In 1980, a movie came out about a young man who was struggling in his life, looking for purpose and love. The movie—“Urban Cowboy,”—starred John Travolta and Debra Winger. Country singer and song writer Johnny Lee penned a song used in this film entitled: “Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places.” It was a big hit for some time.
Odd, isn’t it, that I would apply this song and movie to the Day of Ascension (May 9, 2013). And yet, Ascension is a special time in the life of Jesus Christ and His church. It’s there in Acts 1 where the Lord physically, bodily departs from the disciples in order for the arrival of God’s Holy Spirit on Pentecost. As the disciples stand there gazing up into heaven—looking for Jesus’ body—like watching a helium balloon disappear in the heavens to where you continue to look for it even after the ability to see has past. Their yearnings for His departure gets caught up with them and they remain there for a bit longer. Luke writes that “two men in white robes” ask them the question: “…why do you stand looking up toward heaven?…” They are looking for Jesus in the wrong way. Their point is, “You now have better things to do than stand around!” The Carpe Diem theme that Jesus portrayed for all throughout His three-year ministry continues to show itself in the mysterious men’s words, “You’re looking for Him – He will come again…but, not here, standing around!”
In the 24th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, at the moment of the Resurrection of Jesus, women had come to anoint the Lord’s body—only to find that the stone over the tomb had been removed and the tomb was empty. Luke writes here as well that “two men in dazzling clothes” (white robes?) stood beside them (like out of nowhere!) and asked them an important question: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5)
Here, in two separate scenarios written by Luke, we have followers of Jesus – in their best intentions – looking for Jesus, but in each scene – all the wrong places!
We can stand around and be overwhelmed by life as the women were at the tomb, or, we can be like the men who stood there at the mount of the ascension doing nothing but looking to the heavens like some empty prayer.
Jesus is not on the empty cross; He is not in the barren tomb. Although many people spend a lot of time seeing Him there: No – He is risen! He is risen indeed! He is not dwelling among the dead nor either in the clouds but out in the Christ-filled world! That’s where we will see Him again and again and again!
The women would see Jesus again as would two guys on the road to Emmaus; the Lord would eat a meal with them and share the fullness of the Gospel.
The men would eventually gather themselves after the ascension experience, fill the void left by Judas’ death, and begin what is known today as the Christian Church.
But neither did it by sitting around and expecting God or someone else to accomplish what needed to be accomplished. “…and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This means we will be witnesses in familiar territory of our lives but also in unfamiliar territory. Sometimes it will be easy; other times it will be hard. The Lord pulls no punches with His daily ministry.
Don’t be caught looking for love in all the wrong places. Do not be afraid: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Don’t be caught looking to the heavens for our answers, God has given each of us gifts to further the kingdom! St. Paul writes in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Now is the time to act; now is the time to respond to the needs of every neighbor!
To God be this glory!
God loves you and so do I!
Pastor Jim