair, 405 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,840 to the to the disciples. What are you doing? 406 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,680 Why are you staring into the sky? 407 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,240 Take a look back in verse 9 for me with with me, if you would. 408 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,720 And when Jesus had said these things, when he had said these 409 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,680 things, what things did he say? The stuff where he said 410 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:43,000 beforehand, where he identified the power of the Spirit, the 411 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,920 calling of the church to witness to him, and the role of that we 412 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:49,800 are to play in this world as a whole. 413 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,800 The power of the Spirit, the role of the church and the needs 414 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:57,960 of the community of the world as a whole. 415 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,640 Last week we read this passage in verse 8. 416 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,680 And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon 417 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,400 you. You will be my witnesses in 418 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,080 Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 419 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,800 By the way, I if you were here with me last week, we, I 420 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:14,920 challenge you to think in terms of 321. 421 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,480 Remember that if you were here with ME3. 422 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:21,080 If you have 3 individuals near and dear to your family, be 423 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,640 praying for them every single day. 2 institutions that are 424 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,560 functioning here within the Pittsburgh community or the OR 425 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,280 the country as a whole. 2 institutions that are bringing 426 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,520 forth the gospel message, the Kingdom of God in in God's 427 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:36,320 service. Pray for them. 428 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:40,480 One nation somewhere around the world, somewhere around the 429 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,440 world, one nation around the world. 430 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,080 OK, here you go. I'm not going to be offended, 431 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,520 but if you did this, look at your neighbor. 432 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,400 Look to your neighbor and stick your thumb up. 433 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,720 Go ahead, look to your neighbor. If you did this, stick your 434 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:53,320 thumb up. If you did, OK, now stop. 435 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:55,800 OK, put your thumbs down. Some of you are doing terrible 436 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:57,280 things. Put your thumbs down. 437 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:01,680 OK, Encourage your neighbor after this. 438 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,400 If you got a thumb up, encourage them by going to them and 439 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,840 saying, hey, what country? Don't ask after the three 440 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,280 people. That might be too personal. 441 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:15,240 Don't ask after the the two institutions, but ask after the 442 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:16,760 nation. Hey, what? 443 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,080 What place in this world are you praying for? 444 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:23,480 I talked about last year my 40 year prayers for Afghanistan and 445 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:28,480 I've recommitted myself to doing that. 25 years ago, Kelly began 446 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,760 praying for North Korea. Now, if you know anything about 447 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,080 the church in North Korea, you know that it is devastated. 448 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,800 There's a, there's a group absence of witness there. 449 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:43,200 Can you imagine how glorious it'll be if somewhere yet in 450 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:48,120 Kelly's lifetime, God breaks through into North Korea and 451 00:25:48,120 --> 00:25:52,120 brings a gospel in that place? And Kel can say for 25 years, 452 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:56,920 for 30 years, for 40 years, I have been praying faithfully for 453 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,760 that. People pray faithfully for that 454 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,640 nation. This is in part how we fulfill 455 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,800 the calling that God has given in verse 8, that we will be 456 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,400 witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of 457 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,600 the earth. But back to verse 9, when he had 458 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,760 said these things. Now, it's possible that this is 459 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:18,960 simply chronological. It is possible that this is 460 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:20,360 simply a chronological statement. 461 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,440 First he did this, He said these things, and then he did. 462 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,400 Then he went ahead and ascended into heaven. 463 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:27,600 It's possible it's chronological, but I don't think 464 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,360 so. I think it's thematic. 