Acts 1:1-11
When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
What a strange story. . . The story we just heard sets the stage for the book of Acts, the book of the Bible that follows the four gospels of Jesus’ life and teachings. This story of Jesus’ ascension is the prelude in Acts, the book that tells us the unfolding narrative of how the Holy Spirit brings the church into being. And the ascension narrative is a strange story. . What an interesting prelude. . . I wonder why the author would start here.
But in another setting, the author also ended here with the story of Jesus’ ascension. Scholars tell us that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were written by the same person. The writer of Luke closes the gospel with the ascension narrative. And the very same writer sets the stage of Acts by telling the ascension story once again. Jesus’ ascension before his disciples is the hinge between both works, linking them together. A strange and puzzling story, for sure. . . But we human beings repeat things when they have special meaning to us or to our community. Clearly, this narrative is an important one.
But in another setting, the author also ended here with the story of Jesus’ ascension. Scholars tell us that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were written by the same person. The writer of Luke closes the gospel with the ascension narrative. And the very same writer sets the stage of Acts by telling the ascension story once again. Jesus’ ascension before his disciples is the hinge between both works, linking them together. A strange and puzzling story, for sure. . . But we human beings repeat things when they have special meaning to us or to our community. Clearly, this narrative is an important one.
So why is it so strange? Let’s just go ahead and voice that it might be difficult to connect with this story, at least on the surface. Ascension is just not a part of our every day experience! Now I’m sure that some of you would have loved to ascend this morning above all the runners of the Pasadena marathon to make it to worship more easily. And who knows? Maybe some who are missing among us are floating outside on their way right now. If so, we’re really missing out.
My point here is not to make light of this story, because again, clearly, it’s an important one. But I do wonder if it’s hard to connect emotionally with a story that’s so outside of our experience, at least in a literal sense.
My point here is not to make light of this story, because again, clearly, it’s an important one. But I do wonder if it’s hard to connect emotionally with a story that’s so outside of our experience, at least in a literal sense.
So what might the author of Luke and Acts want to convey to us by telling the story of Jesus’ Ascension, not once but twice? And what might the Holy Spirit have to say to us right here and now through this passage? These are good questions for us today.
So let’s enter this story with our imaginations and consider how God is calling Pasadena Presbyterian Church.
The disciples gathered around Jesus. For forty days, they gathered around Jesus in Jerusalem and listened to him as he taught about the Kingdom of God. They must have been filled with excitement about all that Jesus was calling them to do. And they must have been confused at times, trying to wrap their minds around all that he was saying.
Together, this rag-tag group of disciples had experienced a deep level of intimacy and shared memory for three years of their lives. They had fished together, they had seen children run into Jesus’ arms, and they had walked far distances alongside Jesus as fellow-itinerant preachers. Their feet had gotten dusty and sore many times than they could count. And they had talked along those roads. They talked, and they listened. They heard Jesus’ parables - at times, internalizing those truths into the deepest part of themselves, and at other times, missing the point entirely. They had traveled along those roads for three years. And together, they witnessed life as it was meant to be lived in Jesus of Nazareth.
And then, in great fear and injustice, they experienced the shared heartache of Jesus’ murder, his death. And most of them did so from a distance because they cowered in fear and betrayed him in his greatest need. But in great love and mercy, God did not give up on them. They witnessed Jesus’ mysterious and miraculous resurrection, and their lives were renewed too.
These are the disciples who gathered around Jesus. For forty days, they gathered around him in Jerusalem as he taught about the Kingdom of God. And they were different. They were not just a rag-tag group of disciples. They were being born anew as apostles, people sent out to proclaim forgiveness, healing, and resurrected life.
These are the disciples who gathered around Jesus. For forty days, they gathered around him in Jerusalem as he taught about the Kingdom of God. And they were different. They were not just a rag-tag group of disciples. They were being born anew as apostles, people sent out to proclaim forgiveness, healing, and resurrected life.
They didn’t understand everything. Far from it! They still had lots of questions. They asked Jesus, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the Kingdom to Israel?” Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if that were the case. . .? Wouldn’t it be helpful if these disciples-turned-apostles never had to answer to Rome, the pagan empire that was occupying Israel and the powers that had crucified Jesus himself. . .? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God would restore the Kingdom and place Jesus on a tangible throne, all apart from their effort and striving. . .?
