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S. Ascension.26 (Observed) Luke 24:44-53

“… and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy”

And it’s that last bit that they returned with great joy that always puzzled me. Jesus said it best “apart from me, you can do nothing”. The three days without him were terrible. So when he is parted from them and ascends into Heaven, I would think they would be, well; not mad but maybe a little… sad? Maybe… concerned? But that they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy—total opposite of sad is a head scratcher for me.

I know Jesus is with me always but I would much prefer to see him face to face, to hear his voice, feel the touch of his hand on my shoulder, even seeing him slap his forehead over something I did would be great because he’ll forgive and fix and the smile on his face would be endless joy.

I really envy the apostles. When people ask if you had a time machine where would you go (a question as a sci-fi fan I’ve been thinking about for almost 60 years 😉 I have the same answer as I did as a little boy: I want to go to Galilee 27AD out by the Jordan where John was baptized on the day Jesus was baptized and then follow him with the apostles for the next 3 years. There is nowhere else I’d rather be, nothing else I’d rather do, no one else I’d rather be with.

I know in heaven we’ll see him face to face in glory but I have concerns about how well I’ll handle glory. I know it’ll be fine when I’m sinless but a sinless me is hard to picture, honestly. Peter, James, and John do enough stupid shtuff and Jesus fixes it and they love being with him, that I can see myself in that company being happy as a it’s possible to be! To hear the Master’s voice, see his face, eat with him, walk the dusty roads of Palestine. That’s a heaven I can totally get into. Even when he points out my question is stupid, I won’t mind being the butt of the joke.

So I can’t really wrap my head around the apostles having great joy when Jesus is parted from them knowing they won’t see him face to face in the old way till death or the Last Day whichever comes first. I can only imagine myself being sad…

Maybe this isn’t a problem for you, but put up with me for a moment, while I try to to sort this. Backstop me…

Their joy must be rooted in what Jesus had said to them Easter Sunday evening after appearing to them, saying “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was till with you, that everything written about me in the Torah of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

So, Jesus has accomplished his mission! Everything the scriptures promised Jesus has done. Like he told Mary Magdalene—you can’t hold onto me now like this. He’s got places to go and they get that.

And then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, saying “thus it is written that the Christ must suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and to proclaim in his name repentance for the forgiveness of sins for all the nations—beginning at Jerusalem.”

If my mind were opened by Jesus to understand the scriptures I would get that Jesus isn’t leaving us but is going to be with us in a new and even more exciting way. The word of forgiveness is for the world and oh, the places you will go and the things you will see with Jesus. So seeing the world with him is joyful!

And finally he says “You are my martyrs (witnesses) of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high…”

The martyr thing would give me a moment of pause. But to be a martyr for him, with him is pretty cool. To go out with a bang not a whimper, with a large crowd at the day of our execution greeting us with cries of hate and just laughing and knowing this the gate to heaven and the crown of glory that awaits would put a smile on my face. You don’t want to go out limping on your walker but diving headfirst and laughing into the catcher blocking home plate and take him out! This is the Way.

And if my joy were not complete (and it wouldn’t be yet, because I’d be like “I don’t have that kind of power or strength!” to hear “and behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” now I’m fully in! Now I’m beaming with joy!

I get to be a Marvel Super Hero! I get to be clothed with power from on high. I don’t know what that will be exactly, how it will look or feel, but I already know I’m going to like being clothed with power from on high—a lot!

So Jesus’ Ascension is simply kicking this whole Gospel thing we started tramping the highways and byways of Palestine like hobos from 3 years into a new and gloriously higher gear! He is not leaving us, but ascending to heaven to send his power and Presence down on us in a whole new and exciting way!

You are his martyrs too, you know… buried with him by baptism into his death you also are secret sharers in his resurrection and by Word and Sacrament the power from on high clothes you here and now at his table. So… have fun!

And the Peace surpassing all understanding guards your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Forever! Amen!