[People] of Galilee, why do you stand looking at heaven? (Acts 1:11)

When people are confused or afraid, when they feel that things are out of control, or when they feel helpless to overcome the problems which confront them, they often resort to "pie in the sky" religion. They look for Jesus to come and fix what they can't fix for themselves. They figure that one day, as if by magic, Jesus will make everything right for them in the "sweet bye and bye."

That's a bit like what the disciples are doing in our text from Acts. The story takes place roughly forty days after Easter, on what we call Ascension Day. For forty days, the Risen Christ has been appearing to His disciples in and around Jerusalem. Now He is getting ready to leave this world and the disciples are still confused. They stil…