The striking thing for me this week, as with the past two week's readings in Acts, is
that instead of celebrating the season of Easter with resurrection appearances Like Years
A and B, we've been having a three week processional march toward Pentecost. Two weeks
ago, the Spirit was busy with Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, essentially including the
strangest sort of outsider. This past week at Cornelius' house again the Spirit is busy,
this time "terrifying" the "beleiver" by falling "even on the
Gentiles." Just another episode in the work of the Spirit tearing the roof off the
church to let the outsiders in.
This week, for some reason, we flashing back in Acts to Jesus' departure/ascension and
his promise of the coming of the Spirit (but she's been here for the past two weeks).
I'm not asking for an explanation, I understand the lectionary, but it's an odd step
back to say get ready because next week ("not many days from now") the Spirit is
coming. While, for two weeks we've been surprised and terrified by what she's already
doing.
No real helpful comment here, just some thoughts on how to transition back.
Kelly in WA
What is the geography of ascension? Did Jesus go up? Go out? I think I'm going to
suggest that the Ascension is "In"? Jesus ceases to be a visible, tangible
presence, so that he may become an inner reality. Thus the promise of the Spirit is
implicit in the ascension experience -- whether historic or mythic. The greater reality is
what happened in Jerusalem a week or so later -- and what happens to and in us daily. Ole
Fogey in NJ
Famous lasts words- You will be my witnesses. One thing Jesus cannot do is be his own
witness. We are so valuable. It is such a blessing to know that you are needed, and
important. We have all been called to be his witness and we are happiest when we are doing
what we are called to do. Maybe it is time we get our instructions (vs.2) and go do our
job (vs.8) RT in So.Car.
Ole Fogey: Thank you for your insight. I have named my sermon "Where did He
Go?" Too often I think we get too tied up with the where question that we forget to
ask the what-for one. You hit both on the head! "In" seems to be the right
response. Thanks for jogging my thoughts! Don in Charleston
I'm fascinated by a few things in this passage, and haven't decided how I'll follow up
with any or all of them in my sermon yet! I'm curious about the reference to Jesus
appearing over 40 days--obvious Exodus connotations here. The wilderness as a training
period? People being prepared for being God's chosen in the promised land? The Israelites
went through periods of doubting and outright rebellion during the wilderness
wanderings--perhaps we can extrapolate that the disciples (in their larger-than-12
grouping) may have also had periods of doubting, if not outright rebellion (cf Peter's
denial before Jesus was crucified). I'm serving as an interim pastor towards the end of
the interim--I think there's some valuable connections there.
What about the disciples asking if Jesus is going to 'restore the kingdom to Israel?'
They still just don't get it! Is Jesus ever about politics? I struggle with this one a
lot. We tend to hoist him like a flag when it suits our needs, but I don't see much
evidence of that being Jesus' main concern. Are we also asking "are you going to
restore the kingdom..." and not always meaning God's realm but something with more
political foundation?
When Jesus tells the disciples that they will "receive power," there's a
wonderful irony there, given the question that they just asked. Sure, they'll receive
power, but it won't be the kind of power they might be expecting; and it will actually
call them to be servants rather than military/political leaders. Are we prepared for that
ourselves?
Given that, I'd like to follow up a little bit more on what Jesus means when he says
"you will be my witnesses." I know what I assume, given our modern-day usage of
that term, but in Jesus' time would it have had a court-room connotation? Any relation to
the military or political powers? Has anyone done a word study on "witness"
recently?
What about the two men dressed in white? Lk 24:4--are these the same men? Similar
dress, and similar questioning pattern. "Why do you look for the living among the
dead" vis-a-vis "Why do you stand here looking into the sky?" Similar
follow-up statement as well. This sets up the ascension as a second resurrection, if you
will. Another phase of Jesus' relationship with those of us still wearing flesh.
