He ascended into Heaven.
Welcome to OnMission.
Today we stand on Olivet – the Mount of Olives – near the gardens and olive groves where Jesus taught, prayed and rested. Again today we can say, He is not here.
Since the resurrection, He revealed Himself fully, physically, and biologically alive to hundreds of people - He is risen.
Then, He gathered His disciples together here on Olivet, and as He ascended into Heaven resuming His place within the eternal majesty and glory of God, He blessed them, encouraged them and sent them on mission into the world to bear witness of all He said and did – He sent to proclaim the good news of great joy to all people.
From Olivet, that truth has radiated out transforming individuals, families, communities and countries.
The miracle revealed in the very existence and persistence of the true Church that began here on Olivet that day is truly an ongoing miracle of God’s Grace.
So now, as we turn now to hear God’s Word and contemplate the implications of the ascended Jesus, let us pray:
Holy God, have mercy on us according to Your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy open our eyes to the Truth.
Give us eyes that see… help us understand the amazing Truth and the implications of this fact that Jesus is risen and is ascended to Heaven.
May only Your Truth be spoken and heard.
In the mighty Name of our risen Saviour and ascended Lord, we pray. Amen
Our Bible reading today is found in the Gospel inspired in Luke, chapter 24, verses 45 to 53
Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
And He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Now, here’s today’s message entitled, He ascended to Heaven.
Will you stand with me here today? From here on Olivet (some call this place the Mount of Olives) we can look out across the Kidron Valley toward Jerusalem.
There is the Mercy Gate and the Temple.
Beyond that are the upper room, Golgotha and the empty tomb where we have stood before.
Here on Olivet is the garden where Jesus was betrayed and abducted. Here they saw His overwhelming sorrow for what He would freely endure; so many would deny, abuse, betray and refuse Him … our sin grieves Him in ways beyond our comprehension … yes divine justice will be satisfied but didn’t Jesus show us that God’s justice embraces compassion and mercy within that satisfaction?
Remember Isaiah said “The LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion for you.
For the LORD is a God of justice.”[1]
Was this prophecy not seen as Jesus rose from the grave?
Did He return demanding vengeance, retribution and satisfaction for the denials, betrayals and His murder? No.
As He rose and revealed Himself alive we saw His Love thrive. We saw compassion. We saw mercy and forgiveness. We saw His perfect justice satisfied. We saw the nature of God revealed. Alive and among us He taught us the Way to be reconciled to God – He said His mercy and compassion await everyone who seeks Him. Repent. Draw near. This is His good news for all of us; God’s Kingdom welcomes every repentant sinner.
Yet still, He forces no one to turn from sin and live. How many times did He look with compassion on those who turned away and would not follow Him? How often did He weep at our unbelief?
Remember He said, “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already because He has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the Light and does not come to the Light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the Light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”[2]
Now we stand here on Olivet where the risen Jesus had gathered His apostles.[3] He commissioned them in their work. He sent them to go and teach everyone everywhere what He had taught them and to live Loving God and Loving His people. Then, before their very eyes, He ascended to Heaven and took His place in the glory of God.[4]
But here even as they filled with joy and praised God we must remember this is a bitter-sweet moment.
We will remember, that Jesus had told them that following Him would be difficult and even dangerous, “I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”[5] But even in the face of the suffering that would come, they were filled with the joy that comes only from knowing God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told His followers this commission would be emotionally painful, “a person's enemies will be those of his own household”[6] – those we know and love, our mothers and sons, our fathers and daughters would ridicule us and even turn against us because we follow Jesus. If anyone would follow Me, they will deny themselves and take up their cross.[7] Jesus said the Way that leads to life is not easy.[8]
And there it is – the reality of following Jesus here and now – today - for us - it is as if Jesus draws the line in the sand[9] asking: what do you worship? Who do you follow? Is it Me or something or someone else?
Is it your ambition and self-gratification or the incarnate One who rose from death reclaiming the life He freely laid down?
