At the time of his ascension, Jesus leaves the disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit and an instruction that they should await the Spirit's descent.
Power ties. Power lunches. PowerPoint. Power seems to be an adjective of choice in recent years. Wouldn't it seem absurd to market a "weakness tie"? Host a lowliness luncheon? Give a "delicate point" presentation? Yet, despite our best efforts to grasp or create power, or at least the impression thereof, we may still get laid off while wearing our ties. We often gain only pounds at our heavyweight lunches. And why is it that people still miss the point in our presentations?
Power rears its head repeatedly in today's readings, but it does not stand alone. It is coupled with inheritance. Power and receiving. Not power and grasping. Not power and earning. Power and inheritance.
Jesus says, in Acts, "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."
Our psalmist tells us that the one who empowers us, "who subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet," is the one who chooses our inheritance. Whatever capacity or status we may receive is not our own doing.
Paul reminds the community at Ephesus of that which they have to look forward to--"His glorious inheritance among the saints...and the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe." Yet, he reminds them that all this is done according to the working of God's great power; not ours. And the most potent use of that power is the resurrection of Christ.
In the end, in Luke, it is the resurrected Christ's final blessing to share what God has promised--the clothing of "power from on high."
Twila Schock and Bill Swanson in "Sundays and Seasons 2004"
The disciples must have been asking, "what now?" Peter essentially asked that in the Acts reading. But Jesus answers that-go back to the temple and
worship, then witness, the Holy Spirit will come.
Worship
Witness
Holy Spirit (sorry no W to complete the 3 points)
I want to study more on Biblical images about the "character" of the Holy Spirit ie. Advocate, Comforter...
T in Houston
The Third W ...work, ministry, life, work in the Spirit, JJ in Ontario
Before Jesus went up to heaven, He brought the disciples' attention back to scripture and helped them to understand the their part in the redemptive plan of God: Jesus were to die, but we were to spread the good news through out the world.
If Jesus didn't go away, would any of the disciples be willing to take up the responsibilities and advancing the Gospel? If Jesus himself committed to that notion of the priesthood of all believers, shouldn't we follow His same methodology in ministry today? We are the agents to carry His plan out (v.48)
However, before we get exciting and going, Jesus wanted to make sure that we need to receive the Spirit of God, and are covered with His power. Without that, we are not equipped for the task.
Personally, this passage reminded me the importance of Scripture. (Hey, Jesus had left the building, all we have now is the Book.) Not only that, but I need to seriously think of the prerequisites of turning all believers to priests: not only they need knowing Christ through the Word, but they also need living through the Spirit's power. (A delicate balance).
Corporately, if I preach on this my basic tenet would be: We all can continue the work Jesus left behind for us. How? By knowing Christ through the Word and living life by the Spirit.
Coho, Midway City.
JJ-thanks for the third w! I am working with the Acension texts as the passage of Jesus' time into our own time. What now?
I normally am not tied to a 3 point sermon but this text does move in perhaps 3 directions. I typcially like a one point sermon but the call to go back to Jerusalem and worship, witness to the world, and receiving the Holy SPirit as we will celebrate next week, definitely lend themselves to 3 points or steps or stages. The Work of the Spirit is that good jumping off place at the end of this message and into next week, Pentecost. A comfort and a challenge.
T in Houston
I had to muddy the waters but it seems to me that another "w" in there is wait, "Stay here.. until you are clothed with the HS". The problem is that my people have been waiting and worhsipping more than witnessing and working. On the other hand you can't do the latter two until you have done the first two.
Avis in KY
Thank you Avis. That does seem to be a message here in the text. Isn't it interesting how impatient we are in life but how lazy we can be in the church. We are impatient in traffic, at check-out lines in the grocery store, with waiters, or with our own families but at church we are quite comfortable with taking the backseat, laid back, uninvolved, uncommitted approach. The text as you note seems to point to what we preachers often call, actively waiting, anticipating. In the text, it is to be time for worship as we wait for the spirit and then of course witness to the world in the WORK of the Spirit, as JJ has helped me with. Avis, all those activities are definitely intertwined, just how do we communicate that?
T in Houston
"Then (Jesus) opened their minds to understand the Scriptures."
Jesus didn't wait for them to understand before doing the work for which he was sent. How often do we not follow God's purpose because we don't understand it.
We'll be recognizing graduates in my congregation Sunday. How many of them don't understand why it was important to learn algebra or history? Does that mean it's not important? How many are ready to 'forget' all they've learned so that they can go on into the future? Isn't that like the disciples standing there gawking?
We're called to put our faith to work, but also to stand on what we've been given. How many problems might we avert if we would only trust God and God's word revealed in Scripture, even though we don't understand it and especially when it contradicts what the world tells us.
HAM in IL
One poster's comment "Jesus has left the building" reminded me of Frasier, which reminded me of Elvis - they all used that phrase.
It made me recall a Church Ad Project ad showing side-by-side pictures of Elvis and Jesus with the caption: "There seems to be some confusion about which one really rose from the dead."
Interesting how worked up some folks can get over dead celebrities sightings when Godsightings are everywhere - thanks to the Advocate, the grace of Christ, and the Creator.
Like the Seasons of the Spirit listed above - it's the more subtle point rather than the Power Point.
Sally in GA
I posted this on the Acts site, but since I'm looking at both Acts & Luke thought I'd post it here, as well.
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
This will be my last Sunday to preach for a while as our new Pastor comes next Sunday. It is also the day we honor our graduates. I like the idea that Christ has done what he came to do and it is up to us. I like that we have this week before Pentecost to reflect on all that Christ did teach us. I like the thought that our people can wrestle with the What does God want me to do and how am I going to do it? sort of questions. Then they get to hear the great news that Christ comanded us to put what he taught us to work, but We are not left alone to do it!!!!!!!! How cool. Our congregation has been through some very rough times and this truly is a new begining for us. We must be challeged to be about the work God has put before us. I can't wait for Sunday!
Tammy in Texas
Continually in the Temple?
I believe this is where God is leading me to preach this week. I think we need to be people who are "continually in the temple blessing God".
This may raise objections (including from myself) that for many people in many churches the need is to get OUT of the church and into the streets... sharing the gospel with the world.
However, as I look at our church, it's the ones who are always in church blessing God who are also the ones who are out in the streets!
I'm not saying this of every person who spends lots of time in the church building. Some of them are there for many reasons other than blessing God. But those who are there with a worshipful attitude and a servant's heart... They, of course, rock.
I hear much moaning and groaning about how the church used to be the center of the community, and how that's not true any more because of the entertainment industry, shopping malls, kids' sports leagues, etc. While there's a lot of truth to this, I think the church can once again be a center of the community... when we start concentrating on being "continually in the temple blessing God".
We have to be a bit careful to expose the real destination of the church here. This passage and the one in Acts 1 pointed to Jerusalem/temple only as a *temporary station* for the disciples to receive the power on high so that they can continue the incarnate presence of Jesus in the world.
Recently a newspaper described a dying church. I save the article and the picture to remind myself of the gloomy reality if our church neglecting the reproductive function Jesus called us to do...
If what you see in your church was "the ones who are always in church blessing God who are also the ones who are out in the streets!" then point to them as an effective example of that balance, and don't give any ammunition to the passive ones to criticize them. Beside, the text didn't say that anyway.
Coho, Midway City.
T in Houston
A third point for "W":
Wait (the desciples must "wait" on the Holy
Spirit to come. What do they do while waiting?)
Just a thought about third "W"
Rev. Nancy in Nebraska
