After he said 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 was 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.” Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

–Parallel verses:
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭
[Jesus speaking]
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Think with me, for a minute …
is there one person here on earth that you rely on, who supports, provides for, and encourages you more than any other?

When I was growing up, this was my mother. Today, this is my wife, Cherish. Now what would happen if that person was taken away from you? How difficult would that be?

For me, my whole world changed, when my mom died of cancer when I was 14. My family connections, my school and church relationships, my confidence and ability to have a support network diminished. And I had a choice: I could become bitter and angry and shake my fist at God and others, or I could decide to get to know the God who could help me through the trial better. I chose the latter, and it has been a difficult, but very rewarding path in life.

The disciples, here, had lost Jesus, their Rabbi, once. Then he came back and taught them with their eyes opened to see and their ears opened to hear the truth. It was a rich month and a half or so.

But now again, he left them to go to heaven. And they were dazed, jaws dropped, and dumbfounded as to what to do. When Jesus was around, it seemed like he could always guide them to the best response, the best action, and the best heart attitude! Now he was gone.

So what did the angels who were there do? They pointed them to a future hope. He will come again to earth. The disciples also decided to do the only thing they could do under the current command he gave to wait to leave the city until the Holy Spirit came upon them — they prayed. They prayed constantly, day and night.

Jesus said, in the parallel passage, “I AM the vine, and you are the branches”. If we remain in him we can ask for whatever we want and he will give it. But if we do not remain in him, we will grow dead and be cast out. So the disciples decided to remain in the Vine, Jesus, through prayer.

What will I choose to do when life takes someone or something I heavily rely on? Will I remain in the Vine?

Lord, teach me to stay faithful to you and the discipline of meeting you each day and remaining in you. Life is so much richer and more successful with you in charge! I submit to you.