465 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,520 It's after he has said these things, once he has commissioned 466 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,840 us, once he has said, hey, be on the watch for the power of the 467 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:40,480 Spirit. Form yourselves into the Church 468 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:44,240 to be my witnesses and minister in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and 469 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,040 to the ends of the earth. Once he has said these things, 470 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,920 once he has given this charge to the church, then he was free to 471 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:54,400 what? To ascend into heaven, into a 472 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:58,080 position of authority and power so he can oversee, so we can 473 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,920 watch, so we can guide and direct the church in the 474 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,200 fulfillment of its task. Once he's done the thing, then 475 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,720 he's in a position to ascend into heaven and fulfill that 476 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,480 task that God has given to him. Notice the looking nature of 477 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,640 this and when they looked at they were looking on they lifted 478 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,400 him up out of sight in verse 9 and then in 10 while they were 479 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,960 gazing into heaven and then in verse 11 he says why are you 480 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,320 staring into heaven? What we have here are disciples 481 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,960 understandably taking an awe hello, we just saw a guy fly and 482 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,120 then get wrapped up in the glory cloud of God. 483 00:27:34,360 --> 00:27:37,000 I'm going to stand there with my mouth open staring into heaven. 484 00:27:37,360 --> 00:27:40,560 It's understand the rebuke from the angels to me seems a little 485 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:49,800 tough, but they've got a point. Jesus has said go, go, wait for 486 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,680 this power of the Spirit and then go and be my witnesses and 487 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,640 go here, here, here. You've got all this territory to 488 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,720 cover. Don't stare at the stars. 489 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:05,680 Don't be gazing at the stars. Don't be get distracted. 490 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:10,040 Be like that, that security guard who knows her task and who 491 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,360 is focused on her task and is locked in that that's what she 492 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:16,960 is supposed to do. So the so the angels here are 493 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:20,160 saying to each of us, you've got a task. 494 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:24,600 God has called you into a thing and now he has put himself in a 495 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,840 position to enable you to freely and completely accomplish it. 496 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:33,960 He is reigning in heaven in the glory of the Father. 497 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:38,440 He is reigning in power and He has blessed you with the gift of 498 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,520 the Holy Spirit. He has called you to be the 499 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,440 church and witness together and He has sent you into this world. 500 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:57,560 Don't get distracted. Don't get distracted unless you 501 00:28:57,560 --> 00:29:04,080 are Superman, Superwoman, like that security guard. 502 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:08,640 If you're anything like me, you're going to get distracted. 503 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:14,320 You're going to spend a whole lot of life being distracted. 504 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:21,120 Built into the idea of the ascension is Jesus ascended into 505 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:25,320 heaven to enable us to be faithful to the calling. 506 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:31,760 So we need not be distracted and we can't afford to be distracted 507 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,440 because he's reigning in this world. 508 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:40,920 I don't know your distraction, but my guess is family is part 509 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,760 of it. I don't know your distraction, 510 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,680 but I bet job money is part of it. 511 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,880 I don't know your distraction, but if it's mine, it's comfort 512 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:59,080 and calm and peace and can everybody get away from me for a 513 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:04,240 little bit? Not to speak person, never mind, 514 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,960 I don't know your distraction, but the Lord is saying to you, 515 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:16,400 why are you gazing into heaven? He is ruling, He will come 516 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:18,880 again. He is ruling. 517 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:24,440 Now let's go about the task of being my witnesses in the power 518 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:28,360 of the Holy Spirit, to be the church witnesses of Jesus Christ 519 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:37,600 in 321, in your family and community, in the surrounding 520 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,680 areas and to the whole world. Let's pray together. 521 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:51,000 Gracious Lord Jesus, we thank You that you did not just wink 522 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,160 out of existence or that you didn't just pass away without 523 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:59,640 telling us, but rather You gave us the blessing of witnesses of 524 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:03,920 the disciples to see you ascend into heaven and to claim that 525 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:08,360 glory that the Father has blessed you with before the 526 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:13,320 creation of the world. Lord, we are grateful that You 527 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:18,000 have called us also to the task of witnessing to this world and 528 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,920 the opportunities that we have to be filled with Your Spirit, 529 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:28,240 empowered by your Spirit serving you as the Church, ministering 530 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:31,720 this world. Help us, Lord Jesus, to do that. 531 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:36,360 We are dependent, needy, needing you to do that, trusting You, 532 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,280 the reigning in heaven that you hear our prayers. 533 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,320 And so, Lord, we pray that you would hear us as we pray the way 534 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,920 you taught us to pray. Our Father who aren't in heaven, 535 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:51,560 hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done 536 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,600 on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day Our Daily 537 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:00,720 Bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and 538 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:04,160 lead us not in temptation, but deliver us from evil. 539 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,600 For thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. 540 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:09,120 Amen.