Long-term ascension assurances
Commentary
Object:
Nobody thought this day would happen. The longtime department supervisor was retiring. This person had been with the organization as long as many people could remember. The organization had gone through many changes. Trends in business had grown more competitive and less friendly. The cyber age had eliminated many jobs and created few job openings. There had been various rounds of turmoil as upper management had numerous periods of "housecleaning." But this supervisor's department had been the "constant" in the universe for many workers' daily lives. Many thought it would be a "cold day in Hades" before this supervisor retired. Others thought that the company would close down first. Neither happened. The supervisor simply needed to go to the next chapter of his/her life. They needed to spend their elder years elsewhere. Not only had s/he trained all of the workers necessary to run the department, but all of the workers were also cross-trained to do one another's jobs. It was time for the supervisor to leave. On one hand, many workers felt good that the supervisor had accomplished his/her mission here. On the other hand, what now? The world must continue to go on this coming Monday morning. Such a story might have also described what the people of faith were experiencing when Jesus ascended into the heavens.
Acts 1:1-11
In this text, the Ascension is the anticipatory event that occurred on the Mount of Olives to prepare for the later Pentecost event, where the church received the Holy Spirit. In this sense, it is a transitional text. Only Luke-Acts records this particular event. Acts 1:6-11 magnifies the event that is reported in Luke 24:4. Similar to other post-Easter events, this occurs closer to Jerusalem. Luke had anticipated this in Luke 9:51. Luke emphasizes the manner in which Jesus would return for purposes of redirecting the conversation often asked about "When will the parousia, second coming arrive?"
There is some biblical precedent for this Ascension event in 2 Kings 2:11, where Elijah was taken up into a whirlwind on a chariot with horses and fire. The mantle of the prophet's mission was passed on to Elisha (2 Kings 2:8). If one wants to pursue this theme of being taken up in further detail, some writers defer to Daniel 7:13-14. Also, Genesis 2:21-24 reports that Enoch, the father of Methuselah was taken by God (Enoch was 365 years old!). However, a mission continued which God has initiated.
Luke-Acts has the overarching agenda to remind a second generation of Christians that the sovereign God of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is still working in their midst. God continues the work of the kingdom through the commissioning of these disciples, who are present at this event. They are to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and through all of the earth. This is the accent of the kingdom discussion in Luke's theology (remember, for Luke Jesus came to "seek and save the lost" [Luke 19:10]). The purpose of the text and event is bringing assurance that God works through this community of disciples as a way of fulfilling (not surperseding) his promises to Israel. God works through Jesus as the risen Lord. Jesus now works through the disciples, who are to be empowered by his Holy Spirit (Acts 2). Jesus will return one day, but now is the time to continue with Jesus' ministry. John 14-17 also presupposes this event.
A couple of traditional textual issues include the question: "Are there two ascensions located in Luke 24:50-53, then this event in Acts 1:6-11?" Today most scholars seem to agree that the Acts 1 account is an expansion of Luke 24. This assumes the same author and audience for both volumes of Luke-Acts. This view is strengthened when the author of Acts writes a very brief summation of the intention of the first volume ("I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up into heaven," v. 1). This second volume includes the disciples to witness even more post-resurrection events, so as to do ministry with them throughout the ends of the earth. Again, God remains faithful to God's promises to Israel.
Another textual issue that has been raised is the manner in which Jesus is taken on Ascension Day. Was Jesus taken "up" into the clouds in a way to defy gravity? Not many clergy I know wish to get into a "cosmology" discussion on this day, as the parishioners would be distracted from the main theme of continuing the work of the kingdom. Ernst Haenchen advances a textual variant of Codex Bezea (D), suggesting that Jesus was "enveloped" into the clouds rather than taken up. This view also argues that Moses and Elijah were also "enveloped" on the Mount of Transfiguration instead of taken "up" into the clouds. A variation of this view is that Jesus was taken into a whirlwind like Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11. The bottom line here is to bring assurance that God is still very much active in Jesus and the ministry of the disciples. This is a recurring theme in Acts.
