Understanding the Ascension

Some Notes for the message on the ascension for May 17, 2015Please listen to the audio message as these notes are not a transcript, but are only here to help provide a  framework for the message.Also - please see the questions for discussion and reflection at the bottom of the notes.You can use the comments below to discuss or go to the Message Discussion Group on Facebook   1) John Calvin in the Institutes of Christian Religion says this about the ascension of Jesus into heaven: “...he withdrew his bodily presence from our sight [Acts 1:9], not to cease being present with believers still on their earthly pilgrimage, but to rule heaven and earth with a more immediate power." Institutes II, 16, 16  (pg. 524-525) Summary of Calvin’s benefits imparted to our faith by Christ’s ascension A) Jesus opens heaven to us. “Since he entered heaven in our flesh, as if in our name, it follow, as the apostle says, that in a sense we already ‘sit with God in the heavenly places in him' [Eph. 2:6], so that we do not await heaven with a bare hope, but in our Head already possess it. B) Jesus, in the presence of the Father is our “advocate and intercessor.” “He turns the Father’s eyes to his own righteousness to avert his gaze from our sins. He so reconciles the Father’s heart to us that by his intercession he prepares a way and access for us to the Father’s throne." C)  “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,” (Eph. 4:8), and despoiling his enemies, he enriched his own people, and daily lavishes spiritual riches upon them. He therefore sits on high, transfusing us with his power, that he may quicken us to spiritual life, sanctify us by his Spirit, adorn his church with divers gifts of his grace, keep it safe from all harm by his protection, restrain the raging enemies of his cross and of our salvation by the strength of his hand, and finally hold all power in heaven and on earth. All this he does until he shall lay low all his enemies [1 Cor. 15:25; cf. Ps. 110:1] (who are our enemies too) and complete the building of his church. This is the true state of his Kingdom; this is the power that the father has conferred upon him, until, in coming to judge the living and the dead, he accomplishes his final act. 2) Our misunderstanding of this third from Calvin point started with the disciples that day. The disciples ask: “is this when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” They misunderstand something. What is the nature of their misunderstanding? Commentators don’t agree. Some say that the disciples have missed that the kingdom is for more than Israel. b) Most say that the disciples are still thinking of an earthly kingdom, and have missed that Jesus’ kingdom is heavenly or spiritual. c) Some say that the only mistake the disciples made was one of timing. Is now the time. Jesus says, its not for you to know the times set by the Father. Maybe they missed all these things. Something not right about these when framed as an either / or. But these are all characteristics of the kingdom when  seen as both sides being true. The kingdom is either for Israel or the rest of the world.  No - its for both. b) The kingdom isn’t an earthly kingdom, its heavenly or spiritual. Actually - its both. And the final promise is not that we will simply all be taken up to heaven as Jesus was. It is that the Kingdom of heaven will be fully realized on earth.  We pray for this in the Lord’s prayer. Your kingdom come.  Its both. The hoped for physical reality of the kingdom of God on earth, and the heavenly kingdom where Christ is present now. c) The kingdom has not yet come. The time is not now. Some believe it is. Its actually both. The kingdom is now, and it is also not yet. We have a reigning king on the throne of heaven. We have experience of being his subjects, we experience the kingdom of God in part now. But its not yet.   3) The disciples’ misunderstandings help us learn about the nature of the kingdom. But the misunderstanding by the Church over the centuries was actually around Jesus’ answer to their question about the kingdom, and that misunderstanding has sadly had devastating effects: - Jesus tells them - it is not for you to know the times that the Father has set by his own authority.  God is in control. Not us, not the Church. - You will be my witnesses. Not - you will make people convert. Not - you will attempt to civilize and assimilate people into your own version of the kingdom. 4) A theology of progress and expansion What is a theology of progress and expansion? Why did it break down? The historical answer Because it was based on human work. Hymns and militaristic/expansionist imagery. 5) Calvin’s insistence on kingdom building and church building being the work of Christ from on high. The third point is entirely focussed on what God is doing, and not at all on what we are doing. In that third point, Calvin ultimately goes to Christ returning to judge the living and the dead. The same event the angels point to "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 1:11 Jesus’ return is the true invasion. If we are going to use militaristic imagery, we need to know that  6) Our job is to point to Jesus, not to implement a plan of progress. How then to be a witness? Martyr. Point to Jesus. He is on high, and we are not. Cruciform witness. Dying for others. Others are put first. A servant mentality. Lead with grace. Love, listen, proclaim. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life. Questions for Reflection/Discussion: 1) What does it mean to lead with grace when we are witnesses to Jesus? 2) When someone says that a lot of terrible things have been done in the name of religion or God, how do you think you might respond? 3) Calvin states: "He therefore sits on high, transfusing us with his power, that he may quicken us to spiritual life, sanctify us by his Spirit, adorn his church with divers gifts of his grace, keep it safe from all harm by his protection.” How is this true in your own life, or in the life of your community of faith?