Martha came to Jesus and asked, “Lord don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10.38-41)

Ruth Ann received a pre-mother’s day card from a dear friend of hers. On the front was a picture of a beach covered with umbrellas and people. It read, “Can you spot the mother in this picture?” You open it up and it said, “Of course not! She’s back at the minivan getting the towels, sunscreen, basket of snacks, beach toys, and the baby.”…Boy does that speak more truth than I want to admit…Happy Mother’s Day.

Too busy, how often are we too busy today? Today we are celebrating the ascension of Jesus back into heaven. Our lesson records that He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God to them. At the end of those forty days He ascended back into heaven from whence He came. Last Thursday is the day we celebrate ascension but many of us were too busy to even note it, so we are doing so this morning.

Our text records that After suffering, referring to his crucifixion, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive, that He had indeed risen from the dead. Convincing proofs… Luke records that He appeared to the disciples in the upper room. (Luke 24.36) John and Luke record that He spoke to them, Peace be with you. (Luke 24. 36 john 20.19) He asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave Him a piece of fish and He took it and ate it in their presence.” (Luke 24.36- 44) John records that He breathed on them saying, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20.22) Walking along with the two believers on the road to Emmaus He opened the scriptures to them “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” (Luke 24.27)

Despite all this Matthew records that when they saw Him, they worshipped Him but some doubted. (Matthew 28.17) How can this be? He gave them many convincing proofs. But before we are too hard on them how many times do we live as though we don’t believe either? Oh, we may know in our heads that He rose from the dead but often we live as though that doesn’t really help us today. “I’ve got too much to do…kids or grandkids to watch after; towels, umbrellas, and sunscreen to fetch: I’ve got bills to pay, meals to fix, shopping to do and a minivan to get serviced.

Remember the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus came to their house. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to him teach but Martha was too busy with all the preparations that had to be made. If we were honest about it- if we’d been invited to the ascension, how many of us would have missed it because we were just too busy, over scheduled, or always running late? …By the way Jesus reminded Martha that Mary had chosen the more important thing- learning about the kingdom of God. Yes, there was work to be done but nothing was and is more important than listening to Jesus.

The convincing proofs that Jesus gave- the convincing proofs that were recorded for you and me-were given that we too might believe and by that believing live lives of real hope and victory. The scriptures record He healed the sick with a touch or sometimes just a word, not just a few people, but hundreds of people. Read Matthew 4.23-24 & Luke 4.38-41: healing of those with various diseases, pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures and the paralyzed ; Mark records that He commanded nature with the words, “Hush, Be Still!” (Mark 4.35-41) Luke and John both record miraculous catches of fish (Luke 5.4-11 & John 21.1-11). Each of the writers of the Gospel write that Jesus was crucified, dead and buried in our stead. He died for all the times we were too busy for Him, too caught up in this world. He took the time to earn for us the forgiveness of our sins by dying in our stead. And He rose again from the dead to secure for us eternal life.

Apart from the working of the Holy Spirit these are just stories something at best to be pondered, but with and by the working of the Holy Spirit these are written that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, and by believing you have an abundant life now and one day in heaven. That Spirit was poured out generously upon us in our baptism. It is by that Spirit that we believe and live a life of hope knowing that even in the midst of trial and tribulation, business and burden that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are for us.

Back when Ruth and I were in Rifle, the first VBS I ever helped with had the kids singing, “God Tell It On the Mountain.” I drove our young Pastor Tim crazy by singing “God Tell It At McDonalds!” I would sing at the top of voice, Go tell it at McDonalds, at the pool and everywhere, Go tell it at McDonalds, that Jesus Christ is Lord. At first it drove him crazy. I was teaching it “all wrong,” but finally he realized that the message I was teaching was right. We need people to proclaim the message to those around them, in places where they play, learn and work. It was in all places that the disciples were to proclaim His message.

Jesus said to His disciples 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. They would soon receive a special measure of the Spirit to do some amazing things. We will hear about that next week at Pentecost. By that Spirit Jesus was calling them to be His witness in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. That same Spirit and command have called us to be His witness by what we say and do. We are privileged to carry that message to Boulder, Superior, Longmont, at work, at school, in the neighborhood to all the earth- to make disciples of all nations.

But Pastor we are too old; our mission field is too hard; our church is too small; our resources are too limited; we waited too long; we don’t have a youth group; we don’t have this or that. Neither did the disciples but we do have what the men on the road to Emmaus had – the message of the risen Christ! Remember when Jesus walked along with them. They were kept at first from recognizing Him And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” (Luke 24.27) Later having revealed himself to them, they ran the six miles back to Jerusalem to tell the others. They burst into the upper room and to share all He had done. Luke recorded their zeal: Were not our hearts burning with fire within us while he talked to us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? (Luke 24. 32) It is that burning, that joy, that comfort, that peace, that hope, that is here for all of us! It comes to us by the working of the Spirit when and where the Scriptures are read, studied, and pondered over, but sometimes the Martha in all of us finds us too busy, too burdened, too preoccupied to do what matters most.

After Jesus had done and said all this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He as going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.” He is coming back and it will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing his masters business when He returns. (Matthew 24. 46)

The business we’ve been called to is proclaiming Jesus has come; He has died once for all to reconcile us to God by His death on the cross. In Him alone there is forgiveness. The Father loves us not because of what we do but because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. We are called to proclaim that Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven but one day soon He will return to judge the living and dead. A favorable judgment will be pronounced on all who believe in and on all the convincing proofs that were done for us that we might believe that Jesus is God’s Christ.

Let us nor our neighbors be too busy “back at the minivan” getting the towels, sunscreen, basket of snacks, beach toys, and the baby that we miss what is really important. Let us concern our days with the message of Jesus, and by that message have days filled with real hope, direction, and lasting peace.

Amen.