Other observations about this text include that the two men in white apparel are usually regarded as angels. Also, there is a forty-day period before this event. Luke wants to stake out the new way Christians are to live in the world after Jesus is gone and the second coming has yet to occur. This is a text for those who see many changes in their lives and will have to prepare to remain for the long haul. This could occur on the job, school, community, or conditions some magazines call "the new normal." God is still at work. God is still bringing in the kingdom he began back in the Hebrew Bible. [Sources: Ernst Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary (Westminster Press, 1971); Ben Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998)]
Ephesians 1:15-23
Ephesians is a general epistle, meaning it is written to several congregations. The authorship is contested. If one can accept that the contents are written to Christians in any time of challenge that comes with changes, authorship questions do not need to be a major concern. "Paul" will be the name used here. This text is divided into three parts: 1) Ephesians 1:15-16 is a praise or thanksgiving; 2) 1:17-19 continues with an intercession; and 3) 1:20-23 affirms the enthronement of Christ, which is probably why it is selected for Ascension Day. Paul believes the audience still needs to grow in maturity of faith in order to live a long-term faith in Jesus as Christ while the fervor of the second coming declines.
Paul praises the Ephesians because they have their faith in the Lord Jesus. They also demonstrate a love for the saints or fellow Christians. Though he has no firsthand knowledge of this church's faith practices, he has heard much about them. In the next section, he prays for God to give these Christians a spirit of wisdom. This wisdom is a direct revelation from Jesus the risen Christ, not of "intellectual wisdom" which was popular in Gnostic and Greek philosophical circles. Ephesians 1:18 is known as either a baptismal or catechetical confession "so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints." In preaching, this could be applied as it fits with a given church [doctrinal] position. It is what the early Christian church believed about Jesus the risen Christ. What are the "hopes" people are anticipating these days?
The knowledge that is sought is one of the word power (dunamis, where we get dynamite), which is used twice in 1:19. This is also an affirmation that God still has dominion or power over all of creation. This applies to people who see much change in their lives and wonder "Who is in charge?" Paul in Ephesians would proclaim that God reigns and now Jesus sits at the right hand of "heavenly palaces."
Another connection is a church confession toward that of the Apostles' Creed, which reads: "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead." Such a creedal statement could also find its support in Ascension Sunday texts such as Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:44-53. All things are under this risen Christ. He is the one who elected the people of faith in Ephesians 1:4-6. This theme occurs again as a means to affirm that not only God but also Christ is firmly in power and wishes to grant Christians a power revealed in Christ. The eternal inheritance is still in place for believers, as mentioned earlier in Ephesians 1.
Connecting this text to a modern situation, Christians who allow God to reveal himself through the risen Christ and love the fellowship of believers have a power that many unbelievers in the world lack. People of faith need not be as frightened of tectonic moves in the landscape around them. Paul prays for all Christians to pursue an even deeper understanding of this Jesus who has ascended at the right hand of heavenly places. Regardless of one's view of the galaxy or their cosmology, Paul in Ephesians uses the monarchial enthronement language to assure believers of all times that God and Christ remain above all change, disruption, and unpredictable events in life. Christians are not left without power. Christ fills his body or the church with more revelation. All Christians can go to bed at night with the confidence that "[we] may know what is the hope to which he has called [us]" (1:18). [Source: Walter F. Taylor and John H.P. Reumann, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Ephesians and Colossians (Augsburg Fortress, 1985)]
Luke 24:44-53
Is God still active in our lives and communities in the 21st century? For Luke 24, there is a resounding "Yes!" The promises of God have not failed. The Messiah has been exalted and has commissioned his disciples to carry on the mission of the kingdom. This text drives forward a mission for the church at all times. God has kept his promises in the scriptures of that time (which were the five books of Moses, Daniel, the prophets, and the writings, which include Psalms). What was Israel's problem that kept them in exile? According to Luke as he reads Isaiah, "sin" is what separates humans from God. So forgiveness is a major part of Luke's policy for the kingdom of God. God has forgiven Israel's sins, as Isaiah 40:2 writes. Later in Isaiah 49:6, Israel's greatest blessing is to be a light to all nations. This mission is beyond simply returning from exile. Luke has read all of Isaiah 40-55 and sees Jesus the risen messiah as a perfect "fit" for these prophecies, as one would try on a glove. For Luke a summary of the Hebrew scripture is "thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day" (v. 46).
