Ascension
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After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
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Why it happened?
What it means?
Where is Jesus now? -
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[c] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Welcome, what day was it last Thursday? What's ascension day?
The ascension doesn't feature large in many Christians lives. Yet it's the last memory the disciples would have had of Jesus - such a powerful memory. It would have been emotional, sadness (being left, seeing Jesus go), a touch of expectancy (in John 14:16 Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:11 the angels, promised Christ’s return).
I wonder, where is Jesus now? Up there somewhere? Is He near or far away? Here with us now?
How are we connected to him, how can we be in touch with him now).
The Holy Spirit, is an answer that we will learn about next Sunday.
40 days after resurrection = Ascension
50 days after resurrection = Pentecost
Today I would like to look at ‘what the ascension means’ to groups of people or beings
[1] Angels
[2] Disciples
[3] Us
What Jesus’ ascension means to the angels
The angels in this story are an important of the story and we need to pay attention to them.
v10 says 2 men (angels) dressed in white spoke to them (we need to pay attention). Asked a ques “Why do you stand looking in the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will return again.”
Angels are prominent in Luke (Luke 1v26) They announced and attended the birth of Jesus (Luke 2v9). An angel at Gethsemane to strengthen him (Luke 22v43). Angels (2 men in gleaming clothes) proclaimed he has risen (Luke 24v4)
Now 2 men ‘appear’ at the ascension and asked the question ‘why do you stand looking at the sky’ Those words into the sky/heavens appears 4 times in v10,11 – emphasising we are not to be sky gazers! … because he has gone, they must let him go and he will return again. Sky gazing will not bring him back sooner. Sky gazing will take our eyes off the last command he has given us to be a witness. (1st command Jesus gave us was "Follow me!" The greatest commandment Jesus gave us was "Love the Lord your God and love your neighbour and love yourself too." Last commandment Jesus gave before he ascended was, "Be my witnesses."
We need to pay attention to these angels. They told the friends of Jesus v11 (read).
They were commanded to go to the ends of the earth (not the sky). Commanded not to be looking upward in longing nostalgia but outwards in compassion to a lost world that needs a saviour (Jesus)
What Jesus’ ascension means to the disciples
Despite his departure, after the ascension, the Disciples knew Jesus would still be with them. They would receive power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them. [Illustr] Clark Gable was famous for role in Gone With The Wind. (1939). Clark Gable (handsome and romantic stars) on one occasion, checked into a small-town hospital for an illness. All the staff were excited about having this famous actor in their hospital. However, there was one nurse that was at his bedside every time he turned over or moved. He finally asked to be left alone so that he could sleep for a little while, she said, "Now, if you want anything at all, just pull on this cord." Clark Gable smiled at her and said, "Thank you, my dear, but what is the cord attached to?" The nurse smiled back and said, "Me."
At the very moment, the disciples felt they needed Jesus, he disappeared into the clouds. But, they also knew that they were still connected to him. They knew they were still connected to God. They knew that Jesus may have gone away physically, but he was still with them. This sense of God's presence through the receiving of the Holy Spirit gave them a great confidence and boldness. They didn't really know what the future held, but they were convinced that they still had a relationship with the one who held the future. The ascension meant these disciples would have to take up the baton an run with it. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The Holy Spirit would be given as power for new opportunities (and to hurdle obstacles too). (Acts 2v4, 4v8, 9v17, 13v9).
In our gospel reading we get to eavesdrop on Jesus prayer to the father in heaven and his prayer is not that the disciples would be cocooned from the world but that ‘they would remain in the world’ and that they would be ‘kept’ in power of his name. (Name meaning the full character of God)
The time of the visible resurrection was unique. 40 days and now it was coming to an end. The resurrection appearances could not just peter out! The end of that period had to be definite and the ascension was the disciples’ final proof that Jesus had returned to glory. None the less ‘if you want anything at all, just pull on that cord’ or prayer: That cord is attached to Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of the Father interceding as a great high priest for us(Heb)
What Jesus’ ascension means to us
Anyone who is a Thunderbirds, star trek, or Capt. Scarlet fan will be familiar with the phrase ‘Returning to Base, mission accomplished’ or Beam me up Scottie – mission Accomplished. Last Thurs 18/5/23 we celebrated Ascension Day and there is a feel of Jesus, Gods chosen one ‘returning to Base, mission accomplished’ i.e. his mission to take the sins of the world on himself and his mission to defeat sin & sickness and the last of his battles to defeat death itself by rising from death in every way Jesus Could say – mission accomplished – and there on the mount of Olives he gathered his followers one final time & he was taken from earth into heaven or from time into eternity before their very eyes. Jesus was returning to base.
But wait a minute why would he tell them to wait for his Holy Spirit. If mission is accomplished, if Jesus has done the Salvation bit why do we need the Holy Spirit.
One reason is because we have a mission also…. God wants us to be filled with his Spirit and with his power to do his work on earth…. What a privilege – to be God’s people God’s workers on earth. Luke tells the ascension story in a way that calls ‘us’ to be witnesses. We may not all be evangelists but we are all called to witnesses. To tell what we know about our Saviour and ‘to introduce people to Christ.’ (our mission statement). [Witnesses speak of personal experience].
Our mission of witness can take many different forms. Through our small groups being more outward focussed. Taking risks to invite people in to the group or a mission to invite people to church.
One form is to share the Love of Jesus in this parish, Community centre, Youth & schools work, Elderly support, work with people with special needs. Etc…
One form or our mission is to care for the poorer people in the world (Christian Aid week starts)
Taking up the link with a church in the diocese in Mara. Partnering the Symes in their work in S Africa.
People that were left were told to wait for the Holy Spirit. Left to continue the journey.
Weare not left alone, Jesus (through the Holy Spirit) has gone before us. We are told not to look to the sky, there's a journey to get on with and we are promised a (HS = guide, comfort, teacher, convicts(?). We are promised ‘you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. Too many people stop short of asking God for that power of the Holy Spirit. Do not stop short today. Receive his power as we go forth from this place
‘ ‘All hail the power of Jesus’ name
Let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown him Lord of all.’
