These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.” (Acts 1:10-11 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Stop Looking.
If an angel spoke to me, I would probably listen. These particular angels seem rather subdued compared to the angels outside of Eden, (Genesis 3:24) Ezekiel’s angels, (Ezekiel 10:19) or the angels singing in front of the shepherds. (Luke 2:9,13) Perhaps it was because the apostles had already just gotten over the fear of seeing Jesus ascend into heaven.
Jesus told them what to do once He was gone. He promised them His power and instructed them regarding His plan for Kingdom growth. (Acts 1:9) In fact, in Matthew’s account of this event, Jesus smashed their fears by promising them, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Matthew 28:20 ESV)
Who in our right mind would continue to be afraid if we knew Jesus was with us?
And so the angels sent to nudge the apostles off from their mountain did not need to shock them. The apostles just needed a nudge. As amazing as the sky-view was, it was time to do what Jesus had said to do.
Perhaps angels do not speak to me because I am in the same position as the apostles. While it is comfortable in a post-fear state… looking with wonder at the chem-trails of God’s actions around me… I, too, need to be nudged.
And so do you.
We have work to do.
Fear not, then stop looking.