Jesus commissions and blesses the disciples. He was "carried up to heaven," and the disciples went to the Jerusalem Temple to bless God. (Note that they did not tear down the temple and build a new high-tech megachurch.) The text anticipates the Acts 1 Ascension story, where Luke will elaborate further on these events. Suffice it to say that Luke responds to those who ask "Where is God today?" He suggests that God is with the risen Jesus who commissions the disciples to carry out the mission of seeking and saving the lost and offering forgiveness (Luke 19:10; 24:7). This text assumes that "sin" is what separates humans from God and God's will. In a media-driven commercial world, "sin" is often cast as simply being "naughty" and is followed with a smile and wink of the eye. Whereas the people of the Bible associated "sin" with acts that point to loss of life, death, and suffering for poor choices made by others or the person themselves. The good news is that God is gracious and forgiving. Christ has risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father as the creed says. [Source: David L. Tiede, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Luke (Augsburg Fortress, 1988)]
Application
Has anybody ever felt that some strong personality, visionary person has started a mission or project, then moved on and we are left "holding the bag"? If so, how closely do we follow the original blueprint, and when and where does the "spirit" permit us to adapt as situations change? For instance, matriarchs and patriarchs of a given church did not think air conditioning was necessary in the building. There were shaded trees around the building and summer is only three months. Fast forward a couple decades later, and the trees are all chopped down compliments of new town ordinances. The months of May and September grow increasingly warmer with time. Is it time to rethink the air conditioning decision? There are many decisions that have been made in the past as others have moved on or died. But their spirit of being practical, wanting to be open to worshipers, and cost effectiveness remains. This would imply new life for this church. Otherwise, the community of faith could evaporate with the passing of the current generation. What now after the founder or original owner is gone? This might be one way to create a sermon on this Sunday.
In times when people are ambivalent about whether they want to give up privacy for safety, do we want traffic cameras photographing every yellow light we run or every quick stop and right turn we make? Then again, does one want cameras at public places where quite often robbers have been identified, caught, or partially thwarted? Do we really want a God who sits up on a throne and watches over us? If so, do we want this God to take action and when do we want this to occur?
An Alternative Application
Unlike Mark's gospel, Luke does not see the city of Jerusalem or the temple as a "bad place." Luke's gospel begins there and ends at Jerusalem in this chapter. Christians today might want to revisit some of the old religious symbols, icons, and objects that they have discarded as "relics" of the past. The temple can be a good place to find God. Some congregations do have older buildings that are no longer in use due to advances in building construction. But the Spirit could still be present. The old King James Bible of the ancestors that is gathering dust could still contain some notes, citations, and marks that indicate the core values of the ancestors. "Voices from the Past" could be a good sermon title to capture certain realities that God still speaks through older traditions, icons, and symbols. One congregation even did a "throwback Sunday" where the pastor and church wore 1960s clothes during worship and used the older hymnals. [Source: Mark A. Powell, Fortress Introduction to the Gospels (Augsburg Fortress Press, 1998)]
Acts 1:1-11
In this text, the Ascension is the anticipatory event that occurred on the Mount of Olives to prepare for the later Pentecost event, where the church received the Holy Spirit. In this sense, it is a transitional text. Only Luke-Acts records this particular event. Acts 1:6-11 magnifies the event that is reported in Luke 24:4. Similar to other post-Easter events, this occurs closer to Jerusalem. Luke had anticipated this in Luke 9:51. Luke emphasizes the manner in which Jesus would return for purposes of redirecting the conversation often asked about "When will the parousia, second coming arrive?"
There is some biblical precedent for this Ascension event in 2 Kings 2:11, where Elijah was taken up into a whirlwind on a chariot with horses and fire. The mantle of the prophet's mission was passed on to Elisha (2 Kings 2:8). If one wants to pursue this theme of being taken up in further detail, some writers defer to Daniel 7:13-14. Also, Genesis 2:21-24 reports that Enoch, the father of Methuselah was taken by God (Enoch was 365 years old!). However, a mission continued which God has initiated.
Luke-Acts has the overarching agenda to remind a second generation of Christians that the sovereign God of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is still working in their midst. God continues the work of the kingdom through the commissioning of these disciples, who are present at this event. They are to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and through all of the earth. This is the accent of the kingdom discussion in Luke's theology (remember, for Luke Jesus came to "seek and save the lost" [Luke 19:10]). The purpose of the text and event is bringing assurance that God works through this community of disciples as a way of fulfilling (not surperseding) his promises to Israel. God works through Jesus as the risen Lord. Jesus now works through the disciples, who are to be empowered by his Holy Spirit (Acts 2). Jesus will return one day, but now is the time to continue with Jesus' ministry. John 14-17 also presupposes this event.
