Sunday Message
May 23, 2004
Robert D Bohnsack
Texts: Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:15-23

Today, we celebrate and proclaim the Ascension of the Lord. Scripture tells us that forty days after Jesus was resurrected he gathered with his disciples in Jerusalem.

They asked him, "Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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." ¹

When Jesus has said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ²

"He ascended into heaven." ³ We say this every time we stand and proclaim what we believe using the Apostles' Creed. "He ascended into heaven." We believe that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven forty days after "he rose again from the dead." We believe that Christ did not die again. "He ascended into heaven."

Christ ascending into heaven helps us understand where he is. He is not dead. He is not on earth in bodily form. He is up in heaven. He is up in heaven with the Father. He is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly places. Luke tells us in Acts that "Jesus was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight." ⁴ Jesus was not shifted laterally across the sky, or floated to the side. Jesus was lifted up. Today is Ascension Sunday.

Because we understand Christ to be up in the heavenly places with God we often listen for voice of Christ from above. Sometimes we do mistake any voice from above as the voice of Christ.

In a recent "Get Fuzzy" comic strip, Bucky, the obstinate Siamese cat, in an attempt to run away from home gets stuck in the air vent. Satchel, the dog, is the only other family member at home. So Bucky shouts, "Satchel, Saaatchel." Satchel hears Bucky's voice from above in the air vent, and replies, "God?! Where are you?" Bucky says, "I'm stuck in the air vent." Satchel says, "What are you doing in my air vent, God?" Bucky, getting a little annoyed says, "You idiot! Shut up and listen to me!" Satchel, obviously very distressed says, "What have I done to anger thee, Oh Lord?" Bucky, more than a little annoyed shouts back, "Shut Up! Shut Up!" ⁵

Even though we sometimes fail to distinguish the voice of Christ, up in heavenly places from that of a cat stuck in an air vent we still proclaim, "He ascended into heaven."

We proclaim, "He ascended into heaven," not just because it happened, but because what it means for Christ to ascend into heaven. The Heidelberg Catechism suggests it means three things: first, Christ is our advocate before the Father. ⁶ We do not stand before God in judgment alone. We stand before God in judgment with Christ. We stand knowing that we are forgiven. Second, Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church promises to resurrect us and take us up to heaven with him. ⁷ Third, the ascended Christ sent the Holy Spirit to be his presence on earth. ⁸

We proclaim, "He ascended into heaven," because we are people faith, because we are people with hope. Market Street Presbyterian Church could very well be the church Paul is writing. Paul writes, "I have heard of your faith. In the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints."

We entrust our lives, our church, and our ministry to Jesus Christ this day. We trust and have faith that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are very present this day. Faith is a part of our present tense. ⁹

Proclaiming the ascension of Christ is more than just having faith in the present. It is about having hope in the future. When Christ ascended into heaven the disciples must have felt somewhat abandoned. In the span of less than fifty days they watched their friend, teacher, pastor, and Lord be celebrated, betrayed, arrested, crucified, resurrected, and then he ascended into heaven.

Whoa! The disciples had probably finally figured out that Jesus really was the Messiah, and now he was gone. Everything was going to be great. They were going to spread the good news of salvation, redemption, grace, and forgiveness with him to the world. They were going to introduce Jesus to friends, neighbors, strangers, and anybody who would listen.

Then they watch their friend, teacher, pastor, and Lord ascend into heaven. Now what? Luke tells us in the first chapter of Acts that immediately after the ascension of Christ the disciples were "gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 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.'" ¹⁰

The book and the movie of the same name, "The Legend of Baggar Vance" involves a "troubled local war hero" and former local golf hero, Rannulph Junah; his caddy, Baggar Vance, and a young boy, Hardy. ¹¹ Junah has been recruited by the good people of Savannah, Georgia, to compete in a golf match with golfing legends, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. It is the inaugural event for a new golf course on Krewe Island. Baggar Vance guides Junah throughout the match. Vance helps Junah find his game again so that he can compete in this very important match. Baggar Vance is certainly more than a caddie.

Vance serves as Junah's caddy for thirty-five of the thirty-six holes of the match. He offers Junah guidance, instruction, life-lessons, and hope. On the seventeenth hole Junah is getting ready to make a very difficult shot. As he is preparing to make this critical shot, after just making a difficult tee shot, the ball moves. The ball moves just an inch, but Junah is still compelled to call a penalty on himself. Vance then strides over to Junah and says, "In this hour you have reached me." ¹²

Then after a brief discussion with the marshals Vance embraces Junah and said,

'Remember, I am ever with you,' in his calm, centered voice. Then he took off his caddie's cap and motioned to Hardy. In near-panic Hardy scurried to his side, already knowing what was coming and shaking with dread at the terrible responsibility. There was Junah's bag. Vance slipped it from his shoulder and set it upright on the turf before Hardy, strap extended before his trembling hand. ¹³

'This man is yours, Hardy,' he said. 'Take him in.' ¹⁴

Then Baggar Vance disappears into the crowd and neither Junah nor Hardy ever see him again.

Junah continues the match despite the departure of his caddy, Baggar. He continues because he has hope. He has hope in the future. He has hope because he has not been abandoned by Baggar.

The disciples had hope and began doing the work of the church of Jesus Christ after his ascension. For they had not been abandoned by Christ. We do the work of the church of Jesus Christ because we have hope.

We have hope because we know of Christ's "glorious inheritance among the saints, and the "immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe." ¹⁵ We have hope because we will not stand in judgment alone. Christ stands with us. We have hope because Christ is "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion." ¹⁶ We have hope because the name of Jesus Christ is above all other names in this age, and all ages. We have hope because all things are under the feet of Christ. For the Lordship of Christ does not submit to earthly government, culture, rules, wars, or society.

Finally, we have hope because Christ is head and body of the church. We have hope because his fullness fills all. When Christ ascended into heaven he did not leave a void. Rather his ascension expresses the completeness of salvation. ¹⁷ Christ is the head of the church, as well as the body of the church.

We proclaim ascension because we ascend into Christ. We ascend into the church of Christ. Christ raises us up to his body.

We have hope. We proclaim the ascension of Christ because Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Amen.

1. Acts 1:6-8, NRSV.
2. Acts 1:9, NRSV.
3. The Apostles' Creed.
4. Acts 1:9, NRSV.
5. Conely, Darby. "Get Fuzzy." May 7, 2004.
6. Heidelberg Catechism, 4.049.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. The New Interpreter's Bible. Vol XI. Nashville. Abingdon Press: 2000. p 386.
10. Acts 1:10-11, NRSV.
11. Pressfield, Steven. The Legend of Baggar Vance. New York. Harper Torch: 1995. backcover.
12. Pressfield. p230.
13. Pressfield. p231.
14. Ibid.
15. Ephesians 1:18-19.
16. Ephesians 1:21.
17. NIB. p384.