You Will be My Witnesses

Written by Ed Kauffman

You will be my Witnesses

June 5, 2011

Ed Kauffman

 

This past Thursday marked, for some at least, a significant date in the Christian calendar.  It was Ascension Day, marked 40 days after Easter, when according to the text we read from Acts 1, Jesus was taken up into heaven.  Following Easter and the resurrection, Jesus had walked among his disciples for those 40 days teaching them further about the kingdom of God.  And then, as they were together, Jesus was lifted up and “a cloud took him out of their sight.”

Ascension Day, as a religious observance, has a long history, although for most of us it has largely disappeared from view.  While the first written accounts of its observance don’t appear until the 4th century in the writing of St. Augustine, its origins are traced back as early as the year 68 A.D. and Jesus ascension into heaven is part of the classic Christian creeds, mentioned in both the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed.  It is still observed in some Catholic and Anglican communions, and interestingly, also among the Old Order Amish.

The Ascension has been the subject of a great deal of Christian art, from classical portrayals, like Rembrandt’s on the front of the bulletin, to more stylized portrayals like this one from Perugino, to a more modern representation by Salvador Dali – from the disciples’ point of view.

Some of the rites and rituals of its observance include extinguishing the Pascal Candle that had been lit at Easter, with the smoke rising as a symbol of Christ’s ascension; raising a crucifix or image of Jesus, sometimes by cables through a hole in the ceiling, and special processions.  One commentary suggested that Ascension Day was a time to drive to a mountain and have a picnic on the summit – an idea if you don’t have anything else planned for today.

One of the more interesting stories I read as I researched Ascension Day, was the trouble that some missionaries had in a part of Africa where the natives believed that gods lived, not in the sky, but rather underground and in caves.  It took them quite a while to figure out how to translate Jesus’ ascension when the world seemed up-side-down. 

For most of us, Ascension Day passes by without much notice.  And it doesn’t appear in most of our theology texts, or even in the confession of faith, per se.  Our statements of faith do say that we believe that Jesus will return.  Article 2 on Jesus Christ says, “We live in the assurance of his coming again as the one by whom all humanity will be judged.” 

As Luke begins his second book or letter to Theophilus, he picks up where his Gospel account had ended, with Jesus’ ascension.  He reminds his reader that Jesus had suffered and died, and then appeared to his disciples for 40 days.  And he instructs them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit.

And still the disciples seem to not understand.  “Is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” they ask.  And Jesus replies, “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.” (vv.7-9)  And then he was taken up into heaven.  And, Luke records, the disciples are then given an explanation that Jesus, who has been taken up away from them, will return in like manner.

So does this event have any meaning for us today?  Clearly some people have not heeded Jesus’ statement about not knowing the time of Jesus return, as witnesses by the recent debacle of Rev. Camping who has had to recalculate and offer explanations for his recent pronouncements.  Unfortunately, he is just the latest in a long history of people who thought they had it figured out and called on people to forsake all to wait.

Those who take that kind of stance follow in the footsteps of the ancient Gnostic heresy.  The Gnostics took the ascension of Jesus as the final act in history, and, since we are united with Christ in baptism, they declared that Christians no longer had to be concerned about this world.  We have been relieved of all earthly cares and are above suffering and service.

But the Gnostics, like many others after them, had missed the explanation, and the commission.  For if Jesus is to return, then the ascension is not the end of the story.  Jesus is not yet done with this world, nor the people in it.  The words of the two men in white robes may have reminded the disciples, and should certainly remind us, of some of Jesus’ parables where the owner goes away and leaves his servants in charge, or gives them talents, expecting that when he returns the servants will have used the talents wisely and are ready to present him with their gains.

Indeed, that is exactly the message of Jesus to his disciples.  “You will be my witnesses.” The task is now ours.  What we have seen and heard is now ours to share.  Not only the what, but also the how.  That is, our methods must also be those of Jesus.   But we are not left to handle that task on our own.  “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,” Jesus tells his followers.  “Wait for it.”  As one commentator puts it:

 "At Ascension the mission of Christ is all handed on to us. It takes another week or so before we get power to move out. I can see the women and men - with a sort of stunned look (gazing as it says) - uh - what now? They gather, pray, tell stories of the good old days - and then zap – Pentecost! Ascensiontide is a time when we can learn about waiting - not an easy thing for people in our time. We want “to learn patience and we want it now” as the old joke goes. The disciples gathered to pray, study and worship as they waited. It was a time of preparation for the ministry that would soon envelop them. Perhaps that is something for us too."

( Inserted from <http://www.episcopalcafe.com/daily/church_year/ascending_to_where.php>)

 While we may not pay much attention to Ascension Day, the legacy of that day lives on for us in the mission God has given to us.  As long as Jesus is ascended, seated at the right hand of God, we’re it!  The task that Jesus came to accomplish has been turned over to us to carry on.  We are witnesses to the power and the grace of God active in the world.  Do we feel like we’re up to the task?  Perhaps not, but we have the promise of the Spirit to give us what we need.  Sometimes we need to wait and pray, but sometimes we simply need to step out in faith, because we live on the other side of Pentecost – the Spirit has already been given to us..

 I have been reading sermons written by a predecessor of mine at the church I pastored in Goshen, IN.  And recently I read a sermon of his based on this same text.  I thought he said it well and so let me read a few paragraphs from that sermon, preached sometime in the 50’s, I presume (it is not dated precisely).

  (From Sermon of Robert w. Hartzler, Eighth St. Mennonite Church, Goshen, IN)

 RWH_sermon

Today, we share together around the table of the Lord.  In so doing, we remember Christ’s death on the cross, and his resurrection to life.  We rejoice in the salvation provided for us through those acts of obedience.  And today I invite you to also consider the mission laid before us as we anticipate the coming of the Spirit which we celebrate next Sunday.  When Jesus ascended, he left us, his disciples, with a mission to carry on in his place, until he comes again.  As we accept these gifts of grace, may we also accept the mission God has given to us, the church.  We are witnesses.  May our witness be pleasing to God and further Christ’s Kingdom, until he comes.

 Prayer:  Grant your Spirit to us, O God, that we may go forth as your witnesses, empowered to carry on the task Jesus gave to us.