Finally, of course, the phrase upon which I based my sermon title ("Don't Just
Stand There!") for bulletin purposes several days ago, without really knowing what I
was actually going to preach...(!)... "Why do you stand here looking into the
sky?" Given contemporary culture, I almost fall into the cliche of Nike's 'Just do
it,' although I'll resist because it's too expected. But there's a good swift kick in the
pants to get out and do ministry, rather than just standing around waiting for something
significant to happen. Again, for my congregation in the interim period, when the
strongest temptation is to stand around looking into the sky, some strong direction is
given here.
Those are my unorganized and various thought processes on a Friday morning--I'll check
in again tomorrow afternoon when I sit down to start putting together my sermon! I always
find inspiration from this discussion even if I rarely post anything myself! Sandy from NY
I think we make to much of the Ascension itself. As several notable scholars put it,
Scripture itself pays little notice of the event. Yet, we dedicate a full day to it (or
more).
As to where Jesus went. Unless we link it to the Trinitarian formula, I struggle with
Jesus going in us. Certainly, we pray that the Holy Spirit will be upon us. But, that
Jesus us is in us smacks of panentheism and individual religious experiences. "I am
returning to the Father" not "I'm going in your heart." I don't want to
domesticate the power of this event and the coming of the Spirit to an individual moment.
It happens in community, it happens when we are in ministry together.
I think my focus will be on the in between time (now and not yet) of Easter and
Pentecost. Jesus has left them. The Spirit has not come. Now what? According to the
formula here and in the Luke reading it's: wait, worship and witness (a bit trite but
www). This is as one commentary pointed out, the advent of Pentecost. They/we are waiting
after Jesus' ascension, to receive the Holy Spirit. We don't know what that means, what
form it will take, what it will do to us, but we are faithful and joyful in our waiting,
worship and witness. (No, I'm not really suggesting that we don't know what the H. Spirit
will be like, it has come in Pentecost, but I do think some of us in the congregation are
still waiting to be clothed in power and the fulfillment of the promise from the Father.)
So much for now.
Kelly in WA
Philip Yancey in his book: The Jesus I Never Knew said he struggles with the reason for
the ascension. He doesn't understand why Jesus left it up to us, the church. But he
compares it to John 12:24 (grain dying producing much fruit) saying trying to kill the
faith by killing Jesus is much like trying to kill a dandelion by blowing on the seeds.
I feel the ascension is significant because Now Jesus is not bound to time and space.
Even in a resurrected body he would not be for all through all in all and above all as
Paul points out. I mean if he was in an office somewhere we could go to him or e-mail him
with every dispute, but he'd probably tell us something like he did to the brother:
"Who died and made me your power of attorney?" LUke 12:14 and we would walk away
confused. Just a thought. Musing in TX
My sermon will also be about Jesus asking the disciples to wait: in the in-between
time, in the meantime. It seems to me that the big temptation for the disciples was to
either go back to the familiar, their jobs, their homes or to lunge into, create, and make
happen the kind of future they had perceived. Maybe a revolution, or form a task force.
But, Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem. A place where kingdoms have come and gone
during the time of its history. The word-name 'Jerusalem', by the way, means 'flowing
peace.' Maybe, it is during the inbetween times of our lives that things seem the most
fluid and the least concrete. It is in the midst of all that 'flowing', that floating
time, when peace does its best work. Jerusalem: flowing peace.In the midst of waiting.
And, am also pondering what, if any, the significance is of them waiting 'together.'
Could it be that the power thing will be radically different. No 'anointing' for just
the king,or the priest. But, the anointing, the coming of the Spirit, will be a collective
happening. A new thing. A counter-cultural thing. Do they need time to get ready for this
new thing? pondering
PN/GA
My sermon will also be about Jesus asking the disciples to wait: in the in-between
time, in the meantime. It seems to me that the big temptation for the disciples was to
either go back to the familiar, their jobs, their homes or to lunge into, create, and make
happen the kind of future they had perceived. Maybe a revolution, or form a task force.
But, Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem. A place where kingdoms have come and gone
during the time of its history. The word-name 'Jerusalem', by the way, means 'flowing
peace.' Maybe, it is during the inbetween times of our lives that things seem the most
fluid and the least concrete. It is in the midst of all that 'flowing', that floating
time, when peace does its best work. Jerusalem: flowing peace.In the midst of waiting.
And, am also pondering what, if any, the significance is of them waiting 'together.'
Could it be that the power thing will be radically different. No 'anointing' for just
the king,or the priest.
Just working on my sermon for Ascension right now (fun! fun! fun! - not) :)
I'm tackling two elements: 1. Where did Jesus go (given our understanding of the
universe - beyond the sky, space etc) and why did he go this way?
After the resurrection Jesus body had changed in certain aspects in that he was able to
appear and disappear to various people. By ascending in the way that he did he was not
showing that above the skies was heaven (to put it simply) but I think that he needed some
tangible way to show the disciples that he wouldn't be back (well, not in the form that he
had done in his resurrection appearances). It was an enacted symbol to show that this was
the last time he would be with them in a visible/physical manner.
2. I want to emphasise the passage: "Why stand looking into the sky" In other
words, telling the disciples to get on with it rather than preoccupy themselves with
gazing into heaven (or even navel-gazing) - not too be "too heavenly minded that they
are no earthly use" - to get on with living. This theme is repeated in a sense
throughout the scriptures with people experiencing something of God's glory (the wise men,
the shepherds, the disciples during the transfiguration etc etc list is huge) and then
getting back to normal life - except their lives will be different for their experience
will have changed them - giving them insight, liberation, challenge and inspiration.
OK - all for now - back to the sermon :)
Blessings Shirley
Before he ascends into heaven, Jesus promises that the missionary work of the disciples will spread from Jerusalem to all the world. Jesus' words provide an outline of the book of Acts.
I don't know what to do with it but I really love the image of the disciples standing there with their mouths gaping open, looking up at the sky. It took a couple of angels to redirect their attention and then what they said would have only deepened their confusion. Avis in KY
It seems to me that in both this and the Luke text Jesus is essentially telling the disciples, "OK, folks, I've done all that I can to prepare you for what you are supposed to do next. You know what to do and you are ready to do it. Now get to work!"
I kind of like the concept of "Now get to work" for this Sunday. I will be baptizing 3 youth on this Ascension Sunday, 2 of which will be confirmed next week. So often it seems that we see people coming for Baptism or Confirmation who seem to think that once they've done those things they are done with "church stuff." What I want to stress is that Baptism & Confirmation mark the real beginning of the work we are called to do as members of Christ's Holy Church. Any ideas out there?
Robbie in KS
Robbie
"Beginning Well" by Gordon Smith was really helpful to me.
Talks about how all the elements of a healthy conversion remain active throughout the process of our sanctification.
Baptism is the sacramental aspect of our conversion and it continues throught our lives in communion.
It's an excellent book (IMHO!) well worth a look anyway.
MCE
It is possible for us to be in a place between the Resurrection and Pentecost. On the one hand, we may know Jesus, on the other hand we have no idea "What's next?" or "So what?"
One of the misconceptions is our misconception in regard to the Kingdom Establishment. Some look to Social Justice to establish the Kingdom on earth, some wait for Divine Sovereignty to establish the Kingdom in heaven. Here Jesus did NOT clear up the misconception of "is this the time"; but He pointed them to a far more excited reality with the power of the Holy Spirit and the spreading a community of His witness through out the earth.
It's ironic that the misconceptions were not clear up even after Jesus pointed the direction for the disciples. For thousands of years after, the churches are still getting stuck in one tangent or another. Some continue to stand there looking up toward heaven, some completely forget that He would be back.
What about us, what about me? Lord Jesus, help me to strike a balance among these creative tensions in our understand of "What's next". Help us to look to the daily presence of your Spirit, so that we can simply be your witness in wherever we are through out the earth.
Coho, Midway City
