Sermon Tone Analysis

'text-align:center'>*Why Are You Looking Up?**Old Testament: Psalm 68:32-36*

*New Testament: Acts 1:8-11*

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*Old Testament: Psalm 68:32-35*

/ /32/ Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, /

/sing praise to the Lord,/

/ /33/ to him who rides the ancient skies above, /

/who thunders with mighty voice./

34/ Proclaim the power of God, /

/whose majesty is over Israel, /

/whose power is in the skies./

35/ You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; /

/the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people./

*The Word of the LORD*

*THANKS BE TO GOD!!*

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!!!! New Testament: Acts 1:8-11

8/ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”/

9/ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight./

10/ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

/11/ ”Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky?

This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”/

*The Word of the LORD*

*THANKS BE TO GOD!!*

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If you had looked at your calendar last *Thursday*

you might have seen the heading

*/“Ascension Day”,/*

/but then it might not// be there/

/because Ascension Day is/

/one of the *most neglected days*/

/of the Christian church./

That would be sad enough

but in ignoring the ‘day’,

the opportunity is lost

for reflecting on the message of the Ascension.

If we gloss over its truth

we rob ourselves of a most important doctrine,

for without the Ascension,

the work of Christ would be incomplete.

Think about it …

If all of a sudden you find yourself in a country where you could choose only 2 of all the Christian holidays, which two would you choose?

*Christmas?*

/The birth of Jesus is absolutely essential, but all of the tinsel & wrappings of the Christmas season?

…/

*Good Friday?*

/The death of Jesus is absolutely essential, but we certainly can’t leave him on the cross!! …/

*Easter?*

/The resurrection of Jesus is absolutely essential, but Easter eggs & Easter bunnies and new outfits?

…/

*Ascension Day?*

/The culminating event of Jesus’ earthly life and His triumphal entrance into heaven … why “so neglected”?

Could it be because it ALWAYS occurs on a midweek day?/

*Pentecost?*

/Well, Pentecost is probably the longest observed Christian holiday because – starting next Sunday – there will be 25 Sunday s after Pentecost … all the way until we come to Advent and are introduced to the Christmas season!!/

*So, which would you choose??*

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A few days ago I was on the internet and “googled” the word *“change” *and came across some *light bulb jokes* and it serves well to *introduce* this AM’s sermon.

How many *Christians* does it take to change a light bulb?

*Charismatic*: Only one; his hands are already in the air.

*Pentecostal*: Ten.

·         One to change the bulb, and

·         nine to pray against spirit of darkness.

*Presbyterians*: *None*.

Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

*Roman Catholic*: None.

Candles only.

*Baptists*: At least 15.

·         One to change the light bulb, and

·         three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken.

*Episcopalians*: Three.

·         One to call the electrician,

·         one to mix the drinks, and

·         one to talk about how much better the old one was.

*Mormons*: Five.

·         One man to change the bulb, and

·         four wives to tell him how to do it.

*Unitarians*: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb.

·         However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine.

·         You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your light bulb for the next Sunday service in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including: incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence.

*Methodists*: Undetermined.

·         Whether your light is bright, dull, or completely out, you are loved.

·         You can be a light bulb, turnip bulb, or tulip bulb.

·         Church-wide lighting service is planned for Sunday.

·         Bring bulb of your choice … and a covered dish.

*Lutherans*: None.

Lutherans don’t believe in change.

*Amish*: What’s a light bulb?

Ok, you know what’s next …

how many *Christian Reformers* does it take to change a light bulb?

·         Well, six to form a committee to study it and review church lighting policy.

·         The property committee will actually change it.

·         The fellowship committee organizes a pot-luck dinner, and

·         after it’s changed, people will look back and lament that the old one is gone, because that one shone the way light bulbs were *supposed* to shine.

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Well, light bulb jokes are silly, but like many jokes, it’s */the kernel of truth/* that makes them funny.

And we church members do have a way of looking back and hanging on to the past.

No, not just church members.

Members of the human race.

We remember */the good old days/*

and

look back to what was,

to what worked,

to who or what we loved.

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*/ “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky?”/*

*Now why do you think the angels asked the question?*

Was it because they were just awestruck?