I Didn't Hear No Bell

In the shower this morning the final fight in Rocky V popped into my mind.

"Yo, Tommy! I didn't hear no bell."

I drove into town to get my glasses fixed and begin my sermon prep for Sunday on the ascension of Jesus and the phrase stuck with me. I remembered the scene in which Rocky goes back to his old gym during the "reflection" of the movie. He stands off to the side with an old glove in his hand and has a vision. You know what, the video does it better:



As I thought of this scene my mind went to my sermon for Sunday on Acts 1:6-11. Jesus is about to ascend up into heaven and the disciples ask, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus replies, "It is not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth."

My mind played that scene over and over as I read those words.

Jesus standing among his disciples, his followers, his friends and he is asked a heavy a question. A question that I believe every Christian today asks, "Yo, Jesus. Is it time? Are we marching to Jerusalem? Are gathering up arms and marching on Rome? Are you going to run for office? The whole resurrection thing will be a great campaign ad." Jesus, in his fashion, tells them no and they are not to know and he gives them a job. They are about to receive a power. All their training is about to be put to the test. All their faith is about to be tested. They are given a job to go and be witnesses to the ends of the earth. They are about to put their lives on the line. They are about to embark on an adventure. They've trained for it and Jesus is saying, "You're ready. I've taught you all you need to know. I've taught you how to live."

I believe when Jesus says, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you," he's saying,  "I'm giving it to you and it, it's gonna be like a, like an angel on your shoulder see? If you ever get hurt and you feel you're goin' down this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say, "Get up you 'cause Jesus loves you."

And yes I just imagined Jesus saying it in the voice of Burgess Meredith.

There's something there I believe. I know it's full of cheese and a little over the top but sometimes "old fashion cheese" is what we need. We need to know that when we get knocked down, when we feel lost, when we feel like giving up, we need that little Spirit to come over us and say, "Get up, you! Get up you 'cause Jesus loves you."

It's not the most academic or theologically mind blowing retweeting, Facebook sharing thought, but I think it's true. I think it's what we need. We need to hear that voice sometimes. We need to hear the Spirit say, "Cause Jesus loves you." We need to hear because it is what will get us out of bed. It will be what helps us put down the needle or the bottle. It will be what helps us reconcile with one another. It will be what helps us give and live sacrifically. It will be what gives us a purpose. It will be what helps us hang on when all we want to do is let go. It's what makes going to the ends of the earth possible.

You know what, yes, it's cheesy. It's super cheesy. Its 80s montage cheesy but with the right music those words will pick us back up and steady our feet. And sometimes that's just what we need.

Sometimes it's what I need.