Ascension

Sermon for 5/21/2020 – The Ascension of Our Lord | Sermon on Luke 24:44-53 | by Andrew Smith |

⁴⁴ 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 and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰ And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹ While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³ and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24:44–53 [English Standard Version, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.]

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

We always celebrate the ascension of our Lord on a Thursday.  You always get to Thursday when you count up 40 days after Easter Sunday. But the ascension always seems to get shorted because it lands on a Thursday. Special Sundays we understand. Special Thursdays, apart maybe from Maundy Thursday, seem a little medieval. But there’s a case to be made for celebrating the ascension and that’s why we’re here.

Firstly, it’s a major point of Christian doctrine.  It’s a line in both of our creeds. We say that Jesus ascended back to where he’d come from.  It is vitally important to say that Jesus, being true God goes back to where God dwells. Jesus was raised in a glorified body on Easter and ascended into heaven, fully divine, and yes, still fully human, which I hope is a comfort for us all. But specifically, that he ascended to the right hand of the Father, from which he rules heaven and earth, even now, and from which he will come again on the Last Day. Jesus is ascended in full power and glory. No more suffering and humiliation. No more cross. The bringer and restorer of the active rule of God on earth is back in heaven and doing his stuff, actively ruling, restoring the order of creation as the day of the new heaven and new earth draws closer.  I hope, all that is also comforting for us.

Secondly, remember also that Jesus has made all of us, all believers, an active part of the kingdom of heaven, and that even as we await his coming again in glory on the Last Day, we live, work, love, and serve already as active participants in the kingdom he restored and made us a part of. That too, should be a not just comforting but quite empowering. Because Jesus doesn’t just tell us to get to work in the kingdom while he heads back to heaven but empowers us with the Holy Spirit. That’s 10 days from now when we celebrate Pentecost. Today, the theme is that Jesus is ascended in power and glory and is active in restoring the order God wills for his creation. He is actively ruling, and through us, and communities of Christians all over the world. Our God reigns. Alleluia. Amen. God has gone up with a shout! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, alleluia.

But as I said, Jesus ascended in power and glory on a Thursday, not really the most auspicious of days, the 40^thday. Yes, 40 is auspicious but a random Thursday, not so much. You can get a cheaper flight on a Thursday because, well you know why, the airlines aren’t as busy on Thursdays.  So, imagine being a follower of Jesus and having heard Jesus ascended to the right hand of God this past Thursday and then coming to the gathering on the first day of the week, as we will Sunday, and there’s not much that happens. Jesus doesn’t show up in the upper room. He doesn’t meet anyone in Galilee. He doesn’t teach anyone along the road as they walk to anywhere. If they celebrate the Lord’s Supper, that’s the only way Jesus shows up bodily. Nobody putting a hand in his side where the spear was.  And so it’s kind of a lull. It feels like one of those times that’s especially disappointing because nothing exciting is happening. That’s this coming Sunday. The disciples are waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost next Sunday but it hasn’t happened yet. They’re kind of in a holding pattern. And I certainly identify with that feeling because, if anything I seem to be meeting with more and more people who are waiting to see what the Lord will do next. What will the test results say? When will the medication start to work?  Will the Lord heal now or will we have to wait for the Last Day? Will the job offer come through? Will the sellers accept the offer? More broadly, when will we be able to return to full church services? When can I visit my grandchildren? When will they develop a vaccine for this virus? Will the Lord intervene and clearly show the way forward or will the path ahead remain shrouded and we’ll need to walk by faith? It’s one of the reasons I like the Seventh Sunday of Easter. I feel like most days are Thursdays. I feel like I’m often waiting for the Lord to make his move definitively, you know?

Of course, our greatest comfort is in that Good Friday and that amazing first Sunday of the resurrection. Jesus died for us on the cross and was raised for us. But maybe interestingly, the Supper was instituted on a Thursday too as well as the ascension. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but maybe the Lord foresaw a lot of Thursdays and is with us through them all assuring us he is still actively involved with us and actively ruling.

Even if we’re stuck in a Thursday kind of mood, Christ is risen and ascended, and that is very good news for us all.  Amen.

The Rev. Andrew Smith

Heavenly Host Lutheran Church

Cookeville, Tennessee, USA

E-Mail: smithad19+prediger@gmail.com