“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11, AV)
In New Orleans, a group of seminary students decided to set up a table downtown in a location where various merchants set up their tables. In this area, many fortunetellers set up tables to sell their services. The students decided to set up their table with a sign on it saying, “Tell Your Fortune for Free.” When people came to their table, they would sit down with one of the students who would ask some questions. The questioning went something like this.
Do you attend church anywhere?
Do you have a relationship with Jesus?
If the person seeking their fortune answered no to any of the questions, the students would reply, “Your future does not look good at all.”
Put yourself in the disciples’ sandals for a second. They have been through quite a rollercoaster ride over the past month. Jesus who they followed as their closest friend and mentor, their Messiah, had been crucified. Then three days later He rose from the grave, alive and in glorified form. He appeared to them for some forty days and continued to instruct them. Now, He is taken away. they must have been somewhat disheartened that Jesus had departed. To encourage the disciples, God has two angels visit them and give them a message of hope.
We all need an encouraging message of hope and we have it in the promises of God’s word. You see, for those who know Jesus the future is great and for those who do not the future is grim. In Acts, the Lord ascended to heaven in a cloud in full view of His disciples. At this, they stood gazing into heaven. Two men, angels in visible form, tell the disciples that Jesus would come again in the same way as He left. In other words, the future is awesome.
Often, we as believers get discouraged over the circumstances of life. A friend betrays us. We experience a severe illness. We invest money in something and it falls apart. Someone cheats us or steals from us. Someone hits our car. We lose our jobs. The boss treats us terribly. We should remember, in these and other difficult times that the future is awesome. Jesus is coming again to establish His kingdom on earth. In that kingdom, those of faith will reign with Christ in a kingdom of righteousness. So, when you get discouraged, remember, Jesus is coming again! The future looks great!
Renewing the Heart 