"He Ascended Into Heaven"
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series VI, Cycle B
Object:
Familiar words. Churches have been repeating them for centuries in the Apostles' Creed:
I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
"He ascended...." Up, up, and away. It must have been a very strange sensation for those on the hillside. What was this? A magic show? Jesus suddenly levitating above them, disappearing into a cloud? Uh-huh. What's the trick? Was David Copperfield around there someplace? Okay. You can bring him back. Anyway, we have work to do. A kingdom to establish. Besides, we were not done talking. What did he mean, "John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit"? (v. 5). And what was that about, "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"? (v. 8). Come back, Jesus. The show is over. Come back. Jesus. Jesus? But he was gone.
One might figure that our friends would be depressed at Jesus' disappearance. After all, they had been on quite an emotional roller coaster. There were the good times traveling through the countryside for three years, the bad times of trial and torture that culminated at Calvary, the good times together once more following the resurrection, now, gone again. Who could blame them for being dejected? The record says, "A cloud hid him from their sight." The same cloud that led the children of Israel in the wilderness? Good Jews had long looked at clouds as symbolic of the presence of God. Perhaps that is why, instead of dismay and depression, in the other biblical account of the ascension in Luke's gospel (24:51-53), we find the disciples returning "to Jerusalem with great joy." Somehow, they understood that Jesus had simply gone home.
He had stated over and over again that this was the plan (cf. John 14:2, 12; 16:5, 28; 20:17). This was not, "Good-bye," but rather, "See you later." He had said, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also?" (John 14:2-3). This was not the end of their relationship with Jesus but a brand new beginning. Not a cause for despair but a case for delight!
In a unique way, their Lord and Savior was not less accessible but more. No longer would he be limited by space and time, but now would be available everywhere and any time by the presence of his Holy Spirit. Within just days and weeks, that pitiful band of beleaguered believers, which had hidden itself behind locked doors in fear for its life, stood boldly in the public arena and proclaimed the gospel of the crucified and risen Christ. It spread beyond Jerusalem, just as Jesus said, into Judea and Samaria and on to the ends of the earth. What a difference! It gave rise to the first confession of faith the church ever had: Jesus Christ is Lord! It is fleshed out by what churches repeat from week to week: "He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty." Glory!
The point of the whole matter, of course, is a reminder of who Jesus is -- not simply some ancient itinerant rabbi who taught timeless truths, not simply some helpful Hebrew healer who had remarkable power over disease and even death, not simply a compassionate, caring friend who reached out to those whom society rejected, but rather the God of all creation come to earth, incarnate in human flesh. Now it was time for his return to glory.
The early scribe who, blessed with divine wisdom, completed the Lord's Prayer for oral repetition by adding the resounding phrase, "for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory" knew what he was doing. It was the perfect touch. That scribe knew from the depths of his being, Jesus "ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty."
He deserved it. True, he wrote no books, composed no songs, drew no pictures, carved no statues, amassed no fortune, commanded no army, ruled no nation. And yet, he who never wrote a line has been made the hero of unnumbered volumes. He who never wrote a song has put music into the hearts of nameless multitudes. He who never established an institution is the foundation of the church that bears his name. He who refused the kingdoms of this world has become the Lord of millions. Yes, he whose shameful death scarcely produced a ripple on the pool of history in his day has become a mighty current in the vast ocean of the centuries since he died.1
There is something utterly unique with this king: instead of being draped with the trappings of an all-powerful potentate as he deserves, he reigns as a suffering servant. Our sovereign Lord is revealed in the one who walked the dusty roads of Palestine, who had no place to lay his head, who emptied himself in obedience all the way to the cross. That was not the end of the story, of course. Hallelujah -- he who died to be our Savior now lives to be our Lord. "He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty."
Do you believe it? Then it will make a difference in the way you live because what we believe determines how we behave. How do we behave in honoring such a cosmic king as Christ? A good start is by taking his instructions seriously. If you want a quick primer on acceptable behavior, take a fast trip through the Sermon on the Mount. Angry words, insulting words are out. Our sexual behavior will be in control. We will be honest in our business dealings. We will go above and beyond the call of duty in response to appeals for help. We will care for the welfare of, not only our neighbor, but our enemy as well. We will be religious, but not showy about it. Possessions will have their rightful place in our lives, not the be-all and end-all of existence. We will not be judgmental, but we will use good judgment. We will trust God to meet our needs. Of course, the gospels have lots more for us, but those should do to get us started. Is Jesus Christ your Lord? Good, then you will do your level best to do what he says.
Piece of cake, eh? Of course not. But we have the promise of his abiding presence to help us on our journey. This is, after all, our living Lord, the same one who "ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty." This is the one who is ultimately in charge, and that, my friend, is a wonderful word of hope for you or me or anyone who has ever been drenched in the storms of life. It is a word of hope for this old world that says, "the wrong shall fail, the right prevail."
