Though the official celebration of the Ascension was this past Thursday, many churches celebrate this event on this Sunday. Looking at the summary of this event s found in the first chapter of Acts (see Acts 1:1-11), we consider Jesus' parting words to the disciples who were present that day. What did it mean for them to watch Jesus go up into the heavens? What did he expect from them? What does it mean for us still today?
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On this Sunday we celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Traditionally, the Feast of the Ascension was actually this past Thursday, forty days after Easter Sunday. Our Scripture today tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples over a period of forty days, and so the celebration in the church follows that statement literally.
Of course, if you read even a few of the more well-known Bible stories, you know that the number forty occurs frequently -- the flood that lasted forty days and forty nights, the forty years that the Israelites spent in the wilderness, the forty days that Moses spent on the mountain with God, the forty days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness after his baptism. It occurs frequently enough that we might begin to suspect that the number is being used in a figurative sense instead of a literal one. Kind of like when we say “the last time I saw you, you were knee high to a grasshopper” we simply mean someone was much smaller the last time we saw them, the number forty as it appears in scripture seems to represent a lengthy period of time. I have heard it said that it is meant to represent a time sufficient for things to happen -- the flood lasted long enough to accomplish its purpose, the Israelites wandered in the desert long enough for God’s purposes to be served, Jesus spent long enough with the disciples for them to be prepared for what was next.
However, when it comes to celebrating the events of Jesus’ life and placing them within a calendar that we can easily follow, having a literal forty day period of fasting before Easter to match Jesus’ fast and a celebration of the ascension literally forty days after Easter is far easier to schedule than “a lengthy period of time.”
Whether we think it is important for it to be a literal forty day period or a figurative period sufficient for Jesus to accomplish his final teaching to the disciples, I think we can agree that the fact that Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection is pretty important to the ongoing mission and ministry of the church. It is this period of time that made everything fall into place for the disciples. It was this period of time that showed them that it wasn’t in fact all for nothing. It was this period of time that strengthened them to continue to teach and speak and spread the word. They knew not only all that Jesus had told them before his death, they had the proof of God’s love, the proof of newness of life.
Before Jesus died on the cross, they followed him because they believed in his vision for God’s kingdom here on earth. After his resurrection, they went forth into all the lands because they knew it was all real.
But it wasn’t knowledge alone that set them free to go forth. When his followers asked if his resurrection meant that the time had come for him to restore Israel, Jesus first responds cryptically that it is not for them to know the times that the Father has set. But then he continues, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses to Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, CEB).
Did you catch what he did there? When Jesus was asked if it was time for him to restore Jerusalem, Jesus turns it around and says, “I am sending you the power that you need to do what needs to be done.”
Now I know that I refer to the Star Wars saga frequently, but I can't really help it when there are so many parallels to our faith to be found. Today I am reminded of a scene from the movie, The Return of the Jedi. After cutting his training short in the previous film, young Luke Skywalker returns to Jedi Master Yoda, telling him that he has returned to complete his training. Luke wanted Yoda to give him more, to do more. Luke wanted so badly to become a Jedi and didn’t know what else he needed.
Yoda responds, “Already know you that which you need.” Luke had already learned all that he needed to know. He had been given what he needed. He responds reverently, “Then I am a Jedi.” But Yoda tells him that one thing remains -- he must confront Darth Vader. In other words, it is about more than what he has been taught; Luke must now go forth and do. He has been given what he needs; now it is his turn to put it to use.
This is essentially what Jesus tells the disciples. This whole time, Jesus has been preparing the disciples to continue the work, to continue the ministry, to announce God’s kingdom to Jerusalem and beyond. Jesus not only prepared them, he provided them the strength and guidance of the Spirit to help them, to make sure they truly had all that they need. And now it will be up to them, guided by the presence of the Spirit.
As if to drive the point home, after Jesus is lifted up into the clouds, the angels look at the disciples standing there staring up into the heavens and ask, “Why are you standing here, looking toward heaven?” Why are you waiting for Jesus to come back and fix things for you? He has given you all that you need. It is your turn now.
I think that sometimes we in the church are in the same place that the disciples were as Jesus ascended into heaven. We stand here staring up to heaven, waiting for Jesus to return to make things better. With the Psalmist, we look to heaven and cry out, “How long, O Lord?” Like the disciples, we are watching for the Messiah to come and make everything better. We want the quick fix. We want Christ in glory who fixes everything through divine power.
But that is not God’s way. Jesus shows us a path not built on power, but rather a way that is built on love. Jesus shows us the harder way because it is the better way. Jesus does not say, yes, I am coming to bring the new Jerusalem into being. Jesus says, I am going to send you the Holy Spirit so that you can be my witnesses to your neighbors, your community, your state, your world.
The thing is, the Messiah has already come. Jesus has already redeemed all of creation. God’s kingdom has come near. We, in general, just seem to have a hard time realizing it. We have a hard time realizing that now is the time to live in God’s kingdom. Now is the time to step up and live as Jesus showed us. We already have all that we need. We have been left with Jesus’ teachings. Through our baptism, we, too, are recipients of God’s Spirit. It is our turn to step up and do our part.
Or maybe the trouble isn’t that we don’t realize; maybe the problem is that we don’t accept it. Maybe we simply can’t accept that Jesus isn’t still here performing flashy miracles. Maybe we simply can’t accept that Jesus would ever choose us, empower us, rely on us.
Maybe we simply can’t accept that Jesus expects us to take the hard road of loving people into a new community rather than simply snapping his fingers and making everyone act a certain way.
Maybe we were brought up believing that because we act, think, feel, look, love a certain way that is different from how someone else understands things that we simply aren’t worthy to do what Jesus has asked.
But I’m here to tell you that the Messiah has come. Jesus has shown us that we are worthy. God’s kingdom is near, here and now.
All we have to do is rely on God’s Spirit and love others the way that God has loved us. Then we will see the world changed by the Messiah’s presence. We will see that the world is full of worthy people, beloved by God. We will see what God’s kingdom looks like here on Earth.
It is not an easy path. If we look at the ministry of the disciples, we know that to be true. Of the Twelve male disciples that were closest to Jesus, the apostles, only one is said to have lived a long life and died of natural causes. Their world also had a difficult time accepting God’s love and the power we have been given to change the world through loving others. But that is exactly what God has given us.
I know that some think that our ability to create is evidence of the divine spark within us. But I think it is more likely that our ability to love others is the divine image that we carry within each of us.
Our ability to love others is at the core of all that Jesus did and taught during his earthly ministry.
Our ability to love others is the gift that God grants us through the gift of the Spirit.
And so, just as Jesus instructed his disciples long ago, we accept what God has given, and we go forth to be witnesses to Jesus’ love by loving others in his name.