ASCENSION!
40 days after resurrection: ASCENSION (Mount of Olives, near
Bethany):(Reposted from 2010, with minor edits)
Reading for today:
Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 24:50-51
Acts 1:1-11
It’s been 40 days since Resurrection Sunday. The current date on the Hebrew calendar is the 29th day of Iyyar, (but at the time of Jesus life, I believe it was the month of Sivan) and while our “Resurrrection Day (Easter)” date changes depending on the lunar cycle, theirs does not. (But – we are on Gregorian time so I will use that instead of trying to merge the two. Flipping back and forth between them gets very confusing.)
In +-33 A D during the 40 days between Resurrection and Ascension Jesus walked on earth…. Jesus appeared to his disciples at least twice in Jerusalem – once on the Sunday of his resurrection – and once a week later when Thomas was with them. Later he appeared to them by the Sea of Galilee, after the disciples had been out fishing overnight – and had caught nothing.
They didn’t argue with him when he told them to throw the net on the other side. Their act of obedience demonstrates complete trust. They could have retorted that it was preposterous to think there could be a catch of fish on one side versus the other – but they obeyed. Jesus could have filled their nets right where they were – but he didn’t. It was one more miracle for them to remember – a miracle of provision and care. Total trust. Total obedience. Lessons to pay attention to.
And now he appears to them for the last time. John, interestingly, does not tell us about the ascension of Jesus. The disciples were back near Jerusalem, near Bethany. As you will recall, Bethany was on the flank of the Mount of Olives about 2 miles from Jerusalem. And from that mountain, near Bethany, where Jesus’ dear friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived, forty days after His resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven. (We actually know from Luke’s account in Acts that the site was only a Sabbath-day’s walk from the city, so it was not far – likely only about three-quarters of a mile, since that is the reported length of a Sabbath day’s walk….)
Jesus had brought reconciliation to Peter, given his disciples enough contact time to validate his resurrection, and now it was time to return to his place in heaven. His redemptive work on earth was completed, and in his final admonition he passed the torch. Matthew’s gospel records Jesus saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
A dear, brilliant pastor friend of mine told me that the correct interpretation is not quite the same as ‘The Great Commission’ I grew up with – which was an absolute “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” He says that the correct translation is “In your going, disciple.”
Jesus knew they were going…. Persecution was on the horizon. They would be scattered – and with that scattering the compelling message of salvation was poured into human hands to be proclaimed to human hearts.
There was just one last thing: They had to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. It was not going to be long…just a ‘few’ days – well, ten, to be precise – but they didn’t know that!
I can’t resist one brief bunny trail. They were absolutely intransigent in their belief Jesus was going to set up an earthly kingdom – still. During the final forty days he was with them, he did indeed talk about His kingdom – but it was not a kingdom on earth – it was a kingdom in human hearts. Even after his death and resurrection, it appears they didn’t get it. His crown had been a crown of thorns. He had shed his blood to take away the sins of the world – and these good Jewish boys were still stuck on their own variety of kingdom-thinking.
Not so very different from us. We want the ‘land flowing with milk and honey’ promises – the ‘God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life’ of the seeker-friendly churches who make Christianity sound like living on Easy Street. I can tell you it isn’t going to be easy every step of the way – in fact, Satan is out to deter, deceive, destroy, devour, dissuade, discredit, and throw every detrimental dart possible to keep us from sticking to our commitment to Christ. He’s ruthless. He doesn’t want us to succeed in our Christian walk. He wages a spiritual battle against us every day! Your enemy – the devil – goes around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour….
But I have Good News. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. In Jesus’ last words to his disciples he told them he would never leave them or forsake them. While He could be in only one place at a time because of His physical limitation, the promised Holy Spirit – the Paracletos – the Comforter – could be everywhere at the same time.
What an amazing God – that He came to redeem us, then made a way for us to have Him present with us, in us, beside us, before us, surrounding us every moment of every day – affirming His love for us, even in His discipline, even in the tough times.
He rose from the supposed confines of a grave carved out of stone, then forty days later – at his ascension, rose again from earth through the skies. The disciples watched him go, their eyes piercing the sky hoping for one last glimpse, but He was hidden by a cloud. One more time angels deliver a message: “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? 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.”
And He will – and the way things are progressing with prophecies being fulfilled so rapidly, the clock of time is winding down…. We are heading in and the End will not be pleasant – but the Lord has all of it in His very capable hands.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
