The Ascension of Christ - Luke 24:44-53 - May 28, 2017

Last Thursday was the "Feast of the Ascension", but in keeping with most Protestant Churches, we at Woodlawn do not have a Thursday service in celebration of the Ascension (which of course always falls on a Thursday), rather like many we recognize the Ascension during our Sunday worship on the Sunday immediately following. The Lectionary Text for Ascension Day was Luke 24:44-53 and that is what I chose to preach over on Sunday.  The account in Luke 24 is the only recording of the Ascension in the Gospel stories with the exception of the 'long' ending of the Gospel of Mark.  However, since many scholars (and I agree with them) do not believe the 'long' ending of Mark was part of the original text, we are left with only the story told by Luke.

I walked through the text verse by verse in my sermon, but here I will only touch upon the last few verses of the text.

 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.

As I stated in the sermon, I am certain that the Disciples would have greatly preferred that Christ had stayed with them to aid and guide them in their ministries.  But, that isn't what God had planned for them or for Jesus.  The Disciples were right then and there faced with a sea-change in their ministries to the people of Israel and beyond.  They at that moment were faced with an astronomical and overwhelming change in their lives.  No more would the way that they had become accustomed to working and living be the same; not only could they not go back to the way their lives had been while walking with Jesus, they couldn't go back to the way their lives had been prior to meeting the Christ.  The way they practiced Judaism was forever changed, they now were to preach the Gospel of Christ to Israel and the World.

Change had come crashing down upon them like a massive wave, and we can look to their example as we in Christianity today are faced with change.  The Disciples prostrated themselves and worshiped their Christ... the Messiah.  Then, they all arose and went back to the Temple with joy filled hearts and souls.  The Messiah had just left them... their friend Jesus had just left them... their world had just been shattered... and they went immediately back to work spreading the word of the Gospel... with joy.

I told a story (actually I told two stories, but I'll only tell one here) about a vacation I had taken many, many years ago to Hawaii.  There on the beach, we were walking in the surf.  The waves would come crashing in and folks would jump into the waves and the waves would lift them back towards the shore and leave them behind as they receded back to the ocean.  Thinking I was 'strong' enough to endure the wave (think of it as a change in our lives) and that it would just break around me... after all, I'm pretty tough... instead of jumping into the wave I braced myself and took the wave on head on.  Well, as Diana Arkland knew, and laughed as I was telling the story... the wave knocked me down and crashed over the top of me.  Now, instead of being on top of the wave as I would have been if I jumped into it, I was under the wave and in the 'Undertow'.  The next thing I know, I am popping up out of the Pacific Ocean, all too far from the shoreline.  Fortunately, I was able to swim back to shore but, you can be certain that I did not try to take on another wave head on.  Change can be just like that wave, if we think we can take it on without adjusting or adapting to it, we will find ourselves overwhelmed and washed out to sea.  But, if we accept that there is change coming and we 'ride along' with the change we will find ourselves safely back on shore.

When change hits us will we let it wash us away, or perhaps we should sit like Job and cover ourselves with ashes and lament our plight... or just maybe we, like the Disciples in the 24th Chapter of Luke, should understand that change is necessary (though we may not understand why nor particularly like the fact that we had to change) and set ourselves to God's work, preaching and worshiping with joy.  Let us also remember that all too soon not only would the Disciples be working in a new way, but they'd be preaching to a new 'flock', the Gentiles, as well.

Be a blessing to someone today...

In His Love, Grace & Mercy,
Roy

John 10:16 King James Version

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Luke 24:44-53 New Revised Standard Version

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, 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[a] 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[b] 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.[c] 52 And they worshiped him, and[d] returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.[e]

Footnotes:

a) Luke 24:46 Or the Christ
b) Luke 24:48 Or nations. Beginning from Jerusalem 48 you are witnesses
c) Luke 24:51 Other ancient authorities lack and was carried up into heaven
d) Luke 24:52 Other ancient authorities lack worshiped him, and
e) Luke 24:53 Other ancient authorities add Amen

Acts 1:6-11 New Revised Standard Version

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

1st Baptist Church, Lake City, Iowa