Standing on the hill outside of Bethany, the disciples were listening to Jesus. He was talking with them. They did not know it at the time, but that was the last time that they would hear the voice of Jesus. Were they listening? Were they looking around at the things going on in the world? Were they checking their phone to see what was going on? Perhaps they were taking a selfie and tagging themselves so that other would know what they were doing. (All right, that last one is a modern application that would not have happened then.) But were they listening to Jesus?
Why do I ask that? Because it is easy for us to let our minds wander when we are in certain situations - at church when the Word is being read, at prayer time, during the sermon...How often does you mind wander at those times? Perhaps it was a long night and you are feeling tired. Perhaps you are thinking about the things that are going to be going on later that day.
The disciples with Jesus outside of Bethany. Listening to Jesus talk. "You are my witnesses in Jerusalem..." Jesus drones on. He is talking about things He has talked about before. Can't He say something new? Maybe He will, so I should begin listening again. Wait a moment, what is happening? Jesus is starting to rise up off the ground. He is rising into the air. Wait Jesus, where are you going? I should have listened closer to what He was saying. Could you repeat that? I didn't catch it all. Hey, Jesus, You are getting much higher. Wait! Don't go! I want to hear more. I was not listening close enough. I need You to... wait, where did You go? That cloud, hid You from my sight. Where are You? Looking around at the other disciples, they were doing the same thing, looking into the sky, where Jesus had gone. Looking up, He is gone. Gone! Where did He go? Perhaps if we stand here long enough, He will come back.
What? Leave me alone! Someone is tapping me on the shoulder. Turning around, there is a man in white. No, there are two men in white. Where did they come from? Who are they? Why do you stand looking up into the sky? they ask. Why? Jesus just went into the sky. We are waiting for Him to come back. Now, leave us alone.
No, He is not coming back now. He will come back again, but you won't know when. When He does, it will be on the clouds. He will come as King victorious. He will come and it will be the Day of the Lord. It will be the Last Day. Heaven and earth will come to an end. The resurrection will happen.
But I want to hear His voice again. I was not paying close enough attention. Why can He not be here now?
Imagine being there on the hill outside of Bethany. If you knew it was the last time you would heart the Word, would you pay closer attention? Each day is that way. Who knows what today might bring? Live each day as though this was the last time you would have the opportunity to hear the Word of God, the last opportunity to join with fellow believers in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacrament. Take it in. Be like a sponge, soaking in as much of it as possible. I know, life gets in the way. We get distracted. We get busy. We think we will always have another chance. Maybe the disciples thought that too. But they did not. They no longer could hear the voice of Jesus. They probably wished they had listening closer. What about you?
