Ascension Day — 30 May 2019
Trinity – 12:15 pm
Acts 1:1-11 | Psalm 93
| Ephesians 1:15-23 | Luke
24:44-53
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from
the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
rule and authority and power and dominion.
[Ephesians 1:20-21]
In the Nicene Creed, which we shall say in a few minutes,
we profess: “On the third day [Christ]
rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and in
seated at the right hand of the Father.”
It’s not clear how strictly literally we are to take that. “The right hand of the Father” is clearly
metaphorical. (God the Father does not
literally have a right hand. Or a left,
either!)
But that the risen Christ now
reigns in heaven with God – well, even there we are flirting with the
boundaries between the literal and the metaphorical. (I was recently reading a piece by our old
friend and former fellow-parishioner, Professor/Father Thomas Williams, in
which he talks about our God-language as often metaphorical, and literal only
by way of analogy.)
But, however we understand it, that the risen Christ now
reigns in heaven with God is a core belief that runs throughout the New
Testament. (“Risen,” “reigns,” “heaven,”
and even “God” are all words that we could spend all afternoon unpacking. But, as Arya says, “Not today.”) In his final discourse to his disciples in
St. John’s Gospel, Jesus tells them that he is going to his Father to prepare a
place for them, and in his meeting with Mary Magdalen on Easter morning he
tells her that he must ascend to the Father.
St. Paul tells the Romans, “It is Christ Jesus who died, yes, who was
raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.” [8:34] In the letter to the Philippians Paul quotes
from an early hymn: “Therefore God also
highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.” [2:9]
In the letter to the Colossians we hear – and will hear again in a few
minutes if I remember! – the Easter summons, “So if you have been raised with
Christ, seek the thinks that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right
hand of God.” [3:1] The First Letter of Peter speaks of Jesus
Christ, “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God.” [3:22]
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews speaks of Christ, who “when he
had made purification for sins…sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on
high.” [1:3] He goes on to write about
how Christ “entered into heaven itself, now to appear before the presence of
God on our behalf.” [9:24] And of course a few minutes ago we heard in
the Letter to the Ephesians, “God put this power to work in Christ when he
raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
places,” [1:20]
What we refer to as “The Ascension of our Lord Jesus
Christ” is obviously central to our Christian faith right from the first
generation of believers in the first century.
And yet this fundamental reality is recounted as an event only once in the New Testament. Well, twice.
But by the same writer, (St.
Luke.) And you will have noticed in the
readings today (I hope!), Luke doesn’t tell it quite the same way. And, we might note, he is writing two to
three generations later, for whatever that’s worth.
So what are we to make of that? Well, I’m not really sure. I hope when I get to heaven I can look up St.
Luke and ask him, “Hey, what’s this with these two narratives – narrative stories
which nobody else tells? And they’re not
the same! What’s with that?” To which Luke may respond, “I am so tired of everybody asking me this
question! I should just post something
on Facebook!” I could go on at length
about what Luke may be up to with his use of the literary forms of “gospel” and
“Hellenistic historiography.” But,
again, as Arya says, “Not today.”
The meaning of Ascension Day is best summed up, I think, in
the Collect for today: “Almighty God,
whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that,
according to his promise, he abides with
his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages.” Jesus had to leave 1st-century Judea
so that he might be present in 21st-century Iowa – and everywhere
and everywhen else – now! Or, as Jesus himself says to his disciples at
the conclusion of St. Matthew’s Gospel: “All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations…and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [28:18-20]
