Towards the Ascension

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We continue with the words of Jesus to is disciples and I think it was the peace that Christ promised that enabled them to worship, rejoice and return to Jerusalem following Jesus’ Ascension.

His farewell also  includes a gift of peace. ‘Peace!’ (Shalom) is the normal Jewish greeting and farewell and Jesus uses it when he appears to his disciples after the Resurrection. Originally it meant soundness of body but it came to signify perfect happiness and the liberation which the Messiah was expected to bring. This is the very wholeness which is the aim of Jesus’ mission.

But it is not the peace as the ‘world’ understands it. Peace for Jesus is not simply the absence of violence. It is something much more positive, much deeper. Paradoxically, it can exist side by side with times of great turmoil. It is something internal, not external. It comes from an inner sense of security, of a conviction that God is with us and in us and that we are in the right place. It is something which not even the threat of death can take away.

Although Charles Wesley had been engaged in preaching the gospel with much diligence and earnestness, he did not know what it was to enjoy peace with God until he was in his thirtieth year. Being laid low by an alarming illness, and seeming as if he were going to die, a young Moravian named Peter Bohler, who was undergoing a course of preparation by him to go out as a missionary, asked him, "Do you hope to be saved?" Charles answered, “Yes."

"For what reason do you hope it?" "Because I have used my best endeavours to serve God," was his reply. The Moravian shook his head and said no more.

That sad, silent, significant shake of the head shattered all Charles Wesley's false foundation of salvation by endeavours. He was afterwards taught by Peter Bohler the way of the Lord more perfectly, and brought to see that by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ men are justified. And now in his sick-room, he was able to write for the first time in his life, "I now find myself at peace with God"; and it was on this occasion he composed that beautiful hymn, "O for a thousand tongues to sing my great… with the verse that says…

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,

that bids our sorrows cease,

'tis music in the sinner's ears,

'tis life and health and peace.

Pour out Your Spirit on us! Fix our hearts and minds on what is true and honourable and right. Give us the joy and peace that comes from knowing and doing Your will. Keep us faithful to the call we have received in Christ Jesus, our Lord, extending Your loving invitation to the world around us. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Towards the Ascension

John16: 31-33 “So you believe in me now?” replied Jesus. “The time is coming, indeed, it has already come, when you will be scattered, every one of you going home and leaving me alone. Yet I am not really alone for the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find your peace in me. You will find trouble in the world—but, never lose heart, I have conquered the world!” (J B Phillips)

There is an ancient legend that tells of Jesus’ ascension into heaven.  Jesus is met by the angel Gabriel who asks, “Now that your work is finished what plans have you made to insure that the truth you brought to earth will spread throughout the world?”

Jesus answer “I called some fishermen, a tax-collector and a few women to walk along with me as I did my Father’s will."

“Yes I know about them” said Gabriel, “but what other plans have you made?”

Jesus replied, “I taught Peter James and John about the kingdom of God. I taught Thomas and Philip about faith.   And all of them were with me as I healed and taught.”

Gabriel began to lose patience.  “Now all this is well and good but surely you must have other plans, like a plan B or something to make sure your work was not in vain”.  Jesus with a steady gaze on Gabriel said, “I have no other plans.  I am depending on them.”

These words of Jesus in John 16 are the foundation and basis for Christian hope. Our hope in life is based on the victory of Jesus over death, and on his ongoing presence in our lives. His is a saving and energising presence, and it gives the courage and conviction we develop in prayer. He has conquered anything that can make for discouragement and despair and continue the work he has started.

Creator God,

may your peace 

go with us wherever we will be this day

May you guide us through the challenges,

protect us when in need

and inspire us with your love.

May we acknowledge your presence

in all the human goodness we will see.

May you bring us home rejoicing

to our place of rest this night.

Creator God,

we now go into this day 

in the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Easter 6

 Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Seven by the Lake 

The ones who had caught nothing 

Risen Lord, though we long to be labourers in your harvest and partners in your mission - reveal to us the strategies of your kingdom and the accents of your love.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

 

1 We fished all night, and nothing caught;

Relentless toil, with nothing brought

Into our boat upon the sea

Not one mere morsel, payment, fee.

2 Then on the distant shore we saw

A mystery, a shape, a lure

Of one who called for us to cast

Our nets and pull to shore and moor.

3 Our rope did strain, our nets did bulge

With gunnels topped we gapped amazed.

Then Peter, with a shout did yell,

It is the Lord, praise him he’s raised.

4 So shoreward bound we made our way

And found a charcoal fire ablaze.

There with the master we  partook

And ate a heart felt meal with praise.

5 Lord, at each meal each table spread

May I your living presence know; 

And in the joy of being fed

See love and mercy over flow.

Artwork and Verse by Rev'd Paul Collings

Towards the Ascension

John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.

The story is told of a mum who would take her son to nursery school, kiss him goodbye and would always say to him "Darling, I’m leaving you in good hands, OK?" She will do this every day she took her son to school.

When the son was of age and mum was quite old and now experiencing dementia, the son took his dear mum to a care home. As he said goodbye, he remembered the words of his mum when he was quite young; he then kissed her and said, "Mum I’m leaving you in good hands." His mum who could hardly remember things now because of dementia, held on to his son’s hands and tears started streaming down her eyes; she remembered her own very words years ago.

Charles Wesley  contemplating the Ascension points us to the importance of a changed heart in order to see and experience Jesus’s power, rising above every human limitations and lockdown, “Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!, to his throne beyond the skies, Alleluia, Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!, enters now the highest heaven, Alleluia!.”

