Pastor Sandy's Sermon from Sunday, May 24
Acts 1:6-14 Ascension May 24, 2020
I wanted to share just a few more verses of scripture that might give us a little more insight into the Ascension than we heard in the passage from John.
6
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.
In today’s lesson from Acts, the disciples are gathered with their families in an upstairs room somewhere in Jerusalem. So much had happened during the past few months that it was hard to put it all together. They had accompanied Jesus into the city, receiving a royal welcome fit for a king. Then there was their last supper together, followed by Judas’ betrayal and the arrest in Gethsemane, their own narrow escape from the soldiers, and that horrible crucifixion. They had just about given up all hope when the risen Jesus appeared before them, ate with them, and then for six more weeks instructed them about the kingdom of God. But Just when it all started to make sense, just when Jesus gave them a promise and a purpose, he left them again.
Yet this time they saw it for themselves. Immediately after Jesus promised them that the Holy Spirit would give them power to be witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), The scripture says: “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9).
Now
what were they to think? When were they going to get
this
power
? What were they supposed to do until then? And when the Holy Spirit did give them power, how is that going to help them witness to the very ends of the earth? After all, Jesus didn’t even tell them when that might be, let alone when God would bring in the new kingdom.
Those earliest Christians must have been a little overwhelmed and confused trying to adjust to one life-changing experience after another. What could they count on? Who could they depend upon? Many questions. Few answers. Just a promise and a purpose, a gift and a mission.
So, how do we adjust to all the changes we’re going through in these days? How do we as the church respond to changes within the community? Changes within ourselves? How do we respond when we are overwhelmed and confused, and to be honest, fearful of the changes happening all around us? What can we count on when everything seems to be out of control? Who can we depend on, really?
The story is told that one day Pastor Tom was getting into his car in the church parking lot one afternoon when he noticed a tiny chipmunk nestled comfortably in the shadows just behind the driver’s side front tire. This effectively stopped the pastor from backing out of his parking space. Unable to back up and unwilling to drive across the church lawn, Pastor Tom began clapping his hands loudly, attempting to encourage the chipmunk to move! This tactic worked immediately.
The startled chipmunk darted away. Unfortunately, it settled behind the front tire on the passenger side. Again Pastor Tom clapped. This time our chipmunk ran to the right rear tire. By now you have already guessed that two more clapping episodes, accompanied by some yelling as well as a gathering audience of neighborhood children brought our little furry friend back to its original spot. Suddenly, Pastor Tom, the children, and especially the chipmunk heard loud and insistent chattering from a larger chipmunk sitting beneath the grapevines bordering the lawn. Hearing a welcome voice and seeing a familiar face, the little chipmunk scooted off to safety.
Perhaps the chipmunk regaled his family and friends with stories of the many fast and scary changes he had experienced. Perhaps he chattered his thank yous to them repeatedly. Who knows, he may have gained a new appreciation for what really matters in life; for what you really need to hold onto, when changes are happening all around you.
So here’s the lesson for all of us. When the challenges of life become overwhelming, stay close to where you know the love is. Our chipmunk friend never strayed from where he could see and hear the creature who loved him. No matter how large the threat or how terrifying the sounds, the chipmunk stayed close to the sure and certain sights and sounds of love. The sounds of promise soon became a visible reality as the frightened animal scampered from tire to tire, always staying close to the chatter of encouragement and the visibility of supportive relationships.
And that is the core of today’s text. Here the risen Christ gives the overwhelmed disciples a promise and a purpose, a gift and a mission. Here in his parting words, Jesus promises them that the Holy Spirit will soon give them power for an amazing mission. In Jesus’ own words, after receiving this gift, the disciples purpose was to “… be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This was an incredible promise! But a seemingly impossible purpose!
Just how were they going to accomplish all this? Where could they start? Who could they recruit to help them? What was their strategic plan? Where would their funding come from? What were the most critical scripture texts and theological insights necessary to implement this mission? These are the usual questions we in the church ask, when facing a new mission opportunity.
But before the disciples could ask these questions, or even think of more, Jesus ascended into heaven. What an awesome sight that must have been! So, now what? Just stay here looking at the sky while they wait for the gift of power Jesus promised?
But while the disciples were staring at the clouds, suddenly two angels interrupted them saying “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.” (Acts 1:11). In other words, “Quit standing around, Get busy. He gave you a mission to be his witnesses. Get moving already.” And they did. They had heard the promise of Jesus and they had a purpose to fulfill for Jesus. Now what they needed was to wait for the gift of power that would come from the ascended Jesus. So how did the disciples cope with uncertainty and confusion as they waited for the promised gift? How did they begin to develop specific methods to address the overall purpose of their mission? Today’s text describes the disciples’ response as well as some possibilities for ourselves. After all, the Lord has given us the same promise and purpose, the same gift and mission. It is likely that we, like the disciples, find ourselves waiting for more specific directions.
When and how will life and church get back to normal? What will we do when the new pastors come, and how is it all going to work?
Where did the disciples go? What did they do? They went where Jesus told them to go, Jerusalem (Acts 1:14, 12). Jerusalem and its immediate context was the center of the Jewish religion. It was also the focal point of the mission of the church. That is where the church began. And where Christianity spread. For the disciples, Jerusalem was the very center of God’s loving actions; the intersection of promise and purpose, gift and mission. So the disciples walked back to Jerusalem.
Where do
we
go when
we
are anxious and confused by life’s challenges? The risen Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem. But the ascended Jesus invites us to the center of God’s loving actions for us and for the world. Which for us, is the body of Christ, the church.
The church
is where we know the promise is heard and the gift of power is given. The church is where
our
mission is articulated and
our
specific purpose in life is clarified. So what did the disciples actually do when they got back to Jerusalem? And what are we really supposed to do today in the church? Especially when church is so different for us now. How does a general promise become a specific purpose? What is this gift and how long do we have to wait before we get it?
Back in the city, the disciples remained close to where they knew God’s love and encouragement were located — among God’s faithful people.
And they didn’t have to wait long before they received the gift of the Holy Spirit and their mission began. We celebrate that day as Pentecost, or fifty days after Easter (Acts 1:3) which is next Sunday by the way.
And remember, God has already given us the gift that Jesus promised to the
disciples
. With a splash of baptismal water and a word of promise, the Holy Spirit welcomes us into the Body of Christ, the fellowship where God’s active love is demonstrated. Within this community, God’s promise of forgiveness is boldly proclaimed and the risen and ascended Christ is shared. Constantly living within this community of believers, God’s people
do
receive guidance for growth and purpose for living.
So hang in there. Learn from the chipmunk. Stay close to where God shows you love is… at the cross, an empty tomb, a splash of water, some bread broken, and some wine poured. Listen for God’s word of love and forgiveness here. Watch for the Spirit showing you what love looks like and sounds like in your own life.
Today, the ascended Christ has given us a promise of love and a gift of his presence. We just have to open our hearts to receive it. Within that gift is our mission and our purpose. Thanks be to God.
