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Ascension Day
SERMON – 7.00pm, St John's Cathedral, Hong Kong
Thursday 21st May 2009
Revd. Canon David Pickering
God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, Ephesians 1. 20 – 22
I expect many of us have favourite parts of the Bible, or particular biblical authors that we value.
When it comes to the Ascension and Christmas mine has to be Luke.
My thing about the relationship between Christmas and Ascension!
As with many of the more romantic stories in the Gospels we have to rely on the descriptive skills of Luke to give us the beautiful account of the Ascension. And as we heard in two of our readings this evening he tells the same story twice, but in different ways.
Writing at the end of his gospel, Luke seems to indicate that the Ascension took place very late on Easter Day or very soon afterwards. While his account in Acts makes it clear that the Ascension was forty days after Easter.
Later this year a group of people from the cathedral and daughter churches are going on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, perhaps they will visit the reputed site of the Ascension - Mount Olivet, Bethany or Jerusalem?
But what if Jesus life had centred on this city?
I wonder where the Ascension would take place.
The Peak, Lion Rock, Tai Mo Shan, Sunset or Lantau Peak, Mount Davis, plenty of high places in and around the territory.
A few weeks ago I was with a group walking in Sai Kung Country Park and on top of one of the hills came across a Helicopter landing H. A helicopter would be great help in the Ascension.
Of course this is all silly speculation.
But the Ascension can and should be a reality in our lives here in Hong Kong., or where ever we are.
The differences in Luke's two accounts of the Ascension are not a problem. They each have their own theological emphasis. Both of which are important.
In the gospel account the Ascension is very much a part of the Resurrection triumph and miracle. Whereas in the Acts account it is leading up to Pentecost. In many ways the Ascension links the two. The risen Lord ascends to heaven to enable the new dispensation of the Spirit.
As with the whole Gospel story it's the meaning, the implication or theology that is important. When we celebrate the Ascension or any other part of the salvation history that was the Jesus event, we are not just remembering something that happened around two thousand years ago, as crucial as that may be. Of greater importance we celebrate what the Ascension of Jesus means for our lives today.
The clue and the key to this is found in the third of our readings this evening, from the letter to the Ephesians, which I used as a text.
This is Paul's theological statement about the risen and ascended Lord. He does not give a description of how or what happened, but a statement about its reality for all of us.
It is about Christ reigning supreme over all things.
For each one of us this has many implications.
Here are just a couple.
Does Christ reign and rule in our lives?
Who rules our lives? Family? work? particular interests? special responsibilities?
All important but must be expressed within the supreme rule of the will of God in our lives.
In fact if we tune whatever rules our lives to the will and purpose of God, or what we call the kingdom of God, then we will find that whatever rules us here is enhanced and brings greater fulfilment and satisfaction.
Secondly, does Jesus reigning in our lives raise us about the mundane and even profane world? Is his reigning an ascension for us?
We cannot ignore the ordinary and the earthly, to do so is to discount God's creation and be oblivious to the incarnation. Jesus was in the world, but not necessarily of it. If we are to be his followers, witnesses and servants in the world then same must be true ourselves.
We need to recognise and accept where we are earthed at any particular time. Even rejoice in that this where God has placed us.
Then we can begin to see where his rule and reign need to be implemented.
Where there needs to be goodness instead of evil; where their needs to be justice and peace rather than inequality and hatred; where hurt and sadness need to be reversed with comfort and joy, and above all, all those places and relationships that need to be made whole with love.
The ascended Lord, does not leave us alone here. Through the Holy Spirit he takes us to heaven with him, so that we can lead an ascended and heavenly life in the here and now.
To the Ascended Lord, who rules over all things, be glory and praise, now and for ever.
Amen.
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