Leonardo da Vinci had started to work on a large canvas in his studio. For a while he worked at it – choosing the subject, planning the perspective, sketching the outline, applying the colours, with his own inimitable genius. Then suddenly he stopped working on it. Summoning one of his talented students, the master invited him to complete the work. The horrified student protested that he was both unworthy and unable to complete the great painting, which his master had begun. But da Vinci silenced him. “Will not what I have done inspire you to do your best?”

Jesus our Master began to spread the Good News two thousand years ago, by what he said and did, but supremely, by what he suffered. He illustrated his message and he has left us to finish the picture. Will his life not inspire us to finish the picture? This is the message of the Ascension.

Almighty God,

as we prepare to worship today,

we ask that you will stretch our imaginations

to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.

Help us perceive how Jesus' presence in heaven

can give us confidence in our praying

and hope for the future.

Through Jesus, our Lord. Amen. 

Towards the Ascension

 

Pain turning into joy is part of the human condition. A grain of wheat falls and dies in the ground and then becomes a rich harvest. Loss and pain can bring us close - to God and to each other. Prayer can be a time of noticing the good in everything and of praying that pain will turn into joy.

The Ascension, the final departure of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit gave new strength and energy to the group of disciples. The new message seems to transcend boundaries of even language and difference; to the extent that evil does not conquer. The message is that the Lord continues his work on earth through his followers. Jesus knew what was in the disciples' hearts, he realised what they wanted to ask him. 

Reflecting on our lives, we too realise that there have been times of light and shade. And ascension is a time to pray for all of those who are in darkness just now; that they may draw hope from Jesus promises.

What Jesus said was not always understood by the disciples and, sometimes, their talking to each other seemed only to give rise to more questions. There are times when we need to turn Christ's words over in our hearts rather than seeking the answer outside in discussion or inspiration points. Perhaps we can recognise where Jesus has, at times, been hidden from us and, at other times, revealed.

As we approach Ascension day may we acknowledge that Jesus sees what is in our hearts and ask for the will of God be revealed a little more to us. To be a follower of Jesus is to have feelings that seem to be at odds with the world. Jesus does not promise removal of mourning immediately. May we pray for the patience that we may need -and for wisdom.

Almighty God,

as we prepare to worship today,

we ask that you will stretch our imaginations

to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.

Help us perceive how Jesus' presence in heaven

can give us confidence in our praying

and hope for the future.

Through Jesus, our Lord.

Amen.

Towards the Ascension

John 16:13a However when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.

Most Christians in our tradition are baffled – and even embarrassed – by the Ascension because on so many levels it just doesn’t make sense. We tend to be bottom line, empirical people – rational and even broadly scientific – who don’t have time for superstition or foolishness. Consequently, we tend to just skip over the Ascension without giving it much depth or thought because it sounds like antiquated religious mumbo jumbo and we want to know how faith can help us in our everyday lives:

Eugene Peterson, pastor, biblical scholar and poet, has observed that the Bible uses words in such a way that "the revelation of God to us in Jesus" is shown to be so "large and full of energy – and our capacities to believe and love and hope are so atrophied – that often we need help in hearing the Word made flesh” and living into its blessings. In his book, The Contemplative Pastor, he writes that most of us are so focused on results and doing that we no longer know how to hear the poetry of God's love in scripture. What’s more, because modern "people are not comfortable with the uncertainties and risks and travail of creativity,” we tend to confuse "knowing" with "wisdom."

A man went out on a starry night and shook his fist at the heavens yelling, "Oh, God, what a lousy, rotten world you’ve made. I could have done much better." Then a voice boomed from the clouds saying, "That’s why I put you there. Get busy." The Ascension is the time when Jesus puts us in charge of his mission and of his work, promising to be always with us. Prayer can be a time of asking and discovering where each of us can work in this world.

Almighty God,

as we prepare to worship today,

we ask that you will stretch our imaginations

to sense the majesty and mystery of your ascension.

Help us perceive how Jesus' presence in heaven

can give us confidence in our praying

and hope for the future.

Through Jesus, our Lord.

Amen.

Towards the Ascension

John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

This verse has three words that describe the work of the coming Spirit to reprove, bring righteousness and judgement.

Let’s take them one at a time.  We can consider the action of reproving as to bring into the light that which is wrong, much like how we would talk of shedding light on a situation that until know has been hidden. 

The storming of the Bastille was a key event in the French Revolution. This prison fortress held many French prisoners, and when revolutionaries took the prison they began freeing prisoners.

One man, who had been held in the Bastille for many years, begged to be taken back to his cell. It had been so long since he had seen the sunlight that he could not stand the brightness. He preferred to return to his dungeon cell to die. However with reproval comes righteousness and can be understood as God's approval or being considered right in his eyes.  Think of it in this fashion: When God sees us he approves of us because we are a bearer of his righteousness.

And along with reproval and righteousness comes judgement. The New Testament proclaims that at some unforeseeable time in the future, God will  bring down the final curtain on history, and there will come a day on which all our days and all the judgments upon us and  each other will be judged. The judge will be Christ. In other words, the one who judges us most finally will be the one who loves us most fully.

Is it any wonder that Jesus promised a comforter and advocate who will lead us into all truth as we shall explore tomorrow. 

Father in heaven,

our minds were prepared

for the coming of your kingdom

when you took Christ beyond our sight

so that we might seek him in glory.

May we follow where he has led

and find our hope in his glory,

for he is Lord forever. 

Amen.