Is it the possessions you have and the things you covet or the One who has shown Himself alive though He was dead?
Is it your secret indulgences, trinkets and luxuries or the One who now rises into Heaven taking up all He once laid aside[10] because He so loved the world?[11]
Despite what many scholars and preachers say, Jesus is calling His followers out of the ways of human society, economy and culture and into His Way - a culture shaped in Christ - an economy reflecting Christ - a society flowing from Christ – a community focused on and reflecting Christ.[12]
This is a life and death choice, a “this way” and not “that way” decision, it is either or, all or nothing, make it or break it - one cannot walk in Light and still stand in darkness anymore than one can delight in Christ and still cling to sin. “No one can serve two masters.”[13]
And we must be fully aware, that if we follow Jesus we will stand contrary to the world around us because the world around us hates Jesus and will not accept His Way and His Truth. People in our lives are offended by Jesus; they turn away from His foolishness. It is sad and it hurts us deeply – we grieve for all who deny Jesus. But many will - it is a fact. Jesus said it will happen.
Fallen humanity cannot follow Jesus. Our collapsed and shattered nature is now hostile to God.[14]
Fallen humanity cannot bear to hear Jesus because He speaks the Truth – a Truth we cannot deny but so often, too often refuse to accept.[15]
What the Bible reveals about God and us is the last thing we want to hear – it’s the last thing we want to believe.
Do I want to be told:
that I am corrupted by sin? No.
that I do wrong? No.
that looking out for number one, putting me and mine first, doing what it takes to get ahead, having nice things, achieving and excelling economically accumulating as much wealth as possible condemns me before God? No.
that none are righteous - not even one? No.
that what I call love is really lust and idolatry? No.
that desiring anything before God is wrong? No.
that what I call mine is not really mine at all? No.
that I am not independent and self-made. That I cannot even save myself. No.
that I am condemned to hell and fully deserving of it. No.
that striving to be first places me last? No.
Why does this Jesus insist on contradicting my good opinion of myself? It is because He Loves us, but few will hear Love in any of this. Yet what is more Loving than saving a person from the clutches of eternal hell? Still, we are offended by this humiliating, serving, sacrificing, others ahead of me Jesus ethic - we cannot receive Truth because we refuse Him who speaks this Truth. Just as He said we would.[16]
We really do not want this Christ and His craziness; we certainly don’t want Him to rule and reign over us. It’s just not democratic – it’s not our way.[17]
We want what we choose, we want life our way - we want relationship with Him on our terms.
So when I am celebrated and encouraged to just do me, be my best me and be all I can be … when even my sin is called awesome and my depravity celebrated why on earth would I ever listen to Jesus and follow Him?
He and His Church are judgmental - they suck the oxygen out of my life with their negativity. Everyone knows these Jesus people are contrary and hateful - if they can’t get on board with the modern world, if they can’t keep up with the changing times and join the party, they should just get out of the way.
And there we have it. We cannot both follow and refuse Jesus - we cannot serve two masters - so which will it be?
He was perfectly honest with us.
“If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”[18] “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”[19] But they will hate you because they hate Me, “they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My Name.”[20]
“In the world, you will have tribulations/you will be hated by everyone because of Me. But take courage; I have overcome the world/the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.”[21]
The choice is there – is it Jesus’ Way or the other way?
Is this a difficult choice? It is when we don’t know Him?
This is why in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent and Easter we constantly challenged ourselves with the questions we asked:
who is this Jesus?
do we really know Him?
do we truly understand the consequences and implications, the costs, the trials and tribulations and the joy that comes with following Him?
At His birth, the angel spoke of the good news of great joy for all people[22] – yet the world does not receive Him in joy but rejects Him and hates Him. Why?
To start with, He will not be deceived and we cannot spin our own version of the truth.
Jesus speaks the only Truth.
