May 21, 2023: May God’s words be spoken, may God’s words be heard. Amen.
Happy Easter!
Now you’all know by now that my favorite of the four canonical gospels is the Gospel of Luke. We didn’t read from that today, and likely won’t hear much from it until we move into Year C in Advent of next year. However, we did hear from the author of that gospel, because he wrote a two-parter. The Gospel of Luke is just part 1 – there is a sequel – and we heard from it in the first reading today, and really all through Eastertide. It is The Acts of the Apostles.
The gospel of Luke begins with these words “Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.”
And the book of Acts opens just a few verses before the very reading we heard today, with “In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven…” In other words, the author knew that the story isn’t over with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus – it continues on.
Now, those of you who have attended formation classes with me on the scriptures already knew that, and also may remember that we don’t know who this Theophilus was. The word can be a Greek description, or the honorific title given to someone, depending on its usage, so we don’t know whether this account that the author was writing was for a person with that title, or generally for those who love God or are loved of God as θεός (God) and φιλία (love or affection) would be translated. But, it really doesn’t matter.
What does matter is that the author of Luke/Acts knew that the story didn’t end with Jesus going up, up and away, and so we need to continue on too, so let’s look more deeply at this story in Acts.
It was clear that the Ascension, which in the church we celebrated as a feast day this past Thursday, well, it didn’t bring about the same reaction among the disciples as the Crucifixion or the Resurrection – why is that? I mean geez, the guy is like Rocketman – Burnin’ out his fuse up there alone… flyin’ off into the air. That’s kinda amazing, don’t ya think?
At any rate, my favorite part of this whole Ascension narrative is the two messengers – the ones that appear next to the disciples – who basically say to them as they crane their necks to stare at the departing Jesus, “Wadda ya lookin’ at?” In other words, you aren’t going to find Jesus up there folks. And that, is the point of the entire story. But wait, we’ll get back to that – there’s more…
The passage then says that they went back to where they were staying, near Jerusalem, and they were constantly devoting themselves to prayer. Then it adds this little nugget: “they were together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” “Certain women” would most definitely include Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and more. Sadly, as much as I love Luke/Acts, this author didn’t deem it necessary to name these other good and faithful disciples of Jesus. At least this gospel author did tell the world that it was the women who underwrote the ministry of Jesus, so there is that I suppose.
But one thing is clear, the women and men who were closest to Jesus didn’t return to that room to hide. They went to pray and await what was coming. These were people who had been given something in this Ascension moment. Something that changed their lives completely. What was it?
It was a promise.
A promise of purpose for them, and hope for the world.
And what was that promise?
We hear it just before his departure. Jesus tells them “…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.”
And their response? Well, they gathered together in prayer to prepare themselves for the next chapter of the Jesus story – for their transformation into new life in his name. Funny thing about that – Jesus did the same thing too.
In the passage read earlier from the Gospel of John, we heard the first part of what is known as the High Priestly Prayer (you’ll hear the middle part next year, and the last in Year C). It is the final part of the Farewell Discourses I told you’all about, except this isn’t addressed to his disciples, but to God. Jesus prays this just before he goes to the garden and is arrested. From that point, things will move quickly, and everything will change for him, for his disciples and for the world. And so, he prayed.
And so now his disciples are doing the same.
They are praying to God just before their world, and all those they encounter, are changed in ways unimaginable.
I would be praying too! Wouldn’t you?
I remember this little poem I heard once.
“I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day!
I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t take time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task.
“Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered, God answered, “You didn’t ask!”
I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, “Why, child, you didn’t knock!”
I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak. I wondered why God didn’t show me. God answered me, “But you didn’t seek.”
I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish, that I had to take time to pray.”
The poem itself is a bit Hallmark like, and can make it seem that if we pray, all things in life will be easy, and all the things we hope for will happen. Folks, that isn’t prayer, that is a magical wish list. Yet it is that last line of the poem that speaks a lot of truth, “I had so much to accomplish, that I had to take time to pray.”
That is the heart of it all.
