Jesus Ascends to heaven. God is about fulfillment and promise…

Why did Jesus ascend into heaven?  What was the purpose?  Why did He have to leave us?  Did He leave us?  We are often sad when someone leaves us, especially if that person is important to us.  We don’t want to see them go.  We ask God why does this person need to go away?  

Some of you may know that I am a Star Wars fan.  I do not necessarily like all the high tech stuff, but I love the story.  I love the development of characters like Luke Skywalker.  In one of the saddest scenes in the trilogy, Luke loses his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Sadly he sees Darth Vader destroy him.  It always seems that the mentor figures in our lives need to move on.  Luke shouts out, “Nooo” as Obi-wan dies, but then something amazing happens.  Luke can still hear his mentor guiding and directing him.  In fact, in many ways, he is actually more present to Luke.  I always get chills when Obi-Wan tells Luke to trust the Force and to reach out with his feelings.  It is ok, I know I am a geek.

Now I am not saying that I equate Obi-Wan with Jesus, nor do I think that what happened with Obi-Wan is just like Jesus’ ascension. The force is not equal to God, and there is no parallel to Jesus in the Star Wars universe (no matter who was born how).  However there are a few themes that are similar.  First, Obi-Wan appears to leave Luke, but does not really leave him.  In the same way Jesus appears to have left us at the Ascension, but He is with us in a new and powerful way.  Second, Luke finds out that the force will be with him always.  Similarly, Jesus fulfills His promise to His disciples and us.  That is what Ascension Day is about to me.  It is not about loss or sadness, but about fulfillment and promise.  

First, it is about fulfillment.  Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” (Luke 24:44)  Much of what the ascension is about is fulfillment.  Jesus came to be one of us.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)   God loves us so much He felt compelled to become one of us.  Then after He has experienced all that human beings go through, even death, Jesus fully brings that experience into heaven with God the Father.  In other words God experiences death as Jesus to redeem us and transform the Divine/ Human relationship.  By way of the Ascension, He unites that experience fully and forever with the fullness of God.  God is fulfilling all that God said God would do.  So in many ways we can rejoice that the process of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is fulfilled.  Having now been fully redeemed Jesus can also be present to us in a new way.  He therefore sends the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (but more on that next Sunday).  Jesus’ ascension is thus a completion, but not an end.

Jesus Ascension is also about promise.  God will come again.  I love the scene in Acts chapter 1.  As the disciples are looking up to heaven to marvel at Jesus’ ascension, these two men in dazzling white clothes basically tell them not to stare.  They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? 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: 9-11)  They tell them that Jesus will come again the same way He left, miraculously.  In other words we won’t miss it.  Thus Jesus’ ascension is about fulfillment, but also promise.  Christ has died, Christ is Risen, Christ will come again!  Jesus is not left in some tomb somewhere.  God is very much awake, alive, active and moving throughout creation and in our lives.

In the end all things find their completion in Christ Jesus who loves us, became one of us, and lovingly fulfills all promises.  Jesus said, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:3)

Happy Mother's Day! Underneath it all is the Love of God!!

When Jesus saw (from the cross) his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’  Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.  (John 19:  26 - 27)

My dad was the smartest man in the entire world.  He knew how to answer all of my most difficult questions.  Whenever I asked him the most challenging questions in life he would wisely respond, "Go ask your mother!"

Nothing is quite as wonderful, nurturing, and important as a good mom.  Moms are amazing!  Moms sing us to sleep and cuddle us as babies.  They fix boo-boos and read stories when we are toddlers.  Moms correct and challenge us as teenagers.  They encourage us and pass on wisdom as we age.  Moms are not perfect, but can know more than most the importance of sacrificial love.

There is no greater example of motherhood than Jesus' mother, Mary.  She understood that her relationship with her son is grounded in her love for God.  She is not perfect either, but she does know what all good parents do.  If you want to be a great parent and have a special relationship with your kids, then first ground your own life as a servant of God.

The gospel scenes of Mary and Jesus point to a nurturing, faithful, complex, sometimes even baffling relationship.  However, underneath it all is the sacrificial love of God.

At the annunciation Mary responds to the angel Gabriel's proclamation by saying, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)  This after initially wondering how this could be.  Next, Mary goes to visit her relative Elizabeth who is great with child as well.  After John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb, Mary shouts out the Magnificat.  “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my Spirit rejoices in God my savior…”  (Luke 1: 46, 47)  Mary’s faithful and joyful response to motherhood is an inspiration for all, not to mention some of the greatest poetry in the entire Bible.  Mary also marvels when the shepherd's visit at Jesus' birth, “she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  (Luke 2:19)  Mary is a shining example of the importance of a human, warm, loving relationship.  She is joyful and humble.  She knows her child is a gift from God.    

Moreover, Mary is not just the cute, placid, innocent girl we see in Christmas pageants.  Mary can be stern in her own way.  She says to the boy Jesus, after frantically searching for him for three days and finding him in the Temple, “Child, why have you treated us like this?” (Luke 2: 48)O  ne is left to wonder about the entirety of their relationship while Jesus was a boy.  Did she discipline him often or very much at all?  Did she need to discipline him?  We will never know, and perhaps we shouldn’t.  In any case, Mary was a very caring and nurturing mother.  

However, it is her relationship with Jesus when he is an adult that intrigues the most.  Mary strongly hinted that Jesus turn water into wine at the wedding in Cana.  Jesus says, “Woman, what concern is that to you and me?  My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4)  Mary then tells the servants to do as Jesus commands.  Jesus dutifully orders the large jars to be filled with water.  When the water is drawn out it becomes fine wine.  It is one of the most curious encounters in the entire Bible.  Did Jesus give in to his mother?  Was she right?  How did they feel toward each other in that moment?  The text never really answers these questions and we are left to wonder.  Another curious scene between Mary and Jesus is found in Mark chapter 3.  Many think Jesus is ‘out of his mind.’  The text says that some of his family went to restrain him.  Was his mother part of that group?  Did she want to overly protect her son?  Later Jesus is told that his mother, brothers, and sisters are outside looking for him.  Jesus responds that his mother and brothers and sisters are those who do the will of God.  Now I am not suggesting that Jesus and Mary had an antagonistic relationship when Jesus was an adult, but you have to wonder how their relationship truly progressed.  There were obvious strains, but that is true of all relationships grounded in love.

Finally, the most powerful scene between Jesus and his mother is the scene at the cross.  On the cross Jesus looks down and sees the most important people in his earthly life.  Two of which are his mother and the ‘beloved’ disciple.  The ‘beloved’ disciple (often thought to be John) can be symbolic of all beloved disciples of Jesus.  It is an incredible literary device used by the writer of John’s gospel.  It is a way to say to the reader that, “You too can be a beloved disciple.”  Jesus says, “Woman, here is your son,’ and to the beloved disciple, “Here is your mother.” (John 19:26, 27)  Notice, he does not say, “Here you two be friends.”  No, Jesus is very specific about setting up the mother/ child relationship.  Especially at the cross, Jesus and his mother Mary know the importance of a loving relationship grounded in God.

Nothing is quite as wonderful, nurturing, and important as a good mom.  I pray you take some time today to give thanks for mother's everywhere.  Remember those who have had a difficult mother/ child relationship.   Remember all those who have functioned as special moms for others.  Remember the special moments with your mom!  Remember her joys.  Remember her challenges.  Remember her heartache.  Remember her faithfulness.  Remember her love!  

Thank You Moms!  Happy Mother's Day!  Underneath it all is the Love of God!!