Have you ever started a project and felt like giving up? Maybe you’ve been enthused to start a jigsaw puzzle and you get all the border pieces together but then all the centre pieces look the same so you just give up or lose interest. Or maybe you’ve started a health kick and the temptations of that comfort food – or the wet weather gives you an excuse to not exercise. By now most New Year’s Resolutions have been unfulfilled.
The Ascension today is about Jesus fulfilling what he came to do. Despite the suffering and humiliation he kept going and didn’t give up when many others would have. In fact, God’s plan began much earlier than Jesus’ birth but right back at creation when it is believed God prophesied the coming of a Saviour when God said to the serpent: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
It is believed that God is prophesying the birth of Christ coming to end Satan’s power and authority on earth through the offspring of a woman – Jesus born of Mary. So even though it has taken thousands of years to bring this plan to fulfilment God persisted and didn’t give up. Even though God at various times showed frustration: At the flood, in Noah’s time, God said he regretted ever creating human beings. On occasions he told Moses he was going to eradicate all the stiff-necked Israelites and start again with Moses. He cast them out of his sight from the Promised Land and into exile but brought them back after 70 years of heartache watching their misery.
So as Jesus is about to ascend Jesus said to his disciples, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you– that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. The birth, death, resurrection and ascension are all part of that fulfillment of God’s plan spoken from the beginning of creation and God never gave up despite humanity constantly rejecting him. In fact, Paul says that it was God’s love for us that overcame that rejection when God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The ascension of Jesus marks the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the beginning of a new era for humanity which is the fulfilment of God’s masterplan for humanity. But we can imagine the emotions on that day as Jesus stood before his disciples, promising them that he would return to Heaven and send the Holy Spirit to empower them to proclaim the good news throughout the world. The disciples had walked with Jesus for three years, but they were not yet fully equipped or confident to carry on his mission. However, Jesus reassured them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth – and the Helper, the Holy Spirit would be with them.
As Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples stood there in amazement, gazing up at the sky. But as they stood there, two angels appeared to them and asked them why they were looking up at the sky. The angels reminded them that Jesus would return in the same way that he had ascended into Heaven. Until then they needed to go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth: Why these 4 places?
Jerusalem was their home. Likewise Jesus sends us to our homes. Our earthly homes and our spiritual homes – the church. Live out your faith with your households. Learn to love – to forgive – to serve – with those who are closest. Then once you have practiced and perfected – go to your neighbours – your Judea. Your work – your schools – your sports – your local community. Example your faith there – love, forgive, serve, And as Peter said – always be prepared to give the reason for the hope you have. Then we are challenged to go to our Samaria. Stretch your comfort zone – love your enemies – turn the other cheek. Make the first move to reconcile with someone with whom you have become estranged. Love them – forgive them – seek forgiveness – serve them. And then to the ends of the earth. One of the great blessings of Covid has been this last move by churches including our own. Taking the Gospel outside our 4 walls by livestreams – recordings – and the like. Invite your friends to watch the videos. Share them on your social media pages. Send links to your friends – hey check this out it really spoke to me. It’s so much easier and less confronting that inviting them to church where they know nobody.
As much as we would love Jesus to return today and take us away from our earthly woes, our task has not been fulfilled – to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. And we are not to give up like a thousand piece jigsaw of a blue sky where it seems impossible and complete the mission Jesus has sent us to do. The ascension began a new era for Christianity for us, as the Holy Spirit empowers us to continue Jesus’ mission of proclaiming the good news of salvation and bringing God’s Kingdom to earth. And remember what Jesus said a couple weeks ago: In John chapter 14 Jesus said: Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. The Ascension empowers us to do even greater things than Jesus in his earthly ministry. Jesus’ words, not mine!
As we reflect on the ascension of Jesus, let us remember that we are called to be his witnesses in the world. We are called to spread the message of hope and love to all those around us and to be a light in the darkness and a voice of compassion in a world that desperately needs it. May we be inspired by the example of the disciples who, after experiencing the ascension of Jesus, were filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to fulfil Jesus’ mission. Let us also be filled with the Holy Spirit and be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ in the world today to the ends of the earth.
It might sound daunting – it might sound like it’s out of your ability but Jesus said also in John chapter 14 – I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. Let us ask Jesus to give us the strength, courage and the words and actions to be his light to those around us to the ends of the earth. We have the Gospel with us today because the eye witness of those 40 days Jesus walked the earth shared the Good News with others. May we, too, ensure future generations of this Good News by continue to share the gospel to the ends of the earth.
