Easter People

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.