The Christian Case for Optimism

Alleluia! Christ is ascended!

Church celebrated Ascension Thursday, 40 days after Easter (Jesus lived 40 days on Earth after Easter)

Ascension is a BIG DEAL for church (Christmas, Easter, Ascension) — presents/cake! Pie & Bacon?

In Jesus’ absence, we have a lot of reason for pessimism.

Report: for first time, <50% of Americans are members of a church (if you look at church attendance, that’s no surprise)

Society continues to adopt, legislate, and celebrate unbiblical values.

War, terrorism, abortion, injustice, abuse, racism, sexism, (all other isms), hunger, disease, poverty (you name it) has choke-hold on our world.

Our lives are full of shame, vice, addiction, hatred, disease, death, pain, longing, loneliness, anger, disappointment, temptation.

Here’s the Ascension Day twist: Jesus didn’t leave.

Matt 28:20 “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This isn’t a Hallmark card from Jesus. When Jesus says something, He means it!

For Him to abandon Earth wouldn’t make any sense, because He is Son of God & Son of Man; Heaven & Earth are in His blood!

He reigns so that Heaven eternally occupies earth! Ascension Day is Jesus going global.

We imagine Jesus rockets millions of miles to wherever Heaven is; He’s just sitting on a throne in some timeless, nonphysical, spiritual place.

Apostles, Church Fathers, Luther, & Confessions: “spiritual” has to do w/Spirit’s work within space, time, & matter.

The whole point of Jesus is that His body is place where Heaven & earth overlap, where God & creation meet

Jesus has Heaven & Earth body, Heaven & Earth reign, Heaven & Earth omnipresence; Heaven permeates earth, overlap & interlock

Ascension Day opposite of abandonment; Jesus reigns right now over Heaven & Earth

Ascension Day optimism: Our Lord ascends to reign through creation & church

Adam’s purpose: care for God’s creation — SIN: abuse, mutate, distort, and destroy creation.

While bad things still happen in our world, as Christians we remember Jesus is Second Adam who undid devastation & death of first Adam.

If you want something done right… Ascension is Jesus doing it right

Ever think about Jesus being in charge of everything in the world? (Car repair shop, Hospitals, grocery stores, home, family, etc.)

Christ = self-sacrificing Head of all things caring for all creation, ruling so that creation thrives, making dark principalities & powers footstool.

While Jesus reigns through creation as Lord in general, that doesn’t make every person and act holy.

Jesus is especially present through His Church = local branch of Jesus’s reign over sin, death, and Satan

Jesus ascends to reign where He promises to be present with holiness: Word, Baptism, Communion.

Can be totally honest: we are completely, utterly sinful/depraved!

Jesus reigns over us w/righteousness, eternal life, and his Kingdom.

Jesus is your Lord. He is Lord of your life. Not your sin. Not your death. Not your shame. Not your tragedy. Not your money. Not your cancer. Not your prognosis.

Fill in the blank and cross it out. If it’s not Jesus, it’s not your Lord. Jesus is your Lord!

If Jesus is your Lord, it’s impossible to have anything but optimism for the future.

Ascension means we live in an end and the beginning!

We live in the end times: The days of sin, death, and Satan are numbered—they are what’s coming to an end!

We live in the beginning of the new creation now!

Jesus is initiating New Creation now through Spirit, conquering this world as a new, global promised land w/forgiveness & eternal life.

Evangelism isn’t just telling people about Jesus, it’s a Jesus-reigning, Spirit-powered transformation of a dark world into the New Creation.

Jesus is on the throne from which He declares, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Jesus is coming back the same way: physically & visibly; not a “spiritual”/metaphorical return, but actual coming of His physical body.

Acts 1:10–11 ESV

10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Millenialism: Christ’s literal 1000 year reign physically on earth, then Satan’s last hurrah before Last Day

No, 1000 symblic for complete, eternal; starts at Ascension, fully/ultimately at Jesus’ final coming

Jesus will come ultimately to reign physically on earth forever. New Creation! (Not just heaven! Our hope is in final coming & resurrection)

Easter was Jesus as firstborn of new creation. Ascension is His enthronement as One who rules forevermore on Earth as it is in Heaven

That’s what Jesus taught us to pray for! “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus answers that prayer with a big, fat “YES” at ascension & final coming

That’s the Christian case for optimism!

Jesus has ascended to reign as Lord over heaven and earth into eternity.

Dear Christian, your whole life, world, and destiny are under the Lordship of Jesus who died, rose, and ascended for you.

Alleluia! Christ is ascended!