Prayer is conversation, really invitation. We invite God’s presence, we enter into conversation with Christ, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, to fill our hearts, to sustain us. It isn’t about everything being perfect, everything being as we hoped. It is recognizing that going it alone is so much harder, often impossible, and completely unnecessary. God will always listen to us, Christ will walk alongside us, the Holy Spirit will guide us. We just need to pray.
Or, think about it this way, how many new parents call their own parents after they have a baby? They don’t want mom or dad to do the parenting for them, but dang it – they just want some reassurance, some guiding help, some listening ear, because babies do not come with instruction manuals. Neither does life.
So, we pray, as Jesus prayed for his disciples, and as those earliest followers of Jesus prayed too.
And yet did you notice something about what the praying these disciples did? It wasn’t in isolation. They came together to pray. In fact, their entire ministry with Jesus was one done as a community. And today – we continue to pray here together in this place we call our parish home.
The thing about corporate prayer – this praying together we do – doesn’t mean we don’t have individual conversations with God. It is just that when we come together in prayer, our individual conversation with God is woven into a larger quilt of intention that in a very real sense amplifies and strengthens our collective voice, and binds us together with Christ in common communion.
So yes, we need to pray –often and together – because this life as those earliest disciples were about to really discover, being a follower of Jesus is an adventure of transformation. And transformation in Christ Jesus isn’t something done from our recliners – it’s a journey that’s gonna rock our world!
See, that’s the thing about this whole Ascension story that we still get wrong, just like the apostles did initially. We even say it in our creeds. “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” We root Jesus in some sort of earthly understood kingship – sitting all high and mighty on some sort of throne. Now, don’t get me wrong, for the scripture writers, this was not only how they understood the cosmos, as a three-tiered structure – heaven, earth, hell. But this was and is a radical statement of subversion against corrupt powers of our world – the heads of state that yield their might against their people. This is a statement that this “born in a stable” “here for the poor” savior is truly our leader, not anyone elected, appointed, or forced into power here on earth. We look elsewhere to something greater than all of them, to place our trust and our hearts.
Still, like our creed, we seem to put Jesus, God, the entire Holy Trinity really, in some sort of location – “up there” somewhere – and worse…sitting down. Now, I don’t know about you, but the Jesus I know, the Jesus I read about in the scriptures, is NOT one to sit around anywhere!
This Christ at Ascension, our Christ, was not one to sit at the right, left, or any hand of anyone or anything. The truth is, Jesus had to leave….not to go sit – but because we couldn’t keep up with him. The human existence was just too limiting.
Not only that, but on the day of Pentecost, which we celebrate next week, the Holy Spirit will also make it clear that She isn’t one stay still either. That fiery Spirit rushed in like a wild wind, descended upon those earliest apostles, and launched their mission. It’s a good thing they did some praying, don’t ya think?
So, is it any wonder then why the author of the gospel had to keep writing more of the story in the Acts of the Apostles? Clearly the Ascension of Jesus into heaven isn’t the end of the story! It continues on today – now – through us! And like those earliest followers, if we want to see Jesus, if we want to follow him, then looking up toward the heavens isn’t the way forward – we need to humbly lower our head, pray, and then filled with the Spirit, follow where Jesus leads now.
Because Jesus didn’t disappear from the earth at the Ascension, the Holy Spirit didn’t stop moving in the world on Pentecost, and God hasn’t stopped continuing to try to be in relationship with us – us – the Theophilus of today – the ones to whom this work is addressed, and for whom it serves as inspiration.
Jesus called them, and now us, to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth – to proclaim the good news of God’s all inclusive love from the streets of Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, to the furthest reaches of our earthly plane.
There is no airline ticket to buy – which, as it turns out, is a good thing given the prices these days.
Seriously though, this isn’t about far flung travel, it’s about far flung love!
Jesus ascends that we may also rise – rise up and be the people we were born to be.
The people of The Way.
Praying together.
Filled by the Holy Spirit.
Following Jesus not up, but out – out into this world that is in need of what he offered – healing, grace, and unconditional love.
That is our promise of purpose.
That is our life and hope for the world.
May we, like those earliest followers of Jesus, pray together always, and be ready to go wherever he leads.
Amen.
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