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Ascension, 05/30/2019
Sermon on Luke 24:44-53 , by Judson F. Merrell
44 Then (Jesus) 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." 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 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, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 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." 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God. (Luke 24:44-53 NRSV)
Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
As it began, so it ends. Well, at least for Luke’s account of the Gospel. Way back in chapter 1, Luke introduces his readers to a priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. The setting is the temple in Jerusalem, and people are gathered for worship. As we read the final verses of Luke’s account on this Ascension Day our final setting is once again the temple in Jerusalem, only this time it is the disciples who are in the temple worshiping and blessing God. Between these two temple scenes which form the bookends of Luke’s account we find the story of Jesus, the Son of God sent to dwell among us. We read of his birth, his baptism, and his ministry. We learn from parables, we watch as the religious leaders plot to kill him, and read of His transfiguration up on that high mountain. Jesus teaches us to pray, He casts out demons, and instructs his disciples about ministry. We learn of the coming of the kingdom. Luke tells us that He blesses children and foretells of his own death and resurrection. We follow on his journey to Jerusalem, a journey towards the cross, and we mourn on that Friday as our Savior hangs on a tree. And then three days later we rejoice with Peter, Mary, and all the other witnesses of that empty tomb. But the story doesn’t end there. We walk with those disciples on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus himself also comes. And finally, with our text today, we stand and gaze as our Lord and Savior returns to the right hand of the Father, having overcome death and the grave so that we might be reconciled to the God that created us and all things.
Today we celebrate Jesus’ return to heaven. Ascension is such an important festival for the church because it marks the completion of Jesus’ earthly ministry while also preparing the world for the coming of the Holy Spirit. We see that in our text as Jesus tells the disciples: “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." (Luke 24:49) The promised Holy Spirit is being sent so that the disciples can do the work that they have been charged with doing, namely that they are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. This is the same charge that the church and every Christian still have today. Like the disciples gathered in that room on that Day of Pentecost, we too have been given the Holy Spirit to help us with this charge. In our baptisms we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. Through the proclamation of the Word the scriptures have been opened to us, so that our ears may hear the divine inspiration and that our souls may be filled with the power of the Spirit that helps us in our daily life.
Like Luke’s account of the Gospel, our days should end in the same way they begin: with worship. We begin our Christian life in the waters of the font, and we finish our Christian life with the committal of the funeral. On a daily basis, we open our eyes in the morning and give thanks to God for protecting us through the night. We close our eyes at the end of day commending our spirit into the hands of the Lord, giving thanks for God’s presence with us during the day and praying for protection through the night. From beginning to end we see God’s actions and presence. It is this presence that gives us “great joy”, just like the disciples who witnessed Jesus’ ascension back into heaven. The Ascension may be a completion of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but it not a completion for us. Instead, it is an empowering of humanity to extend God’s grace to all nations of the world. We us our own great joy to continue in the tradition of all the saints that have gone before us, continuing to proclaim God’s love and grace through word and deed. But like those disciples, let us first use that great joy to worship God. For without God’s action in the world we would not be the Christians we are. Thankfully though God has not abandoned his creation, and therefore let us continue giving thanks with great joy for Jesus’ ministry on this earth and for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who continues to walk with us today. In the name of the Father, and the +Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.