Sermon 24th May 2020 – The
Ascension
Text: Luke 24: 44-53 – Ascended, not
gone.
There seemed to be a feel of
jubilation this week when I spoke with people. The first of the lockdown
restrictions were eased which allowed family members to once again visit. With
many mothers unable to see their children and grandchildren on Mother’s Day it
was a feeling of joy when our Premier announced we could now have 5 members of
our family or friends come around. So even though we are not fully there yet
there is this sense of comfort knowing we are on our way back. It was a
difficult time with families being effectively cut off from their loved ones. But
knowing there was a hope of seeing them again kept us strong.
The Ascension would have had similar
emotions for Jesus’ disciples as they learn that Jesus’ time on earth was
coming to an end. For 40 days since the resurrection Jesus has been walking the
earth, establishing eyewitnesses and encouraging his disciples to prepare them
as he must now ascend to his Father in Heaven.
To them it will seem like he is
leaving them. Still feeling the emotions of having seen Jesus put to death they
now, again, feel that emotional drain of watching him leave. But saying goodbye
this time will be different for them than the time they said farewell at his
death. Despite what Jesus had told them about rising from the dead they did not
believe that Jesus would do so. Even though Jesus had previously told them that
he must be put to death and on the 3rd day rise again, they really didn’t understand
what he meant. Was it a symbolic rising like keeping a person’s memory alive? At
the Transfiguration Jesus told Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what
they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. Mark’s gospel says,
they kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead”
meant. Even in Matthew’s account of the ascension it says the eleven disciples
went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw
him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
In today’s first reading the
disciples are grieving for Jesus as he departs. But 2 angels say to them - why
do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from
you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."
The Book of Revelation also states his return in such a way: “Look, he is
coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced
him”; The ascension is not about Jesus
leaving but about Jesus ascending to rule from the right hand of God the
Father. And that rule of Jesus’ now continues through us as we continue doing
God’s work until he returns. And in our Gospel reading Jesus tells us what that
work is that he wants us to do. He says: repentance and forgiveness of sins is
to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are
witnesses of these things.
While it was important for the church
to establish eyewitnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection, they are
meaningless if they stand alone without any purpose. It’s a lovely story of
good news for Jesus to hear that he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven
– but what does that good news mean for us and the rest of the world? We hear
that good news in the message Jesus sends us to proclaim - that God’s work of
forgiveness has been completed. Let’s connect the dots.First, Jesus came for a
purpose – At his birth: God loved the world so much that he sent his one and
only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but receive eternal
life. That’s the purpose; Throughout his ministry we see that purpose unfold: Jesus
exampled the work God sent him to do among the people and we hear the Pharisees
grumble about it – who can forgive sins but God alone. And then at his death we
hear those very words of forgiveness that create an eyewitness for us – forgive
them Father for they know not what they are doing – and he cries out in his
last dying breath – It is finished. The work of reconciling God and his children
on earth is finished. And now Jesus says - repentance and forgiveness of sins
is to be proclaimed, by us, in his name to all nations, beginning from
Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Jerusalem was their home town.
Our forgiveness begins in our homes –
in our family homes – in our church homes.
You are witnesses of experiencing
God’s forgiveness in your lives – now YOU go and proclaim that same forgiveness
to others. And that’s why I and all other Pastors are saying – our church
buildings may be physically closed at present but the work of God continues –
it never stops. We are not to be discouraged at this time – like the disciples
who kept looking up to heaven wondering when Jesus was coming back.
The angels said – stop looking up to
heaven. Look at the world around you. Jesus will return the same way he left –
don’t worry about it. And that’s the same message to the church today. Don’t
stop doing the work of God while our physical worship together has stopped. Don’t
get discouraged looking at the dates and stages feeling defeated wondering when
things will return to normal. Remember the 2 Emmaus disciples whose faces were
downcast – we had hoped he would be the one!
Physical church services will return
– and even though we are missing our worship together and sharing Holy
Communion together, Jesus reminds us that we are not alone. No, he says: I am
sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you
have been clothed with power from on high. He is speaking about the Holy
Spirit. Jesus said the same to his disciples in our first reading: You will
receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my
witnesses It’s easy to become discouraged as the weeks roll into months and
there’s still no clear indication about what and when things will get back to
normal – and the uncertainty of what this “new normal” that everyone is talking
about will look like. But let us listen again to Paul and be encouraged by his
words as he speaks about the Ascension and the work of the church:
He says: God put this power to work
in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in
the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion,
and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to
come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over
all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all
in all.
This passage by Paul brings us such
great comfort and encouragement during times like these or any other time when
I’m feeling powerless – when I’m feeling the church is powerless. Because I
remember that Jesus has not left us but ascended. And there’s a big difference between the two. Leaving
means a physical absence. I’m leaving you. But remember Jesus’ promise last
week – I will not leave you as orphans. Jesus didn’t leave – he ascended – as a
king ascending to the throne to take power and control. And that’s what we must
always remember. There is no war going on. Jesus has won and will always win.
But there is a struggle that
continues to go on but as Paul reminds us in the end of Ephesians: Our struggle
is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. But at the beginning of Ephesians, in
our 2nd reading he assures us that we have nothing to worry about. Jesus is
seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in the age to come. Jesus has won – he will always win. And
he will win this struggle. Our call is to keep being the children of God. To
keep being the eyewitnesses of everything that God has achieved for us. And to
keep proclaiming God’s forgiveness in the world. Jesus has ascended to rule and
has won the victory. We are to proclaim that victory as we proclaim his
forgiveness to all.
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