Pastor's Corner

“. . . While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;” Luke 24:51-52

Today we celebrate “Ascension Day,” traditionally the day Jesus ascended following his resurrection. While it may not have the gravitas of Christmas or Easter, or even Pentecost, it is important, nonetheless. Had he been just resurrected and not ascended, I’m not sure the former would have maintained the importance it does to this day. Jesus, upon his resurrection, ascended to his father. At Christmas we celebrate his incarnation, and at Easter we celebrate his resurrection. But it was the ascension that made the circle, so to speak, complete.

I’ll admit that growing up I knew nothing about this day. Of course, I had read and heard this scripture, but I’m not sure I could have told what it meant. For the gospel of John, the ascension, coupled with Jesus’ resurrection, signified his exaltation. His divine status and glory fully were revealed. Upon the completion of his return to the Father, Jesus sat “at the right hand of the Power” (Mark 14:62) from which he would rule. Theologians speak of God both as immanent (close by) and transcendent (above every-thing). For Jesus, the ascension marked him as transcendent. While his spirit dwells with us (immanence), he rules by God’s side (transcendence).

What does this mean for us living today? For starters, at times that Jesus “is risen” may get pushed to the backs of our minds. When that happens, we may lose the power of resurrection (i.e., the “resurrected Jesus”) in our lives. If Jesus had been no more than a mere human, there would have been no resurrection, and consequently, no salvific power in crucifixion. In the prayer of the Great Thanksgiving it clearly states: “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again” . In other words, we can count on the continuing presence of Jesus in our lives, and in him, our future is made secure.

It must have been disconcerting for the disciples and close followers of Jesus when he went away. What do we do now, they might have asked? It’s not going to be the same. No, it wasn’t for them, and it isn’t for us, whether we realize it or not. Whenever we experience the death of someone we love, the absence makes life different, not bad, just different. Such was the case with Jesus’ ascension. No longer was he in their midst. No longer could they ask him questions or listen to his teachings. Instead, they had to learn to be the disciples Jesus had taught them to be. And so it is with us.

While Jesus is no longer physically among us, the presence of his spirit is. That’s the promise given to the disciples (see John 14), and it’s a promise that all disciples throughout history have had. The presence of the spirit of Jesus calls us to continue to live out his teachings in the world, and to be obedient and faithful to God’s commands. It’s not an easy journey, but it’s one on which we do not travel alone. We travel with the indwelling presence of the spirit of Jesus, and in the power of God in the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God! See you on the journey!

Grace and peace,

Mike

May 28, 2017