Why Stand Ye Gazing
Acts 1:8 and Matt. 28:19-20
Simmons Loop Baptist Church 3-9-08 am
You who have small children and those of you with grown children know about the “Why” questions that pass from the lips of children. Daddy, can I go out and play in the road? No! Why? Because you might get hit by a car! Why? If you get hit by a car it will hurt. Why? If you get hurt we will have to take you to the hospital. Why? The doctor will bandage up your cuts and bruises. Why? Because I said you can’t play in the street. Then can I go out and climb a tree? No! Why? You might fall out and get hurt. Why? You might break and I don’t want any broken necks. Why?
And so the “Why” questions go on and on.
Do you ever ask “Why” questions? I think all of us have. Lord why did my child get sick? Lord why did he die? Why is my life so messed up? Lord why, why, why?
Now the Lord asks us a “why” question: Why stand ye gazing in to heaven?
Does God ever ask us to do anything that we cannot do?
He gave the disciples a seemingly impossible task – Go into all the world and preach the gospel. How could they do it? Their world was big, transportation was slow.
If Jesus had first given the Great commission to you and me today then we might have an easier time trying to do it.
Even with the world population exceeding six billion, we could at least make use of the media, the internet and air travel to make our way into the distant places of the world.
But even for us the task is too large. If God will not give us a task that we cannot do, how can we do it?
The fact is we cannot do it on our own. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit to equip is for the task.
Scripture
Prayer
Jesus told his disciples to tell everybody, everywhere, but He also told them something else. Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 1:4-5 NLT).
I have a lamp that will not burn. I have checked the wiring, the bulb, the switch, but it will not work. Is there an electrician here to help me out?
In order for Jesus’ disciples to accomplish the great task before them they needed to be plugged in to power of the Holy Spirit.
Even with all the modern technology available to us today, we also must wait for the power of the Holy Spirit.
Without the power of the Holy Spirit it is impossible for the world to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said: You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Then Jesus was taken up out of their sight.
Two men in white stood beside them and said: “Why stand ye gazing into heaven?”
I. This is a pointed question.
A. These disciples were just standing looking up into heaven.
1. They had already been given instructions.
2. Were they so awe struck that they could not move?
B. Two men in white would make any of us wonder.
1. Some would be afraid and frozen in their tracts
2. Some would be curious. And want to see more.
C. The question is pointed to their inactivity.
1. They were doing nothing about the command.
II. This was a probing question.
A. It made the disciples think about what they were doing.
1. Actually what they were not doing.
2. When Angels speak they have a way of probing your heart.
B. I have never had an angel speak to me
1. There are many occasions in the Bible where angels spoke
2. An angel came to prophesy – Abraham.
3. An angel came to condemn – Speaking to Balaam’s donkey. Numbers 22:31-33 Then the LORD let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword; and Balaam threw himself face downward on the ground.
The angel demanded, "Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey.
But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn’t, I would have killed you and spared the donkey."
4. An angel came to encourage. – Paul on the ship to Rome Act 27:23-24
For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship came to me and said, ’Don’t be afraid, Paul! You must stand before the Emperor. And God in his goodness to you has spared the lives of all those who are sailing with you.’
5. This angel was giving courage.
C. Now these men in white (you could call them angels) were probing the hearts of these disciples.
1. The men wanted them to see that their inactivity was useless.
2. They were probing them to follow the commands of Jesus.
III. This was an accusing question.
A. After causing them to search their own hearts the question now became an accusation.
B. They were accused of inactivity.
1. They knew what to do why were they not doing it?
2. What is your excuse?
C. The question caused them to move. They went back to Jerusalem to do what Jesus had told them to do – wait!
IV. This was a powerful question.
A. Upon hearing the question they were energized, charged with the power of the Holy Spirit, to go back to Jerusalem and there wait for the promise of God.
Now let us revisit these 4 points and see how they apply to us today.
I. It is a pointed question for us.
A. It is pointed because it cuts to the heart of our inactivity.
1. We are not gazing into the sky waiting for Jesus to return.
2. Bur we are inactive in a lot of ways
B. Jesus told us that he would return.
1. We are to watch for his return.
2. But our watching is to be an active watch.
C. What if those first disciples had said we will just watch.
1. And they all died watching
2. The gospel would have died with them.
II. It is a probing question.
A. This question should cause us to think about what we are doing.
1. The fact that Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
2. Are we actively going into all the world?
3. We pay missionaries to do that.
4. As Southern Baptist we have the best mission program in the world.
5 but even with all of the modern technology how can we reach all of the millions in the world?
B. God will not ask us to do anything that we cannot do apart from him.
1. Try as we may our feeble efforts will not get the job done.
2. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that it will be done.
3. Paul said “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
III. It is an accusing question.
A. If we are not doing everything in our power and relying on the Holy Spirit in His power then this is an accusing question.
1. We stand accused before out maker for not following His instructions.
2. He said you shall be my witnesses. He also said go into the world and make disciples.
B. Does this question accuse you of neglect of duty? People have been brought to trial for neglect of public duty.
C. Does this question accuse you of reaping the benefits of salvation without accepting the responsibilities of salvation?
IV. I believe that this is a powerful question.
A. Now we must answer the question. Why stand ye gazing?
B. An honest answer might be I have never thought about it that way.
1. I didn’t know that I was expected to be the one to witness.
2. I always thought that’s why we pay the preacher.
3. We have missionaries for that.
4. I think it the job of the deacons and S.S. teachers to witness.
C. The Bible is clear.
1. Jesus gave all Christians the command go into the world and make disciples.
2. The emphasis is on making disciples not on the going. He assumed that we would be going, and we are.
D. This question should energize and empower us to take the command of Jesus seriously.
1. You Shall Be my witnesses.
To whom shall we witness? I believe that every one here knows someone who is un-churched. Un-church means that they have not united with a church and actively serve. You may know someone who has never received Christ into his or her life. Or maybe you have not received Him.
Here is the invitation today: you have a card and a reproduction of that card in your bulletin. The card says that you know someone who is un-churched or un-saved. Think about the people that you know whom you can include. Write the name on both cards. If you have more than one name write them on the back of the card. You keep the bulletin and turn the card in to the ushers at the back. There are also two other places for you to check.
We want to pray for all who we can place on that card.
When you have written a name on the card I am going to ask you to stand.
If you would like to receive Christ today I want you to also stand. As soon as every has the opportunity to stand we will pray for those.
Prayer.
We all know that Christ is the great lifesaver. When you leave our ushers will be at the doors and give you a lifesaver if you have more than one name take a lifesaver for each one. Take that little lifesaver and don’t open it until you have told that person about Jesus or have made an appointment with that person for someone else to go.
At the same time give your card to an usher at the door.
