Ascension Day

The Feast of the Ascension -- along with Christmas, Good Friday and Easter – Ascension Day is the fourth day of four in which the witnesses of Jesus on Earth proclaim the fullness of who and what Jesus is all about.

Ascension Day --- it was Thursday --- and I bet you missed it.

For whatever reason, in modern times, perhaps going back centuries now, Ascension Day and the Ascension event itself, have become increasingly forgotten, undiscussed, and unknown to many Christians.

You could speculate – as many modern skeptics do – that the Ascension itself wasn’t ever that important to the Church. Some say, “If it were so important – how come there’s really no mention of it in Matthew, Mark or John?”

The Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection are given great attention elsewhere in the Gospels – but only Luke treats the Ascension with any attention at all. “It’s curious,” say the modern skeptics of the faith and it’s defining points.

Yes, I suppose it is.

But, what’s curiouser is not that three Gospels don’t say much about the Ascension if anything, what’s curiouser is how each Gospel manages to be unique in its own way in focusing on what it focuses on – and what’s curiouser even than that
Is the fact that Luke actually tells the Ascension story twice.

Back to back.

And tells it slightly differently each time.

Yes, Luke ends with the Ascension in his Gospel, and begins with it in his second volume, which we call The Acts of the Apostles.

Yes – he wrote them both.

Luke, the literary master, and giant of the New Testament in terms of total words contributed, who is the only source of a great deal of our central ideas about Jesus, bridges the story of Jesus’ earthly ministry with the story of the early church – using the Ascension event as the mysterious transition point ...when the bridge between God and Creation is built in Christ, and now extends both ways ... with divinity manifesting itself in the flesh ... and flesh manifesting itself unto divinity.

The Ascension – as Luke explains – is the fulfillment of the entire Christ Event – the entire cosmic significance of Jesus Christ, and his coming, doing and going.

The Christ Event – which includes Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension – may be described like this:

- God shows up – now in the flesh appearing.
- God embraces our life and its suffering and death.
- God reconciles and redeems all flesh by defeating death in raising Jesus from the dead as the first born of all the new creation.
- God takes us home – as the fulness of both Creation and Divinity are in full communion in Christ and returned to the eternal place of Glory.

It’s a cosmic four stage rescue operation by which the Creator fulfills his will for His beloved creation – coming to us, embracing us, forgiving us, and bringing us home – not in part, but whole.

The Ascension is a foretaste of the future of all things – which is to share in Christ in the powerful purpose and life of God.

In his disappearing as a single holy man into Glory, Christ takes with him not only his own flesh but his whole Body – allowing that Body to be the continuing focus of God’s saving work.

By the mysterious four part saving operation of Jesus, now those who join with Jesus share with Him in the divine life and work.

Luke’s point to the disciples and to us is that we too may share in the powerful purpose and life of God in Christ.

No need for us to stand hear looking off into heaven folks.

Because our identity as the Body of Christ now is to share the gift of living within the life of God already, here, and muchly so.

To share in the life of God, and to bring as many with us as we can. Today, tomorrow, and always – that’s our whole identity.

1. To show up for the world, as Christ showed up for us, in the flesh.
2. To embrace the world, as Christ embraced us even unto suffering and death.
3. To reconcile the world, as Christ forgave us and rose from death.
4. To bring the world into the heavenly kingdom, as Christ ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the father.

Because Christ did all of this for us – and now we live in him – we will do the same – or the truth is not in us and we deceive ourselves.

If we are disciples, in mission, of Christ, we will show up, embrace, forgive and welcome home everybody we can.

For the lord says, “You are my witnesses to the ends of the earth.”

Let’s go.

Amen.