Dearest e-votees-
This Thursday (May 29) is the day that the church celebrates Christ's ascension. It is the 40th day after the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus -- Easter. As mentioned in Acts 1:3 below Jesus appeared for 40 days with convincing proofs of his resurrection as well as speaking of the kingdom of God.
It takes some time and some on-going work of God for the reality of the life-changing resurrection to sink in with Jesus' disciples. We are no different.
May we all be open to however God chooses to reveal God's self to us. And may we be open to the requisite time and moving of God to make that revelation take hold in our lives. And may we be open to however God might reveal God's self through our own lives and witness.
Peace,
Karl
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1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:1-11, NRSV
We use terms like "gravity of the situation" or "being grounded" as ways of acknowledging the importance of urgent, foundational truths. We might even speak of them with a certain gravitas. These truths can weigh us down, keep us from moving freely and responsively. We might even go a stow ourselves away in a safe place behind locked doors if things weigh on us too heavily. Fears, responsibilities and unwanted conflicts can beat us down into the pit.
But Jesus wouldn't stay in the pit. Jesus rose from the dead--overwhelming the gravity of the Good Friday situation. He came into the locked rooms and the cowering hearts and lingered with his followers for 40 days. He lifted theirs spirits and raised up truths into their ears. As if to punctuate all of this anti-gravitational behavior he ascended out of there sight. In Luke's parallel account in his gospel Jesus is blessing the disciples as he ascends.
The disciples are staring up into heaven. Perhaps they are in awe. Perhaps they are already starting to droop back into fear now that Jesus has left them yet again. Maybe Peter is about to suggest they build some shelters or something. But two visitors interrupt their stunned, upturned, gaping poses. The disciples are directed to go to where Jesus will meet them. They are promised that they will continue to experience Jesus.
Sisters and brothers, we are sent too. Jesus sends us into all the world (Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth) to share the same sorts of truths he did for 40 days after rising from the dead. We don't go alone but Jesus goes in us and before us. In a week we'll be liturgically reminded that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and moves in us as well. We will, of course, at times get weighed down, discouraged and perhaps intimidated by all these things and the challenges of living out the call. We might even find ourselves stunned, gaping upward but we can find encouragement in the words of the two visitors. But the good news is that God has done the work and is doing the work and will lift us when we fall and call us back when we gape. May our spirits be raised and our testimonies too. Amen.
God, continue to reveal yourself to us that you might not be unknown in our lives. Use us to reveal you to the world we inhabit. Amen.
This Thursday (May 29) is the day that the church celebrates Christ's ascension. It is the 40th day after the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus -- Easter. As mentioned in Acts 1:3 below Jesus appeared for 40 days with convincing proofs of his resurrection as well as speaking of the kingdom of God.
It takes some time and some on-going work of God for the reality of the life-changing resurrection to sink in with Jesus' disciples. We are no different.
May we all be open to however God chooses to reveal God's self to us. And may we be open to the requisite time and moving of God to make that revelation take hold in our lives. And may we be open to however God might reveal God's self through our own lives and witness.
Peace,
Karl
------------
1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
We use terms like "gravity of the situation" or "being grounded" as ways of acknowledging the importance of urgent, foundational truths. We might even speak of them with a certain gravitas. These truths can weigh us down, keep us from moving freely and responsively. We might even go a stow ourselves away in a safe place behind locked doors if things weigh on us too heavily. Fears, responsibilities and unwanted conflicts can beat us down into the pit.
But Jesus wouldn't stay in the pit. Jesus rose from the dead--overwhelming the gravity of the Good Friday situation. He came into the locked rooms and the cowering hearts and lingered with his followers for 40 days. He lifted theirs spirits and raised up truths into their ears. As if to punctuate all of this anti-gravitational behavior he ascended out of there sight. In Luke's parallel account in his gospel Jesus is blessing the disciples as he ascends.
The disciples are staring up into heaven. Perhaps they are in awe. Perhaps they are already starting to droop back into fear now that Jesus has left them yet again. Maybe Peter is about to suggest they build some shelters or something. But two visitors interrupt their stunned, upturned, gaping poses. The disciples are directed to go to where Jesus will meet them. They are promised that they will continue to experience Jesus.
Sisters and brothers, we are sent too. Jesus sends us into all the world (Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth) to share the same sorts of truths he did for 40 days after rising from the dead. We don't go alone but Jesus goes in us and before us. In a week we'll be liturgically reminded that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and moves in us as well. We will, of course, at times get weighed down, discouraged and perhaps intimidated by all these things and the challenges of living out the call. We might even find ourselves stunned, gaping upward but we can find encouragement in the words of the two visitors. But the good news is that God has done the work and is doing the work and will lift us when we fall and call us back when we gape. May our spirits be raised and our testimonies too. Amen.
God, continue to reveal yourself to us that you might not be unknown in our lives. Use us to reveal you to the world we inhabit. Amen.
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