The telltale, "Whooosshhh!" from the sky creates a scramble on the ground. People rushing out onto their decks and stopping their cars to crane their necks skyward for a glimpse of a brightly-colored balloon, drifting effortlessly over head. What an awesome sight! "Who is up in that thing?" they wonder, but secretly, they think, "Someday, I would like..." And the thought trails off........................................!
I know the feeling—about 30 years ago, I was sitting in my office at my first church, and I heard the thrusting of its burners. I ran out, and sure enough, a hot air balloon passed right over the church's roof. In 1987, my second church hosted the town's bicentennial, which included hot air balloon rides. I thought about it, but, instead, a friend took me up in a plane to take pictures. Yes, that was quite awesome, but I still wonder about the balloon's vantage point!
Today, the Endeavor Balloon Company at Smith Mountain Lake, Va., takes people up all the time. The entire experience takes about three hours, though the ride itself is only one hour, with the rest of the time spent in watching the balloon being filled over head. And then, the pilot yells, "OK, we are good to go—Up, up, and away!" One passenger relates the thrill—"While the pilot has little control over float direction, Colin showed us the precision with which he can manage the altitude by skimming along the surface of a nearby cove. A quarter of an inch of water moistened the wicker basket's floor as we made a wake in the glassy water." Just imagine the view over the next hour of green mountains and sparkling waters! I'm sure you are aware of the proverbial decision many families are making right about now as summer is upon us. With this economy, the decision has to be made very carefully in order to make the most of their time off—mountains or shore? Praise God—the disciples didn't have to make the choice—they would do both, and theirs would not be a vacation, but a powerful learning experience. Throughout the day of Jesus' resurrection, He told His disciples that they would go back up into their home turf of Galilee in order to meet with Him. We see it take place in the very end of the Gospel according to Matthew. And, Oh, what a thrill!
But, wait a minute—How do we get there? Some time must be given to inflating the balloon and getting all things ready. In order for us to be "good to go" for the ride we are about to take, let's go back to the Old Testament and let something there point the way. Up, up, and away! Right after King David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem and established it as the capital city of Israel and the center for its worship, he makes known his vision for a permanent House of God. He told Nathan, the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." (2 Samuel 7:2)
Nathan told him to go ahead, for it was fine with God—but he evidently spoke too soon. God appeared to the prophet that night and said that it was not David who was going to build it, but his son, Solomon. The king had soared with the thrill of the idea, but now his balloon crashed just as he got it off the ground. The Lord said, "Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore, as beforetime...he will make thee a house."
(vss. 10, 11b) "I will appoint," God had said—He alone would be the pilot on this trip!
God's vision was not just of a house for His people, but His people would be His house. David's kingdom would be established forever—for both Jew and Gentile—through Jesus Christ. A relationship with Him, through an indwelling Holy Spirit, would be far more thrilling than any physical building! A resurrected life would move over the tempestuous waters, and soar over the looming mountains of life, as on eagle's wings. Jesus would call His people to the mountains first—"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them." (Matt. 28:16) There is that word "appointed" again. In the Greek, the original language of the New Testament, it means to be assigned a location or place, and to have every detail pre-arranged. You see, the travel agent was really on the ball—our Jesus had thought of everything! And it's a good thing, too—"And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted." (vs. 17) Even by this time, not all of the eleven were on board emotionally and devotionally. Physically, yes—they were in the basket, but clutching the edge with white-knuckles as the balloon barely clears the mountain's tree line. "Some doubted"—it means that some were wavering in their opinion, having a tendency to think twice about the whole experience. Elijah, when he confronted the false Baal worship in Israel, declared to the people, "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him..." (1 Kings 18:21) A choice must be made!
Yes, this trip will cost everything, but Jesus will make the whole thing worthwhile—"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (vss. 18-20) Yes, He has much for us to do, but not in our own abilities—only in His! It is His capacity, His competency, His mastery—for He is the only potentate! He alone can get us over the mountains, and the whole thing is under His command, a reference to a setting out for a definite point or goal—and getting there with no crash landings! Matthew adds at the end of the story—Amen! Yes, so be it!
I should possibly also note that many times this meeting with Jesus is confused with His ascension—you know, "Up. Up, and away!" Many of the movies about Jesus end with Him giving this "Great Commission" and then lifting up off this planet. Not so! Notice, this encounter takes place in Galilee, while He would later ascend from the Mount of Olives, just outside of Jerusalem in Judea. (Luke 24:44-55; Acts 1:3-9; and I Cor.15:7) Yes, both were mountains, but different mountains—and Jesus soars over them both superbly! But don't forget that the balloon that Jesus pilots also sails over lakes. As I mentioned, I think that Jesus took them to the mountains first, but that is not explicitly stated in Scripture. I just have a hard time picturing "some doubting" after what was about to happen at the lake.
In John 21, seven of the disciples—not all of them—but some—perhaps the same some that doubted, decide to do something differently than just waiting around. Peter said, "I go a-fishing." (vs. 3a) Immediately, they hop into a boat on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and they were "good to go," or so they thought. All night long, they caught nothing—not a blessed thing! They had gone back to their own abilities, their own understanding, their old lives—and Praise God—it didn't pan out! They got nothing for all their self-effort. When morning came, there was a man standing on the shore. He yelled out to the boatload, "Children, have ye any meat?" (vs. 5)
He wasn't asking the proverbial question, "Catch anything?" No, it was much more serious than that! In calling them "children," he was labeling them as babies! In the Greek, he was making clear how they were behaving—half grown, immature, weak, and childish. "What are you doing out there? You were supposed to wait for my further instructions—don't you have any "meat?" You see, the "meat" refers to a fish relish that is spread on the bread to make a fully, nourishing "sandwich." Since Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Holy Spirit is this meat. "Don't you have the Holy Spirit?" No, not much—but they knew that, and they also knew they needed more! In fact, all of these resurrection appearances would reveal their need for more. "Throw your nets where I tell you to"—and BAM—a whole boatload! SPLASH—in goes Peter; now he can't wait to be with His Jesus!
It was then, and only then, that he—and the others—would truly lose their doubt, and truly hear what He had to say about love—what it really is to be emotionally and devotionally ready to follow Him all of the way. No matter the circumstances; no matter the difficulties; no matter the hindrances—to follow Him all of the way! Then, and only then, can we glide over the waters and soar over the mountain tops to get to the ascended life and the utter fullness of an indwelling Spirit—good to go, all of the way to Pentecost! Up, up, and away! Whooossshh, what a vantage point! No more childishness; on to maturity! We, too, have been appointed to take such a trip, and reach such a destination. Please don't try to choose between the mountains and the lake—we
need
both, and Jesus has already arranged for all of it!
