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)