____________
1. Mack Stokes quoted by James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988), p. 73.
I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
"He ascended...." Up, up, and away. It must have been a very strange sensation for those on the hillside. What was this? A magic show? Jesus suddenly levitating above them, disappearing into a cloud? Uh-huh. What's the trick? Was David Copperfield around there someplace? Okay. You can bring him back. Anyway, we have work to do. A kingdom to establish. Besides, we were not done talking. What did he mean, "John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit"? (v. 5). And what was that about, "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"? (v. 8). Come back, Jesus. The show is over. Come back. Jesus. Jesus? But he was gone.
One might figure that our friends would be depressed at Jesus' disappearance. After all, they had been on quite an emotional roller coaster. There were the good times traveling through the countryside for three years, the bad times of trial and torture that culminated at Calvary, the good times together once more following the resurrection, now, gone again. Who could blame them for being dejected? The record says, "A cloud hid him from their sight." The same cloud that led the children of Israel in the wilderness? Good Jews had long looked at clouds as symbolic of the presence of God. Perhaps that is why, instead of dismay and depression, in the other biblical account of the ascension in Luke's gospel (24:51-53), we find the disciples returning "to Jerusalem with great joy." Somehow, they understood that Jesus had simply gone home.
He had stated over and over again that this was the plan (cf. John 14:2, 12; 16:5, 28; 20:17). This was not, "Good-bye," but rather, "See you later." He had said, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also?" (John 14:2-3). This was not the end of their relationship with Jesus but a brand new beginning. Not a cause for despair but a case for delight!
In a unique way, their Lord and Savior was not less accessible but more. No longer would he be limited by space and time, but now would be available everywhere and any time by the presence of his Holy Spirit. Within just days and weeks, that pitiful band of beleaguered believers, which had hidden itself behind locked doors in fear for its life, stood boldly in the public arena and proclaimed the gospel of the crucified and risen Christ. It spread beyond Jerusalem, just as Jesus said, into Judea and Samaria and on to the ends of the earth. What a difference! It gave rise to the first confession of faith the church ever had: Jesus Christ is Lord! It is fleshed out by what churches repeat from week to week: "He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty." Glory!
The point of the whole matter, of course, is a reminder of who Jesus is -- not simply some ancient itinerant rabbi who taught timeless truths, not simply some helpful Hebrew healer who had remarkable power over disease and even death, not simply a compassionate, caring friend who reached out to those whom society rejected, but rather the God of all creation come to earth, incarnate in human flesh. Now it was time for his return to glory.
The early scribe who, blessed with divine wisdom, completed the Lord's Prayer for oral repetition by adding the resounding phrase, "for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory" knew what he was doing. It was the perfect touch. That scribe knew from the depths of his being, Jesus "ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty."
He deserved it. True, he wrote no books, composed no songs, drew no pictures, carved no statues, amassed no fortune, commanded no army, ruled no nation. And yet, he who never wrote a line has been made the hero of unnumbered volumes. He who never wrote a song has put music into the hearts of nameless multitudes. He who never established an institution is the foundation of the church that bears his name. He who refused the kingdoms of this world has become the Lord of millions. Yes, he whose shameful death scarcely produced a ripple on the pool of history in his day has become a mighty current in the vast ocean of the centuries since he died.1
There is something utterly unique with this king: instead of being draped with the trappings of an all-powerful potentate as he deserves, he reigns as a suffering servant. Our sovereign Lord is revealed in the one who walked the dusty roads of Palestine, who had no place to lay his head, who emptied himself in obedience all the way to the cross. That was not the end of the story, of course. Hallelujah -- he who died to be our Savior now lives to be our Lord. "He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty."
Do you believe it? Then it will make a difference in the way you live because what we believe determines how we behave. How do we behave in honoring such a cosmic king as Christ? A good start is by taking his instructions seriously. If you want a quick primer on acceptable behavior, take a fast trip through the Sermon on the Mount. Angry words, insulting words are out. Our sexual behavior will be in control. We will be honest in our business dealings. We will go above and beyond the call of duty in response to appeals for help. We will care for the welfare of, not only our neighbor, but our enemy as well. We will be religious, but not showy about it. Possessions will have their rightful place in our lives, not the be-all and end-all of existence. We will not be judgmental, but we will use good judgment. We will trust God to meet our needs. Of course, the gospels have lots more for us, but those should do to get us started. Is Jesus Christ your Lord? Good, then you will do your level best to do what he says.
Piece of cake, eh? Of course not. But we have the promise of his abiding presence to help us on our journey. This is, after all, our living Lord, the same one who "ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almighty." This is the one who is ultimately in charge, and that, my friend, is a wonderful word of hope for you or me or anyone who has ever been drenched in the storms of life. It is a word of hope for this old world that says, "the wrong shall fail, the right prevail."
____________
1. Mack Stokes quoted by James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988), p. 73.
