Text: Acts 1: 1-11
They happen all the time. Homecomings. You see families at the airport reunited. You see them returning in uniform to their loved ones. Homecomings. Last year, those world class littleleaguers in Petaluma were welcomed home with a parade.
Well today we celebrate another homecoming. Forty days after Jesus rose from the grave, he took his disciples out to the Mount of Olives. There just outside Jerusalem, he ascended before them into heaven.
Now of course, here Luke describes Jesus’ departure, not his arrival. Jesus held up his hands in blessing and he was taken up as a cloud hid him from their sight. But instead of standing on that hill this morning, imagine something else. Imagine that you and I were in heaven when Jesus arrived. Just imagine the reception by God’s holy angels.
Yet I have to think their joy could not compare with someone like that thief on the cross, who had prayed to Jesus, remember me. Just think of the homecoming he must have given Jesus. He and other sinners like you and me, saved by grace. It makes me think of the words of the psalm: God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets (47:5). So this morning we celebrate a homecoming:
CHRIST HIGH ASCENDED, NOW IN GLORY SEATED
I. Look to the heavens
II. Look to the purpose he’s given us
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Gal 4:4,5) When Jesus came, he said: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what is lost. (Luke 19:10) He said: The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. (Mk 10:45)
This is the purpose for which the eternal Son of God became a man. He came to redeem us, to pay the price to set us free by giving his life for each of us here.
Can I depend on that? Can I trust that he is my Savior from my many sins and death? When I served in the Coast Guard, I occasion ally had to board big ships in the harbor. To get aboard I would climb a long rope ladder. But you had to be careful/ Sometimes the rungs on that ladder would rot. So I was taught never to put all my weight on any one rung. Otherwise I might fall and get badly injured.
Is Jesus like that rung? Is he someone that we rest only some of our trust for fear this all a bunch of foolishness? That question is answered here: 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Then came this day where Jesus taken up before their very eyes. So look to the heavens and know. You can stake your eternal life on this one called Jesus. He is risen and now high ascended. So look to the heavens.
For there he ascended to rule as King. Now that might sound pretty unlikely when we think back a few months to Good Friday. The only crown that Jesus wore was made out of thorns. How could this one be a King. They made him a laughing stock and cruelly derided him. Hail King of the Jews they said.
But look to the heavens and remember what Jesus is now. Christ, high ascended, now in glory seated. For what does God’s Word tell us? 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, (Eph 1) For the church. That’s you and me his people, people whose hearts look to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Christ rules all things for your eternal good. And I know sometimes it may not seem to be the case. There are countless Christians being driving out of their land in Africa and the Mideast. Our lives may take a turn that we would never choose. But look to the heavens and know. One day it will all make sense.
And what day is that? The day which these angels described. This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” What is our hope as God’s people? At times, our hopes can be pretty shallow, even mistaken. Look at Jesus’ apostles. They were still looking for Jesus to bring back the glory days of Israel. What a cheap substitute for the hope that Jesus gives!
And that’s why we need to keep looking to the skies. For when it comes down to it, this world is perishing. So this is no place to put our hope. Instead we need to keep reminding each other. We need to look to him who has gone before us and promised: I am going to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place, I will come back to take you to be with me…
But standing on that Mount of Olives with Jesus’ apostles we learn something else from those two angels dressed in white. As Jesus ascended, the apostles just stood there gazing up. The angels brought their thoughts back to earth. There’s work to be done. People to be loved. Children to be raised. A living gospel to share with this dying world. So as we look to the heavens and remember we have an ascended Lord and Savior, look there with hope. But also look at your life here and now. Look at the purpose he has given us.
Often when we’re young, we feel a strong desire to make a difference. We want to look at our lives and see some noble, giving purpose rather than just making money and having fun. And today is day where we honor the noble and loving purpose of being a Christian mother. God raises that purpose up before us when he commands us: Honor your father and mother. So many of his blessings have come to us through our parents. Parenting and raising up children in the Lord is a noble purpose.
Well Jesus gave his apostles that kind of purpose for their lives. You will be my witnesses, he told them. They were to bring the saving name of Jesus to people for whom Jesus lived and died. That’s everyone.
And we can only marvel. We can only marvel at what Jesus did through these eleven quite ordinary men. If you and I wanted to start a great movement, I don’t think we would put these folks at the top of our list. Poor fishermen, a tax collector, the bottom of the barrel. Yet they were to be Jesus’ witnesses. They were to take up that noble purpose of pointing dying sinners to the One, the only One who brings forgiveness and life.
But it’s obvious this purpose was not just for them. They were certainly unique. They had spent three years with Jesus. They had seen his miracles. Then they saw him risen. They were uniquely called to be apostles. Those sent by Jesus.
But we are all his witnesses. Each of us knows the truth of the gospel which the Holy Spirit has inspired to be written down for us. Each of us knows the good news of Jesus which the Spirit has planted in our hearts. Each of us knows the forgiveness that set us free. So look to the purpose Christ has given each one of us. It is a purpose you can live out wherever you are, whatever you do with your life. To be his witness. How does Jesus put it? You are the light of the world.
But have you ever been given an assignment you didn’t feel qualified for? I feel that way every time the police dispatch me as a chaplain to someone’s home to tell them what we never want to hear about a loved one. Well imagine these apostles looking up into the sky. We’re now supposed to do what? Yet Jesus did not just throw them the keys and leave. He promised to equip them for that purpose. He promised that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And Jesus tells us here what that meant. You will receive power. A power that gave them the courage to witness when it would cost them their own lives. A power to sometimes heal the sick and raise the dead in the name of Jesus. That powered their witness.
But the Spirit would also give them a power and ability that would make all the difference for us. Do you know what I’m talking about? The Holy Spirit used these men to write this down for us. Not a vague recollection, not man’s word about God. But the very things that Jesus said and did for us all. And now you I and have this Word so we too can carry out this noble purpose. You will be my witnesses.
So look to the heavens. Christ high ascended. Think of the hope you have in him. But then look to the purpose he’s given you and me. To be his witnesses. Amen.