Living the Sequel 05.17.2026

``Speak what you were called to speak. Do what you were called to do because the world is waiting for a church that isn't dead or asleep. The world is waiting for the church that is filled with the spirit and on fire because of what God has done for all the world in Jesus Christ. Christ. Christ has died, Christ is risen, the spirit has come, and Christ will return. The question is, in the meantime, will we witness to the love we have received in our lives, and will we make a difference in the life of others proclaiming the good news that comes in Jesus Christ, our lord and our savior. Can I have a witness? [00:48:07] (63 seconds)  #SpeakYourCalling

But god doesn't promise that as the blessing. The blessing is that you will do this work under the power of the most high, that the spirit of god will lead you into the world to accomplish what god has called you to do. And the amazing thing is that those first disciples believed that. What was their job? Their job was to be a witness. And what does a witness do? But tell the truth as they have experienced it. [00:32:56] (40 seconds)  #WitnessBySpirit

Christ provides the spirit, a community, and a power that is unlike no other in the holy spirit. So Jesus reigns. Jesus blesses us. Jesus sends us out with a story to live and tell, and Jesus empowers us to tell that story and live it out in our lives. And all we have to do is recognize, maybe remember, that we are baptized children of God, washed in the blood of Christ, redeemed for a life of purpose, sent out into the world to share what God has done for all people, all people. [00:40:20] (56 seconds)  #BaptizedAndSent

So on Ascension Sunday, the disciples wait because it's important that on the day of Pentecost or before Pentecost, that the disciples didn't go back into the world and do this work in their own power because they would have failed, and we wouldn't be here today. But we wait for the father to send us what has been promised, and then we trust that the holy spirit is strong enough, wild enough to put us where god needs us to be to be the most effective in sharing the love that God pours into the world. You are a vessel. You are an instrument. [00:46:24] (56 seconds)  #WaitForTheSpirit

You know what you're gifted with. You know what you enjoy. You know your passions, whether it be music or art or reading. And you say, well, preacher, how can reading be a gift? Have you ever gone to your local elementary school and offered to read to children? And their faces light up as if, oh my gosh, I don't know this person, and it seems like he or she cares about me, and they can't wait to hear the story. [00:34:21] (41 seconds)  #UseYourGifts

So today, Luke 24 and acts one, the ascension isn't an awkward ending to the story of Christ. It is the beginning of a sequel, of a part two. Now many people say that, especially with movies, the sequel is rarely ever as good as the first one. They ought to leave it alone. There's a few exceptions to that. I'm not gonna name any of them because we might have a disagreement on what those are. But Luke's gospel tells the story of what Jesus began to do and teach, and then Acts Luke follows up by opening and making clear that the story isn't over yet. [00:28:23] (53 seconds)  #AscensionIsPartTwo

First is that the crucified one is lord and he reigns in heaven over all the earth. Not Caesar, not presidents, not governors, not legislatures, not empires, not fear, not death, nothing rules in the place of Jesus. Jesus blesses. Luke says Jesus ascends with his hands lifted in blessing. And he has given the disciples marching orders. You are to go into all the world beginning in Jerusalem and share this good news that you have heard. [00:30:11] (43 seconds)  #JesusIsLord

Your story is important, and nobody else's story is like yours. You are a washed in the blood child of God, redeemed by a spirit that the world cannot even compare. Remember that, and then go into the world. And when you see hardship and when you hear the cries of the needy, remember that that's god asking, can I have a witness? And stand up and be who you were called to be. [00:47:19] (47 seconds)  #YourStoryMatters