The Ascension
Friends, this Sunday is Ascension Sunday. I love one of the Scripture readings from the Lectionary for this Sunday:
God has gone up (!) with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm.
Our church is highlighting the Ascension with its Scripture readings and a short devotional inserted in the bulletin. It is below. I appreciate your feedback--though it won't make the bulletin deadline! :)
Today is the day Christians celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. For many of us, two questions come to mind: First, “What’s the Ascension?” Second, “What does it matter?”
The event of Jesus being taken up to God the Father after his resurrection, hidden from our sight, is the Ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11). At first it seems that not much attention is given to the Ascension, that it’s unimportant. It may just seem like it’s the small account of how Jesus left earth. But there’s more to it! Whenever you read about Jesus being at God’s right hand or being seated in the heavenlies, the ascension is how and why he gets to be there. This is why Christians celebrate it! The ascension puts Jesus in charge! It puts him “high up.”
So, why does the ascension matter? Hebrews 1:3 says that after Jesus provided purification for our sins, he sat down at God’s right hand. He is God’s Man. Hebrews goes on to say that we don’t see everything under Jesus; it doesn’t always seem like Jesus is in charge (2:8). But, even if we don’t see everything under Jesus, we see Jesus crowned with glory (2:9). “Wait a second,” you’re thinking. “Acts 1:9 says that after the Ascension Jesus was hidden from the disciples’ sight. How can we both see him and him be hidden?”
Great question! Think of it like this. Once day I was listening to a ball game with my Dad. The outfielder dropped the ball because the sun was bright—shining in his eyes. My Dad said, “Isn’t it neat to think that the outfielder in Colorado is blinded by the same sun that we see right there?” I thought about that…and it was profound! Though located thousands of miles from the outfielder, we both saw the same sun because it was so high up and so big. But sometimes you can’t see the sun. Maybe it’s hidden behind clouds, it’s nighttime, or there’s an eclipse: something comes between you and the sun. Because the sun is so high there is room for something to come between you and the sun. It’s similar to Jesus. Because Jesus is so high up, because he is Ascended, Christians from all over the world can see and know him. But because he is so “high up” he can be hidden, perhaps by sin, suffering, troubles, or maybe just how we’re feeling! What do we make of this?
Does Jesus being “high up” mean he is absent? No, it means that Christians don’t have to pretend that we have no problems, but still know that, because of the ascension, Jesus is in charge.
Hidden? Yes. Absent? No. In charge? Absolutely!
God has gone up (!) with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm.
God is king over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
Ps 47:5-8
Our church is highlighting the Ascension with its Scripture readings and a short devotional inserted in the bulletin. It is below. I appreciate your feedback--though it won't make the bulletin deadline! :)
Today is the day Christians celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. For many of us, two questions come to mind: First, “What’s the Ascension?” Second, “What does it matter?”
The event of Jesus being taken up to God the Father after his resurrection, hidden from our sight, is the Ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11). At first it seems that not much attention is given to the Ascension, that it’s unimportant. It may just seem like it’s the small account of how Jesus left earth. But there’s more to it! Whenever you read about Jesus being at God’s right hand or being seated in the heavenlies, the ascension is how and why he gets to be there. This is why Christians celebrate it! The ascension puts Jesus in charge! It puts him “high up.”
So, why does the ascension matter? Hebrews 1:3 says that after Jesus provided purification for our sins, he sat down at God’s right hand. He is God’s Man. Hebrews goes on to say that we don’t see everything under Jesus; it doesn’t always seem like Jesus is in charge (2:8). But, even if we don’t see everything under Jesus, we see Jesus crowned with glory (2:9). “Wait a second,” you’re thinking. “Acts 1:9 says that after the Ascension Jesus was hidden from the disciples’ sight. How can we both see him and him be hidden?”
Great question! Think of it like this. Once day I was listening to a ball game with my Dad. The outfielder dropped the ball because the sun was bright—shining in his eyes. My Dad said, “Isn’t it neat to think that the outfielder in Colorado is blinded by the same sun that we see right there?” I thought about that…and it was profound! Though located thousands of miles from the outfielder, we both saw the same sun because it was so high up and so big. But sometimes you can’t see the sun. Maybe it’s hidden behind clouds, it’s nighttime, or there’s an eclipse: something comes between you and the sun. Because the sun is so high there is room for something to come between you and the sun. It’s similar to Jesus. Because Jesus is so high up, because he is Ascended, Christians from all over the world can see and know him. But because he is so “high up” he can be hidden, perhaps by sin, suffering, troubles, or maybe just how we’re feeling! What do we make of this?
Does Jesus being “high up” mean he is absent? No, it means that Christians don’t have to pretend that we have no problems, but still know that, because of the ascension, Jesus is in charge.
Hidden? Yes. Absent? No. In charge? Absolutely!
posted by Aaron Perry at
1:17 PM
7 Comments:
Ascension Day, of course, is today (in the real Christian Calendar that doesn't relocate holy days to the closest Sunday). Which makes your post especially appropriate.
The Gospel for this Sunday, btw, is John 17:6-19.
SGFMB
Thanks, Tim.
SGFMB: The people doing the lectionary really knew what they were doing! :) You'll have to wonder whether or not the post was today purposefully or by coincidence. (Oh, ok...coincidence.)
love the sun metaphor. might have to quote you on that.
i liked it ap. thanks for sharing.
This is WAY late, so one wonders about my obsession to respond. Basically, I had a brief moment of worship while reading this post. I really don't get how people think it's the lectionary that makes church uneventful.
Hello,
I wonder what to make of the Ascension ...
In New Testament times, they believed that Heaven was up there and it was pretty usual to go to heaven by going up (like Elijah did, long time ago).
However, nowadays we know that up there. there is just empty space. And some planets, but mostly empty space.
So, why did Jesus ascend at all? Did he explode when he got out of the atmosphere? Does it make any sense?
hey hari: i think i would disagree with the heaven being "up there." i think they understood it more as another realm than anything
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home