Ascension Sunday

It is the 7th Sunday of Easter. We are closing out the season of Easter. Traditionally, the Church celebrates the Ascension of Christ on Thursday, but in recent years, it has become to be known as Ascension Sunday as well Liturgically. As Methodists we celebrate this event as it is when we recognize the moment when Christ was truly anointed as our King over both Heaven and Earth, ruling from high at his rightful place, beside the right hand of the father. We believe that Christ went to heaven with not just his spirit but with his physical body. This creates many theological questions and debates for what this means. Remember as it is said in Luke 24:39 NRSV.

Luke 24:39 NRSV

Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

So we know that a God, both fully human and divine, is now reigning from above. This is something that many of us struggle to sometimes realize. We picture Jesus, but we also struggle to think about Christ being not just a spiritual presence, but a physical one as well.

Before Christ ascended and left the Disciples, he finally revealed to them their misunderstanding of all of his prophecies, the ones we all know very plainly to this day. Through his Ascension, their veil was also ascended from their eyes to reveal God’s Truth.

1st NT Reading - Luke 24:44-53 NRSV

Luke 24:44–53 NRSV

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, 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.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Stay Here

So why are they called to stay here in the city and not leave? What is this power from on high they are talking about they need to wait for? Well if you pay attention to the liturgy season, you’ll know next week is Pentecost Sunday, it’s the power of the holy spirit. That with which shared the gift of God to the Gentiles, that I spoke of Last week, with which Peter said, “Who am I to withhold this Gift?” They can’t speak to outsiders of the nation of Israel empty-handed, there is no reason to, so they simply have to, in this in-between time, prepare. With this revelation, they have much to think about. But it’s not the only thing Luke reported as revelation during this moment. He actually reported more in acts. He clarified in his report of the Acts to Theophilus more clearly what was said to the Apostles.

New Testament Reading - Acts 1:1-11 NRSV

Acts 1:1–11 NRSV

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, 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.”

Baptized with the Holy Spirit

This is where they are promised, they will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. They don’t quite know at this point what it will mean. While they know the revelations they witnessed in the past up to this point, as temporal creatures, humans, they can’t see the future. So they have the responsibility to trust God and follow his will.

What Time?

It is not the time or place for them to know. They couldn’t know, for the Father had not set them yet, they were called to wait, till the Father would send them out, in Jerusalem, all of Judea, Sumeria, and the ends of the Earth. They had no idea what this would even mean. They didn’t realize how transformative of a message this would become. This in-between time was a time for inner preparation for the new journey, part two as one would say, on their journey with Christ. The traditional name for the Book of Acts is the Acts of the Apostles, but many would argue, it’s actually the Acts of Jesus Christ, through the Apostles, and we will begin to see that vision next week.

Why are you standing looking up?

Then these two people show up. Not much is said about them, they could be angels, or some other divine passerby’s. I did find an interesting article that suggested that perhaps they are Moses and Elijah, who were also at the top of the mountain where Jesus went under his Transfiguration, based on contextual clues in various parts of the New Testament. Either way, human or angel, we know these two were to get the Apostles to look at the big picture. They certainly were predestined for this moment to provide a message for the Apostles about turning back to the present moment, not simple staring off into the Heavens. For as it is said in Mark 1:15, my favorite verse:

Mark 1:15 GNT

“The right time has come,” he said, “and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

Turn around, Believe the Good News. It was time for them to turn around, back to the present, physical reality, and continue the good work that God has called them to do. Heaven and Earth are not intersected yet. This is something that is talked about in Revelations as a beautiful end of our return to Eden one day, but for them, this was not that day, they still had a world full of rocky hearts, that needed to be turned into hearts made of flesh, to be set ablaze with that Good News. Christ was now Reigning in Heaven, and was leading forth his children, the first apostles to build the church. Christ both Spirit and body was in heaven, promised in Acts to return, prophesied to return not just here, but also in Revelations in well.

So the question becomes, from the Ascension, how do we get the idea of Christ ruling over both Heaven and Earth? We actually get this understanding from quite a few different places in scripture that agree with eachother on this idea. Hebrews 1:3

Hebrews 1:3 LEB

who is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all things by the word of power. When he had made purification for sins through him, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 12:2 LEB

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 3:22 LEB

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.

Acts 7:55 LEB

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Why am I so intent on proving such a minute detail in a belief on an old creed?

As it is said in the Nicene Creed:

“he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”

- United Methodist Hymnal #880

There is a reason. The Ascension is the finality of Christ’s victory over Death. it’s when he was crowned the King over not just heaven and Earth. It’s when he was reunited with his father in heaven. To me, While it is enough to believe that Christ died for our sins, it is not enough for our edification over a long period of time, we need to truly believe he is this present reality. If we just completely focus all of our time and effort, over where he placed his Victory Flag, the Cross, in history, we forget, so much else, that occurs in our great scriptures. This Ascension, reminds us Christ is fully divine and fully human, even in the trinity, God has a human aspect as he relates to us now. When the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, when Jesus Christ hears us, It’s not a faraway God, It’s a God, truly present in our Hearts, in our lives, in the midst of our groaning, our angst, our worries, everything that we lay bare in the midst of our human conditions. He is our King, if you need it in modern terms, you can call him President, Leader, I don’t care, whatever term you need to use, he’s the archetype for the perfection of it. He’s the only King we need, and he can be the only one we serve. He’s the only King I serve, or that I try to serve. We must remember, Christ is a present, Ascended reality. He is here, now. Physically. While he has a heavenly throne, yes, he is with us, today, step by step, through all things. Let us Pray

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank you that not only through your Death and Resurrection, but through your Ascension, we learn that you did not simply resurrect to only Conquer Death, but to lead your people to the Heavenly Kingdom, on how to lead a life worth living, to that eternal life, that life full of blessing. Lord, as we follow you as our King in Heaven, help us to grow together as do your work till you return once again. We thank you that you didn’t leave us, your Ascension was actually you taking your rightful place as ruler over this Universe we call home, so that you could guide your people to the light, and lead your church. I say this in your blessed name,

Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

As you go out this week, reflect on the present reality that Christ is our Ascended, Heavenly King, sovereign over our lives and our troubles. Let us also give thanks to those Mothers and women in our lives who have nurtured us, and taken care of and lead us from our troubles, I do not know where I would be without my own Mom. I now close with these verses from Psalm 93:1-5

Psalm 93:1–5 NRSV

The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength. He has established the world; it shall never be moved; your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the Lord! Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.