A Sermon for Ascension Sunday (Luke 24:44-53)
As we gather today in the afterglow of Easter, we do
so with an awareness of the greatest story ever told: the story of Jesus’ life,
ministry, and teachings found in the New Testament gospels. Luke’s gospel is
rich with stories that help form our faith.
In fact it could be called the alpha and omega gospel, one that begins
with Jesus’ birth and ends with his resurrection and final words of
encouragement and instruction to his disciples. Luke’s gospel begins with the
story of Jesus’ birth. Our observance of
Christmas would be so much different if he had not included this magnificent
story found only in this gospel. Luke also includes many wonderful parables
that offer insights for Christian living.
He concludes his gospel account of Jesus’ life teachings, death and
resurrection, and offers an account of Jesus’ final instructions and ascension.
As Christians we understand how Jesus as the resurrected
Messiah transformed the lives of his disciples of his day and our lives today. Today as we prepare to celebrate communion we
will recall once again what Jesus did and said in the upper room. The disciples heard unexpected words coming
from Jesus the night they gathered to celebrate the Passover. Jesus told them that his time with them was
nearing an end. Yet they were unable to
comprehend the meaning of his words and actions that night. They learned that one of them would betray
their Master, and they were puzzled not only by why but who would do so such a
thing. They cringed in the garden when
the Roman soldiers came and arrested Jesus and took him away. They soon learned of a speedy trial, and the
sentence that Jesus was to be crucified as a common criminal. They hid out of fear that they might also be tortured
and persecuted for being his followers. With
his crucifixion on the cross, they were utterly confused and lost. They could
not understand why the one they had followed and called teacher and Lord, and whom
they believed to be the promised Messiah could have has his life end so
tragically. After his death they didn’t
know what they would do without Jesus.
No doubt many questions went through their minds as they tried to
determine what to do without Jesus’ guidance.
And then, they experienced the resurrected Lord.
Yes, we know the story. The scriptures offer us several different
accounts of the resurrected Jesus appearing to his disciples, offering them
renewed hope and the assurance of God’s power and love.
Most of us have celebrated Easter many times. And Easter Sunday comes and goes, and we go on
with our lives. But Luke isn’t content
with simply telling the story of Jesus’ life, teachings, death and resurrection. He wanted us to understand the rest of the
story. He wants us to know that we are
called to live as Easter people. So he concluded his gospel with some final
words from the resurrected Christ of faith.
Our scripture reading on this Ascension Sunday records the mystery of
what happened on that day when Jesus’ disciples gathered with the risen Lord
for the final time. Among his last words
to his disciples were: “You are my witnesses.” What did he mean? To answer that question we must understand how
the term witness is defined. Our understanding
is often limited to a legal term used in a court system. A witness is defined as someone who has knowledge relevant to an event
or other matter of interest and who can bear testimony to what one knows or
experienced. In a court of law, the
witness often will determine the outcome of a trial and impact on another person’s
life.
An interesting development takes place as the word witness is used in the New Testament. The noun that means "one who bears witness" is used 24 times, first referred to as those who were witnesses to the earthly experiences and resurrection facts about Jesus.They spoke about these facts from personal knowledge. At first the term witness was restricted to the twelve apostles who, through first-hand knowledge, could bear witness to the facts of Jesus life, teachings, and who had actually experienced his resurrection appearances. In fact,the entire written gospel of John assumes the character of a witness as evidenced by his words in passages like John 21:24: "This is the disciple who is bearing witness concerning these things and has written these things, and we know that his witness is true." However, as the message of Christianity spread through the apostles and others heard the gospel and accepted its life-changing message, they too, became "witnesses" to the faith. And Christianity grew and spread to other areas, in part because of the faithful witness of the Apostle Paul and his missionary journeys.
So what does it mean for us who claim to be
Christians to be a witness? It doesn’t mean
having to be a missionary, evangelist or a preacher. In simplest terms, it means living in such a
way that others can see Christ at work in our lives. It means continuing the
work that Christ began. It means sharing the difference
accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior has meant in your life. In the words of the Apostle Paul it means
being able to affirm, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives within
me.” (Gal.2:20) Jesus expressed what it
means to be his witness in this simple way: “Let your light
shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to
your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
Before coming to Bon Air as pastor, I served Monumental
UM Church in Portsmouth. One year we developed
a major outreach campaign that included bumper stickers and buttons. One Sunday
every member attending church was given a button that read: “Let me tell you a Monumental
story” and was asked to wear it. Weeks
later persons were asked to share experiences.
Kathryn, a faithful member, but a quiet introvert, shared her experience
while checking out at the grocery store. The bag boy noticed her button, which she
confessed she had forgotten was on her coat. So she was caught off guard when
the young man said to her: “Tell me a
monumental story.” She said the first thing
that came to her mind was a lesson she had learned as a child so she replied,
“Jesus loves you!” To which he responded, “I remember hearing that once a
longtime ago.” What difference did that brief encounter have in this young man’s
life? Was it a transformational moment? We
will never know. But perhaps the seed of
a basic truth was planted that caused him to reclaim the message. As disciples
we are given opportunities every day to plant and cultivate seeds of faith in
the lives of others.
Yes, Jesus called his disciples then and now to be
witnesses. And to insure that we can do
so, he offered a promise of God’s presence to strengthen us for the task. The
Holy Spirit continues to work in transforming lives and to empower disciples to
agents of transformation.
This time in the liturgical year between Easter and
Pentecost symbolizes the transformation that sent the apostles into the world
to continue what Jesus had begun. So, what
we celebrate on ascension Sunday is really the beginning of a new story, not
the end of an old one. As Easter people we continue to write a new chapter for our
time and generation by how we live and witness to our faith. Jesus gave us our marching orders the last
week of his earthly life: “Love one another
as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you
love one another.”
Easter people should ask themselves these questions every
day: How can others see the resurrected
Christ at work in my life? How does my
life bear witness to the resurrection faith?
More simply put, how can others see Jesus in me? This is the challenge we continue to face in
a world where Christianity is losing ground and influence, where church
membership is steadily declining in comparison to population growth, and where
the ways of the world are overpowering the ways of self-giving sacrificial love
taught by Christ.
In Matthew’s gospel, moments before his ascension,
Jesus told his followers exactly what they were to do: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” He
urged them to baptize, to teach, and to carry on the work that he had begun.
But his first word was direct and clear: “Go.” Act on what I have taught you, Jesus said. Put
my message of love into practice.
The account of the ascension in Acts offered another
challenge to the disciples, and to us.
After the apostles watched Jesus disappear into the clouds, two men
appeared. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing there looking at
the sky?” The apostles were not supposed to spend their time
staring nostalgically at the stars, awaiting Christ’s return. There was work to do. There was a world waiting to be converted. So,
they left the mountain, went into the city, and launched the greatest
missionary undertaking in human history.
Christ's word to them and to us is the same. It's a word of action" "Go." Go – help those in need. Go – pick up
those who have fallen. Go – tend to the heal those
who are hurting. Go – feed the hungry, visit the sick, clothe the naked. Go – offer hope to
those what are discouraged. Go
– love those who need love the most. Go – make more
disciples, so that the world can be transformed by God’s grace and love through
you.
So much of the world is in need of hearing the good
news – Christ’s message of hope, redemption, and resurrection – and to understand why all that matters. So many need to hear and understand what it
means to be a disciple of Christ, and experience the transforming and
healing power of God’s love.
The question for us who have received and accepted the
message is this: How will we witness to the
good news of the gospel to those we meet today and every day? May we search our hearts and find answers to
that question as we seek to live as Easter people.
