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Leveling Up! Empire And The Ascension Part 1

 


In Acts 1, the following question is asked of the disciples who stood staring into the sky watching Jesus disappear into the clouds as Luke tells it. “Why do you stand there gazing into heaven…?” It is an appropriate question and a strange one at the same time depending on the perspective. Why indeed were they just standing and staring? At the same time, why shouldn’t they stand and stare? They have never seen anything like this before.


 The Ascension of Jesus is a dynamic spiritual movement that puts us smack in the middle of Jesus’ life - a life that is an explosive revelation of the kingdom of God moving us from our confined minds to an ethical, wide, and actionable understanding of God (I hope). In the ascension of Jesus, Jesus is passing the baton to the church and a warning that we must no longer be merely spectators.  Following is not a spectator sport!

 

Jesus was active in dismantling the evil practices of the Roman empire and the disciples are charged with continuing. However, rather than empire being transformed by the work of the church, the church dovetails with empire. Obviously, empire does not care when we declare that Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again because books that tell the truth are being banned, the so-called 2nd amendment which by the way, came into play when there was no military, is being lauded over the lives of human beings, and not only that, it has become easier for anyone to own and carry guns, and a politician is fighting with a mouse! Backside! 









What is the church doing? It’s standing and staring. So, while the masses are still hungry, still without access to the care they need, still not able to pay rent AND buy food, crime after crime, the church clutches its pearls and its bible, preaches wishy-washy sermons to keep people comfortable, then goes to the poll to protect their ‘way of life’ and claim it is all in the name of Jesus. While Jesus is leveling up, the church that should be following him is devolving into a cesspool of harmful doctrines. Listen again to the blood that cries out from the ground saying, “Don’t just stand there; do something!”


 



Do something to end the hunger of millions right here; to implement gun control and not womb control; shit, do something to suggest that you actually believe anything decent about Jesus. This is not to suggest that the church has only done nonsense. However, with the witness the way it is, the clarion call is necessary. 



The return of Christ here is the church’s righteous actions that overturn the kingdom of evil and suffering. While we are standing and waiting on Jesus to return, Jesus is waiting on us to end policies that perpetuate lies and evil. Instead of looking up, and talking about Jesus living in our hearts, the church should be leveling up, and let Jesus live in our lives. For as long as these deep pockets of oppression exist, the church must stop spreading its pat-a-cake-bs and engage in righteous actions to let the kingdom of God come, here and now. That is the dynamic movement of the ascension. 

In a few days, I will post part two. Wait here 😜

#ascension #dynamicmovement #calltoaction

Born and raised on The Gem of the Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda), I am an immigrant living in the U.S. with my Fantastic Four and High School boops.

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