A couple of traditional textual issues include the question: "Are there two ascensions located in Luke 24:50-53, then this event in Acts 1:6-11?" Today most scholars seem to agree that the Acts 1 account is an expansion of Luke 24. This assumes the same author and audience for both volumes of Luke-Acts. This view is strengthened when the author of Acts writes a very brief summation of the intention of the first volume ("I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up into heaven," v. 1). This second volume includes the disciples to witness even more post-resurrection events, so as to do ministry with them throughout the ends of the earth. Again, God remains faithful to God's promises to Israel.
Another textual issue that has been raised is the manner in which Jesus is taken on Ascension Day. Was Jesus taken "up" into the clouds in a way to defy gravity? Not many clergy I know wish to get into a "cosmology" discussion on this day, as the parishioners would be distracted from the main theme of continuing the work of the kingdom. Ernst Haenchen advances a textual variant of Codex Bezea (D), suggesting that Jesus was "enveloped" into the clouds rather than taken up. This view also argues that Moses and Elijah were also "enveloped" on the Mount of Transfiguration instead of taken "up" into the clouds. A variation of this view is that Jesus was taken into a whirlwind like Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11. The bottom line here is to bring assurance that God is still very much active in Jesus and the ministry of the disciples. This is a recurring theme in Acts.
Other observations about this text include that the two men in white apparel are usually regarded as angels. Also, there is a forty-day period before this event. Luke wants to stake out the new way Christians are to live in the world after Jesus is gone and the second coming has yet to occur. This is a text for those who see many changes in their lives and will have to prepare to remain for the long haul. This could occur on the job, school, community, or conditions some magazines call "the new normal." God is still at work. God is still bringing in the kingdom he began back in the Hebrew Bible. [Sources: Ernst Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles: A Commentary (Westminster Press, 1971); Ben Witherington, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998)]
Ephesians 1:15-23
Ephesians is a general epistle, meaning it is written to several congregations. The authorship is contested. If one can accept that the contents are written to Christians in any time of challenge that comes with changes, authorship questions do not need to be a major concern. "Paul" will be the name used here. This text is divided into three parts: 1) Ephesians 1:15-16 is a praise or thanksgiving; 2) 1:17-19 continues with an intercession; and 3) 1:20-23 affirms the enthronement of Christ, which is probably why it is selected for Ascension Day. Paul believes the audience still needs to grow in maturity of faith in order to live a long-term faith in Jesus as Christ while the fervor of the second coming declines.
Paul praises the Ephesians because they have their faith in the Lord Jesus. They also demonstrate a love for the saints or fellow Christians. Though he has no firsthand knowledge of this church's faith practices, he has heard much about them. In the next section, he prays for God to give these Christians a spirit of wisdom. This wisdom is a direct revelation from Jesus the risen Christ, not of "intellectual wisdom" which was popular in Gnostic and Greek philosophical circles. Ephesians 1:18 is known as either a baptismal or catechetical confession "so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints." In preaching, this could be applied as it fits with a given church [doctrinal] position. It is what the early Christian church believed about Jesus the risen Christ. What are the "hopes" people are anticipating these days?
The knowledge that is sought is one of the word power (dunamis, where we get dynamite), which is used twice in 1:19. This is also an affirmation that God still has dominion or power over all of creation. This applies to people who see much change in their lives and wonder "Who is in charge?" Paul in Ephesians would proclaim that God reigns and now Jesus sits at the right hand of "heavenly palaces."
Another connection is a church confession toward that of the Apostles' Creed, which reads: "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come to judge the living and the dead." Such a creedal statement could also find its support in Ascension Sunday texts such as Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:44-53. All things are under this risen Christ. He is the one who elected the people of faith in Ephesians 1:4-6. This theme occurs again as a means to affirm that not only God but also Christ is firmly in power and wishes to grant Christians a power revealed in Christ. The eternal inheritance is still in place for believers, as mentioned earlier in Ephesians 1.
