Chapter 12 – Ascension: A Blank Blue Sky

Part 3 – What He Left Behind

Many of us continue to gaze up at a “blank blue sky.” We’re still looking for Jesus, our closest tangible contact with God. The author gave me chills when he lamented that Jesus left very little evidence behind. He never had a home or family of His own. We have no artifacts to view in museums. It is as if He left without a trace.

But this is not true. Jesus left a very potent mark on this world. He left his stamp WITHIN mere humans. Eleven remaining disciples had just spent three very intense years with Jesus and would go on to share what they had heard, seen – witnessed – with thousands upon thousands.

There were others who would do the same, some we know by name, Paul, and others we do not. Then the first generation of witnesses was able to share with their children. I may be slightly off here, but I am thinking Timothy is an excellent example. He was raised in The Way by his mother and grandmother from birth. Still a very potent marker.

If you don’t believe in the power of people as an artifact of Christ… consider how many Christians there are today. And if you were to add up every follower of Christ who has ever lived… What if the disciples had continued to look up for Jesus? Instead of out.

Jesus left His stamp in humans. And He told us so even if we still don’t get it. If we’re still staring up at the skies, we’re missing out. We’re living with Jesus. We’re begetting Jesus. We’re teaching Jesus. We’re buying from Jesus. Jesus makes our cappuccinos. Jesus is driving in the car next to us. Jesus is standing at the bus stop. We’re yelling at Jesus. We’re ignoring Jesus. We’re impatient with Him. And He stares right back at us in the mirror.

We’re still staring upwards waiting for His grand entrance – which He will make, in God’s time. But until then, He is still a humble despicable. And He told us to take care of Him. We seem to be failing miserably.

There is a lovely thing about that. Jesus placed the Keys to Kingdom in the hands of ordinary men. Yes, the Father sent His Spirit into their hearts, but they were still human. Peter failed test after test right up to the very end. But Jesus still placed the Keys into Peter’s hands. God, Jesus, knew what He was doing. He sees the Grand Plan and we ordinary mess-ups have a role to play. We may be ordinary bumbling fools, but we are also His precious, peculiar? Treasure.

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10-11 (ESV)