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| Andre-Rublev's Saviour |
Sermon for Ascension Day By Br Simeon efo.
29/05/2014
Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20
"I am with you always - to the close of the age"
There is an ancient legend about Jesus’ ascension into
heaven.
He is met by the angel Gabriel who asks him, "Now that
your work is finished, what plans have you made to ensure that the truth that
you brought to earth will spread throughout the world?"
Jesus answered, "I have called some fishermen and
tax-collectors 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 about faith; and all of them were with me
as I healed and preached to the multitudes."
Gabriel replied, "But you know how unreliable that lot
was. Surely you must have other plans to make sure your work was not in
vain."
Jesus quietly replied to Gabriel, "I have no other
plans. I am depending on them!! "
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Amen
The Gospel lectionary reading for today, Ascension Day and
the celebration of the ascension of the Lord, offers us the opportunity to
break open a most familiar text within the church.
Why did Jesus leave his disciples forty days after his
resurrection? Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. Moses went to
the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The
people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for
their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he
journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. For forty days after his
resurrection Jesus appeared numerous times to his disciples to assure them that
he had risen indeed and to prepare them for the task of carrying on the work
which he began during his earthy ministry.
Jesus' departure and ascension into heaven was both an end
and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical
presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence
with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the
end of time.
He assured them of his power - a power which overcame sin
and death. Now as the glorified and risen Lord and Saviour, ascended to the
right hand of the Father in heaven, Jesus promised to give them the power of
his Holy Spirit, which we see fulfilled ten days later on the Feast of
Pentecost (Luke 24:49 and Acts 2:1-4).
When the Lord Jesus departed physically from the apostles,
they were not left alone or powerless. Jesus assured them of his presence and
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' last words to his apostles point to his saving
mission and to their mission to be witnesses of his saving death and his
glorious resurrection and to proclaim the good news of salvation to all the
world.
Their task is to proclaim the gospel - the good news of
salvation - not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations as well.
God's love and gift of salvation is not reserved for a few or for one nation
alone, but it is for the whole world - for all who will accept it. The gospel
is the power of God, the power to release people from their burden of guilt,
sin, and oppression, and the power to heal, restore, and make us whole.
This is the great commission which the risen Christ gives to
the whole church. All believers have been given a share in this task - to be
heralds of the good news and ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the only saviour of
the world. We have not been left alone in this task, for the risen Lord works
in and through us by the power of his Holy Spirit.
Today we witness a new
Pentecost as the Lord pours out his Holy Spirit upon his people to renew and
strengthen the body of Christ and to equip it for effective ministry and
mission world-wide. Do you witness to others the joy of the gospel and the hope
of the resurrection?
Amen.