He tells us the consequence of sin is death - this is non-negotiable - our conviction in sin is undeniable - His righteous judgement is obvious - our condemnation is fair … but we hate it. In stubborn hardhearted sin will not concede to the Truth – it is as He said, we love the darkness and we hate the Light.[23]
This all still begs the question … why would anyone invite the persecution flowing from culture, society and even friends and family upon themselves? Why would anyone suffer to tell people what those people absolutely refuse to hear? Why would anyone endure the persecution that comes from following Jesus instead of just blending in and accepting the cherished social norms and cultural expressions celebrated all around us?
So, why would anyone follow this countercultural antisocial Jesus?
The short answer is Love.
That day as Jesus ascended His followers saw Him for who He is.
They finally knew Him - they saw Him for who He truly is. That day they understood the immense sacrifices God made for them. That day they realized the cost of all God had endured among them. That day they recognized the sheer magnitude of God’s Love for His people. As Jesus ascended these realizations cascaded upon them.
Confronted by all this in the presence of Jesus’ infinite majesty and eternal glory, they finally Loved God with all that they are.
Anyone who has truly Loved another will know the sacrifices willingly made, the desire to serve, and the cost, pain and suffering endured for Love. And, anyone who has truly Loved will know the sheer joy that flows from Love… a joy that no darkness can dim.
Why would anyone follow this Jesus into the hatred and harm of this world?
Because of Love. The Love of God and the Love of His people.
They were first Loved by God and now they too would Love.[24] God Loves at great cost and now they too would learn the cost of Love.
Because of what was recognized, realized and received here on Olivet that day these disciples would go joyfully into the world, they would speak of Jesus and establish communities based on their Love of Jesus – communities knit together by Love and held together in compassion. As the Word of God radiated outward from Olivet this world would never be the same again.
That day those few remaining disciples freely laid down their lives and they earnestly took up the cross and because of Love, they followed Jesus.
That day they worshiped Jesus with great joy and were continually blessing God.[25]
Across the ages, from person to person, town to town and nation to nation the good news, the Gospel of Jesus would be spoken and received.
Because of what God revealed to us in that pivotal moment on Olivet, we stand here today before Him and all world as we confess that Jesus is God the Son, and full of joy we worship Him the One, true and living God.
Know that joy and feel that joy. Jesus is the good news of great joy for all people - when you finally know Him, you will go into all the world, at any cost proclaiming His Gospel - His good news.
From His birth to His ascension let us remember and give thanks for every moment Jesus spent among us.
Amen
Let us close by praying together the ancient creed that summarizes our understanding of God.
Hear it with an open heart and remember God’s great Love for us that is expressed by each moment declared in each statement of this creed – and let that Love fill you with great joy.[26] Let us pray:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, God the Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by God the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day, He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
from where He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Holy Universal/Catholic Church,
the communion of those who believe, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.
[1] Isaiah 30:18
[2] John 3:18-21
[3] See how them/they moves through Acts 1 and so associates them with the 120 mentioned in Acts 1:15
[5] Luke 10:3
[6] See Matthew 10:34-37
[7] See Matthew 10:38, 16:24, Luke 14:27
[8] Matthew 7:4, 13
[9] See this same image in John 8:1-11
[10] Philippians 2:6 see John 3:16, 10:1, 15:13
[11] John 3:16
[12] John 14:21, 15:19, 1 John 5:1-5, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 1:21-22. 3:2, 1 Peter 1:14
[13] Matthew 6:24
[14] Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14
[15] John 8:43
[16] John 14:17
[17] Luke 19:14
[18] John 8:31-32
[19] John 8:12
[20] Matthew 24:9, 10:17, 10:22, John 15:18-21
[21] Matthew 10:22, John 16:33
[22] Luke 2:10
[23] John 3:19, Jeremiah 9:6, Proverbs 2:13 cf John 8:12
[24] 1 John 4:19
[25] Luke 24:52-53
[26] Luke 2:10, Luke 24:52, Acts 8:8