Dear friends in Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prepare our hearts, Lord, to receive your Word. Silence in us any voice but your own that in hearing we may believe and in believing we may obey your will revealed to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.
I love the story about Jesus’ ascension into heaven. To refresh our memories, here’s a look at what’s happened since he rose from the dead:
-The Lord has appeared to many of his followers,
-he has walked and talked with them,
-eaten bread and fish with them,
-explained God’s Word to them,
-and given them a mission.
Now, with all that affirmation, confirmation, verification and authorization…why is it that the disciples still don’t seem to “get it” about Jesus, what he came to do and what their role is in what comes next?
What are some clues that maybe they’re still a little…clue-less?
1) Their question: Lord, now will you restore the kingdom to Israel? (6)
How many times and in how many ways did Jesus explain to them
that he did not come to establish another status quo??? His is a kingdom that knows no national identity, no set borders, nothing to tie it to gender, race or social status – in fact, exactly the opposite.
2) When Jesus ascends, his followers just stand there looking up! (10) Two
angels have to do crowd control, telling Jesus’ followers, It’s all over-
there’s nothing more here for you to see! Don’t just stand there…?!?
I’m wondering: What’s the dilemma that delays them from getting engaged with the work of the Gospel? What fears might they fighting?
It could be tied to what Jesus named on the night of his betrayal. Remember when he told his followers that all of them would desert him? He quoted Zechariah 13:7 when he said, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. So he was killed, and so they all ran…
Well, hardly have these sheep been reunited with their shepherd…when now he’s leaving them all over again. I suspect that they’re battling a certain sense of fear – like many of the situations that you and I know:
-Leaving home for the very first time;
-Trying to cope with the loss of a parent, spouse or child;
-Losing a respected boss at work, or a teacher at school…
We ask: What am I supposed to do now?
How can I go on?
Who’s going to be our leader?
My wife tells the story from years back when she was a substitute teacher waiting to get hired for a full time position. Her training was with upper elementary students, but one day in the fall, she took a job for a kindergarten teacher who was sick. Anyone want to describe what happened when those kids walked in the room and discovered that a stranger had taken Mrs. Johnson’s place?
Fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of failure – it reminds me of that famous quote by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his first inaugural address. Said the new president, First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
If it’s true that the followers of Jesus are afraid: to take action, to move forward, to enter their community and their roles as servants of God for the sake of the world…then they’re in pretty good company. Can you think of other bible characters who also were afraid to answer God’s call?
Abraham/Sarah – both worried for years that God would not fulfill his
three-fold promise of land, descendants and blessing
Moses – greatly feared facing the mighty Pharaoh to demand freedom for his
family and friends
Elijah – was certain that his life was forfeit after he defeated, then did-in the
priests of the false god, Baal
Jeremiah – felt fearful about speaking God’s Word since he was only a boy
Jesus’ mother Mary – had to feel fear when recalling Simeon’s words over
her baby at the Temple: and a sword will pierce your own soul too.
I, for one, am thankful that we know of their fear – because it’s a pretty sure bet that you and I have been and will be found in very similar places – hiding behind locked doors, giving in to the power of worry, or saying No to God because we’re just too afraid of what might go wrong …
True confessions? I am a recovering…perfectionist – I grew up with a definite fear of failure. Before trying something new, I needed every detail nailed down tight – I wanted proof that every attempt would succeed…
Now, when I was lucky, things turned out well. But, for the most part, my fear of failure kept me from trying lots of things, walking down unknown paths, daring to set my sights on some significant goals – in short, it left me standing right there with the disciples, wanting someone else to tell me: what to do, how to do it, when it was due…and take the heat if it failed.
Now, the good news is that there’s some help for all of us who fumble around with fear. It can be found, I believe, by observing…wood ducks.
Seriously…at our Minnesota Grandparent’s house, they have wood ducks return to their yard on a regular basis. Now, a unique thing about wood ducks is that they nest high in a tree. Then when the ducklings have hatched and the mother decides that they’re ready for life…what does she do?
She takes off – flies to the ground below and waits for her young ones to follow… That’s it – that’s her one lesson in flying! Then, like little paratroopers standing in the door, that’s sort of what the ducklings do…they jump, or fall out of the nest without a parachute, flap their useless little wings and hit the ground with a thud! Now a great majority survive their fall, shake their heads, stumble around, but eventually find their mother – and fall in-line behind her like good little soldiers.
In their dramatic entrance to the world, I see a parallel of the challenges that Jesus’ followers faced – as well as those that you and I must embrace.
When Jesus takes off and the angels symbolically push the disciples out of their nest, it might seem a little harsh at first. But in reality, this is what they’ve been training for from the moment they first heard Jesus say, Follow me. They’ve heard him preach and teach; they’ve seen him help and heal; they’ve experienced his power and presence as God-on-earth!
Turn to the 2nd Reading from Ephesians on the back of your bulletin…The author lists a number of the gifts that those earliest followers were given:
-a spirit of wisdom & revelation (17)
-the eyes of their heart enlightened (18)
-the hope to which they were called (18)
-the riches of God’s glorious inheritance (18)
-and the immeasurable greatness of God’s power for all who believe (19).
What more could they want…? What more could we want? Say the angels to the disciples – and to us – Don’t just stand there, do something with the gifts you’ve been given! Amen.