How excited were you about coming to church this morning? Easter Sunday excited? Did you wake up extra early so you could get a good seat in church? There is something special about Easter isn’t there? After all how can you top the message of Jesus’ resurrection? However, we’re not celebrating Easter today, but Ascension. Ascension is the day when, forty days after his resurrection, Jesus was visibly taken up into heaven. While we might not think that this festival deserves the same kind of attention Easter does, the Disciples thought differently. In fact, they were more excited at Jesus’ ascension than they were at his resurrection. How could that be? What’s up with Jesus’ ascension anyway? Let’s answer that question.
Our text doesn’t take place all on one day. The first part happened on Easter Sunday evening. You remember how Jesus’ disciples were hiding behind locked doors that night, afraid of what the Jewish leaders might do to them if they were discovered. During the day they had received various reports of Jesus’ resurrection, but for the most part they remained sceptical of the truth. Even when Jesus appeared in their midst that evening some still doubted until he took a piece of fish and ate in their presence to prove that he wasn’t a figment of their imagination.
It was unfortunate that the Disciples were so slow in believing. They should have expected and been looking forward to the resurrection, for as Jesus remarked, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44).
Aren’t we often like the Disciples? We suffer needlessly when we don’t take to heart God’s Word - whether that’s his invitation for us to call on him in the day of trouble, or to cast all of our anxieties on him. Instead we bottle up our concerns until we’ve managed to concoct a mean brew of anxiety and apprehension that’s just as sinful and hazardous to our health as a night of wild alcohol consumption.
Like the Disciples it’s not that we lack knowledge. We know what God has promised, we just often lack understanding and trust. We lack this understanding not because we are slow, but because we are sinful and therefore don’t naturally accept what God tells us. The Apostle Paul explained in his first letter to the Corinthians: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (2:14).
Even if you were the smartest person in the world with an IQ of a billion, without the Spirit of God you still would not be able to understand or accept God’s Word. Jesus made that clear in what he did for the Disciples. Luke tells us, “45 Then [Jesus] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). This was the first fulfillment of a promise Jesus had given to his disciples. Jesus had promised that after he went to heaven, he would send the Holy Spirit who would open their minds to understand Scripture. Jesus said, “When...the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you” (John 16:13, 14).
So what’s up with Jesus’ ascension? Thanks to the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, our understanding is up. Because the Holy Spirit tunes us in to understand God’s Word, we now believe and trust. Still, we need to be on our guard because the Devil will try to steer us away from the Word through which the Holy Spirit works. As he did with Eve, he will try to get us to ignore or doubt God’s Word saying things like, “Did God really say that gossiping about another person is a sin? Did he really promise that everything, even pain, will work for your good?” When the Devil assails us with such doubts we need to remember what Jesus said concerning God’s Word, he said that it was necessary that all the prophecies about him be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). Friends, God’s promises don’t come true more or less; they come true absolutely because when God speaks it happens. Therefore his Word can absolutely be trusted.
With his ascension, Jesus not only promised to up our understanding; he also promised to increase our usefulness. Jesus said to the Disciples, “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:47-49).
“You will be clothed with power from on high.” Wow, what a gift! Jesus didn’t just leave us with a picture of him, a lock of his hair, or a relic from his manager or cross; he’s given us something better – divine power through the gift of the Holy Spirit. And notice how Jesus said that we would be clothed with Holy Spirit, not just get plugged into him from time to time like a fluorescent light bulb on the fritz.
It was the gift of the Holy Spirit that made the Disciples such useful witnesses. Just think of what they would have done without him, they would have kept on hiding, not proclaiming Jesus’ victory over death. In the same way we too can be bold and confident when we carry out God’s work. And what exactly is that work? It’s not to rid the world of hunger or campaign for social equality, but rather share God’s Word so that people turn away from sin and find forgiveness in Jesus.
Before we can be bold witnesses like the Disciples, however, we’ll need to witness to ourselves for you can’t witness unless you’ve witnessed. Unless you first apply God’s law to yourself pointing out sin, you won’t see the need for forgiveness. If you don’t see the need for forgiveness then you will really care less about what Jesus has done for you and for others. Friends, this is why we never want to minimize our own sin. It’s my responsibility as your pastor to point out your sins and mine, not just the sins of everyone else. If I make you feel uncomfortable, or guilty during the sermon, because I’ve touched on a sin you are involved in, great! That’s what you’ve called me to do, to warn you against sin. Of course it’s also my responsibility not to leave you hanging but to assure you that all of your sins have been wiped clean in Jesus. Armed with that knowledge you will be more likely to witness to others about the wonderful gift of forgiveness because you have witnessed God’s grace in your own life.
With increased understanding and usefulness comes increased joy. That was pretty obvious in the life of the Disciples. Our text concludes, “50 When [Jesus] had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God” (Luke 24:50-53).
The Disciples didn’t return to Jerusalem just with joy, but great joy! Not only that, they stayed continually at the Temple praising God out in the open where everyone, even the Jewish leaders, could see them! What a difference Jesus’ ascension had made in their lives.
Can Jesus’ ascension make that difference in our lives? It can if we understand what it’s all about. The Disciples rejoiced greatly and openly because they knew that Jesus’ ascension wasn’t his retirement. Jesus did not ascend so he could kick back at the heavenly pool with the Father and the Holy Spirit while things ramble on down here. The Disciples also knew that Jesus’ ascension wasn’t a sabbatical or vacation he was taking before he reappears to judge the world. They knew, rather, that his ascension was his coronation. The battle with the Devil and death had been fought and won. The time had now come to publicly acknowledge that victory and for Jesus to take back full use of his godly power he had set aside to come to this world.
That’s why we should celebrate Ascension. Think of it this way. How would you feel if a close friend of yours became the Prime Minister? You would expect to receive a few perks wouldn’t you? Well we have it even better than that with Jesus. He doesn’t just give us a few perks but everything we need as our ascended Lord. He has the power to dole out favours and that’s what he’s promised to do. Paul made that very clear in our second reading this morning. Paul said, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church ” (Ephesians 1:18-22).
So what’s up with Jesus’ ascension? Since Jesus himself has been raised and seated at the right hand of God where he rules with all power for the benefit of the Church, our status is up. Our status is up because Jesus is using his considerable power for our benefit, working everything to our advantage. It’s no wonder the Disciples celebrated Ascension as they did. Now that we know what’s up with Ascension we can join their celebration. For Jesus has risen, yes he has risen indeed, but let’s not forget that he also rules, and that he does so for us. Amen.
