3. Meditate on the role of the Holy Spirit
What was so important that Jesus told his disciples to stay in Jerusalem? While the gospel accounts end with Jesus saying, “Go!” in Acts Jesus says “Wait!” In our day many Christians are familiar with the “Great Commission” (Matthew 28: 16 – 20) but are we aware that Jesus commanded us to wait? What was so important that Jesus said, in effect. “don’t go anywhere, don’t do anything until you receive all that I have for you?” Have we meditated on the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
4. Focus on the mission.
Jesus told his followers plainly that there were some things that we would not know, especially regarding the times and the seasons of the last days. Yet this very topic is of great interest in the church today. Literally millions of books have been sold on this subject. In Acts 1: 7 – 8 Jesus tells us to focus on the mission, not the culmination of the mission. Have we focused on the wrong subject in our day?
5. Balance your concern with Heaven and the Kingdom of God
The angels who were present at the ascension asked a pretty good question: “why are you looking toward heaven?” It’s a question worth considering. Frequently we are more concerned with heaven than with the Kingdom of God. The breathtaking sacrifice at Calvary did indeed purchase the forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven, but in our generation many followers of Jesus have limited his work and message. One final step for the days ahead–we need to ask ourselves: if the gospel is only about going to heaven, why did Jesus invite us to take up the yoke of discipleship? (This small after-Easter devotional might help.)