Jesus says, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set for his own authority.” And then he says this: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
Beautiful words and a beautiful calling. . .
And then the story gets strange.
It says, "When Jesus had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.'"
In one sense, what else should they have been doing but looking up, gazing into heaven? What a strange thing to see! And in this story, they did see it, and perhaps in that little detail, we can find the key to the significance of this very strange story. They saw Jesus’ ascension with their own eyes, and they would soon receive the Holy Spirit with power.
I’m grateful for an observation that I discovered in a commentary this week, an observation from A. Katherine Grieb, a professor of New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary. She connects the story of Jesus’ ascension to a different story of ascension in the Hebrew Bible.1
Maybe some of you remember the stories of Elijah and Elisha, two great prophets whose stories are found in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. Like our passage today, these stories are powerful and also a little strange. Elijah was a great prophet who stood up against unjust rulers and false prophets, people who were taking advantage of the Israelites, and Elisha was his apprentice. For years, Elisha followed Elijah and learned from him, knowing that he would some day carry on the prophetic mantle of his teacher. And when God appears to Teacher Elijah and tells him that he will not die but instead ascend to God in a sacred whirlwind, Elijah asks his student: “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” The student asks for something humbling and powerful. He asks to be given a double share of Elijah’s prophetic spirit. Teacher Elijah replies, “You have asked for a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” In this strange and powerful story, Elisha is granted the sacred privilege of seeing his teacher’s ascension to God. He will be given a double portion of the spirit. He will do great things. (2 Kings 2:1-25)
These rag-tag disciples turned apostles don’t fully understand what they’re seeing. No wonder they stand there with their mouths gaping wide open, watching their Teacher ascend to God. On top of feeling confused by the sight itself, I imagine these disciples don’t fully understand who they are and all they are about to accomplish. I bet they don’t fully understand Whose they are, that they are God’s holy, chosen people of the Spirit, that they are called and sent by a God who will love that Kingdom of God into being through their very lives. They don’t get it. But they have seen. And they will soon receive the Spirit at Pentecost in a mighty way.
So we return to our question: What might the Holy Spirit have to say to us right here and now through this passage?
We don’t understand it fully. We don’t fully get it. We think this story is very strange. Sometimes when we’re in worship we’re metaphorically standing here with our mouths wide open, incredulous. But the truth is that Jesus has been revealed in such a way among us as to be seen. He has graciously chosen to be seen here.
Last time we celebrated communion together, we talked about the deep meaning of the words “Do this in remembrance of me” – that the New Testament word for ‘remembrance’ means to ‘make present’. On this Sunday, we are remembering – making present – Jesus’ ascension before our own eyes. We have seen Jesus who has been raised and ascended on our behalf. So whether we know who we are or Whose we are today, whether we spiritually fall on our knees or stand here with our mouths wide open, we can expect to receive a double portion of the Spirit at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. We can expect it because God is gracious and chooses to be revealed.
Get ready for that Spirit! We will receive the Holy Spirit in an even deeper way next week as we make present the experience of Pentecost. And as we enter a season of Pentecost at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, God will call you anew to be apostles, people who are sent out from this place to proclaim forgiveness, hope, and resurrected life. Maybe you will take that talent or hobby that gives you joy, and a door will be opened for you to use it in service to this church and this neighborhood. Get ready to be called to a fuller, deeper life. Get ready to be called to take risks. Get ready to be led by the Holy Spirit as we are called to be church together here for this city.
And we won’t be doing it alone. You might notice that Jesus didn’t turn to his disciples during that Ascension and say, “Hey, it’s been great knowing you. But I’m out of here!” And Jesus didn’t ascend to God only to shed some humanity costume. “Wow, I’m glad that’s over!” Jesus, the Word made flesh, ascended on our behalf. He is God for us and he is fully human for us on our behalf even now! He is our High Priest on our behalf, bringing our great calling into being.2
And he’s has done it and continues to do it so that we can too can live a life on behalf of others. So how are you being called to that kind of life? I invite us to consider that intentionally each day this week as we prepare for Pentecost next Sunday. Today we have seen Jesus. We will receive the Spirit. Thanks be to God. Amen.
1 Dr. Grieb's words can be found in "Acts 1:1-11," Feasting on the Word: Year B, Volume 2, Lent through Eastertide, eds. David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor.
Renee Roederer, Associate Pastor of Pasadena Presbyterian Church
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