Connecting this text to a modern situation, Christians who allow God to reveal himself through the risen Christ and love the fellowship of believers have a power that many unbelievers in the world lack. People of faith need not be as frightened of tectonic moves in the landscape around them. Paul prays for all Christians to pursue an even deeper understanding of this Jesus who has ascended at the right hand of heavenly places. Regardless of one's view of the galaxy or their cosmology, Paul in Ephesians uses the monarchial enthronement language to assure believers of all times that God and Christ remain above all change, disruption, and unpredictable events in life. Christians are not left without power. Christ fills his body or the church with more revelation. All Christians can go to bed at night with the confidence that "[we] may know what is the hope to which he has called [us]" (1:18). [Source: Walter F. Taylor and John H.P. Reumann, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Ephesians and Colossians (Augsburg Fortress, 1985)]
Luke 24:44-53
Is God still active in our lives and communities in the 21st century? For Luke 24, there is a resounding "Yes!" The promises of God have not failed. The Messiah has been exalted and has commissioned his disciples to carry on the mission of the kingdom. This text drives forward a mission for the church at all times. God has kept his promises in the scriptures of that time (which were the five books of Moses, Daniel, the prophets, and the writings, which include Psalms). What was Israel's problem that kept them in exile? According to Luke as he reads Isaiah, "sin" is what separates humans from God. So forgiveness is a major part of Luke's policy for the kingdom of God. God has forgiven Israel's sins, as Isaiah 40:2 writes. Later in Isaiah 49:6, Israel's greatest blessing is to be a light to all nations. This mission is beyond simply returning from exile. Luke has read all of Isaiah 40-55 and sees Jesus the risen messiah as a perfect "fit" for these prophecies, as one would try on a glove. For Luke a summary of the Hebrew scripture is "thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day" (v. 46).
Jesus commissions and blesses the disciples. He was "carried up to heaven," and the disciples went to the Jerusalem Temple to bless God. (Note that they did not tear down the temple and build a new high-tech megachurch.) The text anticipates the Acts 1 Ascension story, where Luke will elaborate further on these events. Suffice it to say that Luke responds to those who ask "Where is God today?" He suggests that God is with the risen Jesus who commissions the disciples to carry out the mission of seeking and saving the lost and offering forgiveness (Luke 19:10; 24:7). This text assumes that "sin" is what separates humans from God and God's will. In a media-driven commercial world, "sin" is often cast as simply being "naughty" and is followed with a smile and wink of the eye. Whereas the people of the Bible associated "sin" with acts that point to loss of life, death, and suffering for poor choices made by others or the person themselves. The good news is that God is gracious and forgiving. Christ has risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father as the creed says. [Source: David L. Tiede, Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament: Luke (Augsburg Fortress, 1988)]
Application
Has anybody ever felt that some strong personality, visionary person has started a mission or project, then moved on and we are left "holding the bag"? If so, how closely do we follow the original blueprint, and when and where does the "spirit" permit us to adapt as situations change? For instance, matriarchs and patriarchs of a given church did not think air conditioning was necessary in the building. There were shaded trees around the building and summer is only three months. Fast forward a couple decades later, and the trees are all chopped down compliments of new town ordinances. The months of May and September grow increasingly warmer with time. Is it time to rethink the air conditioning decision? There are many decisions that have been made in the past as others have moved on or died. But their spirit of being practical, wanting to be open to worshipers, and cost effectiveness remains. This would imply new life for this church. Otherwise, the community of faith could evaporate with the passing of the current generation. What now after the founder or original owner is gone? This might be one way to create a sermon on this Sunday.
In times when people are ambivalent about whether they want to give up privacy for safety, do we want traffic cameras photographing every yellow light we run or every quick stop and right turn we make? Then again, does one want cameras at public places where quite often robbers have been identified, caught, or partially thwarted? Do we really want a God who sits up on a throne and watches over us? If so, do we want this God to take action and when do we want this to occur?
An Alternative Application
Unlike Mark's gospel, Luke does not see the city of Jerusalem or the temple as a "bad place." Luke's gospel begins there and ends at Jerusalem in this chapter. Christians today might want to revisit some of the old religious symbols, icons, and objects that they have discarded as "relics" of the past. The temple can be a good place to find God. Some congregations do have older buildings that are no longer in use due to advances in building construction. But the Spirit could still be present. The old King James Bible of the ancestors that is gathering dust could still contain some notes, citations, and marks that indicate the core values of the ancestors. "Voices from the Past" could be a good sermon title to capture certain realities that God still speaks through older traditions, icons, and symbols. One congregation even did a "throwback Sunday" where the pastor and church wore 1960s clothes during worship and used the older hymnals. [Source: Mark A. Powell, Fortress Introduction to the Gospels (Augsburg Fortress Press, 1998)]
