Everyone likes happy endings.  Is it really the ending or just the ending of the movie?

 

Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples and others.  He taught them, walked with them, and ate with them.  Like all things, it came to an end one day.  They were outside of Jerusalem, when he spoke his last words to them.  They were words of encouragement and empowerment.  A commission was given.

 

Then, He  was gone.  He was taken up into heaven, Luke writes.  Gone.  The end, right?

 

It was not.  It is not even close to the end.  Only the beginning. 

 

The promised Spirit came.  Power from on high engulfed them.  With courage, the disciples proclaimed the Good News.  The result was over 3,000 baptized men. 

 

The end?  No, the beginning.