Set in the joyful post resurrection days, the ascension is Christ's final great act on earth. For the previous forty days Jesus, in his great love, has been instructing the Apostles, making clear to them what his life and death means for mankind, and how they are to carry out their future mission. They must preach in his name, baptise, create a community of believers based on all he has taught them. But the day has come when they must now do it without Jesus being physically with them. It is time for Jesus physically to leave them and return to the company of his beloved father, by whose will he had been on earth, for the salvation of all. But the ascension is not just about Jesus leaving the Apostles. Yes, he does physically leave them; however he promised that they would not be alone. Jesus had promised the send the Apostles the Holy Spirit after he had left them, to make known to them what they still did not know, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth ... and he will declare to you the things that are to come" (John 16:13). So the ascension involves two things: Jesus is departing, yet he is making a promise that he will send the Holy Spirit upon them, to guide them in all truth and strengthen them for the mission of making Jesus known to all people.
Physical departures hurt...but it is quite a "present" Jesus promises to give us and has given us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us... I need to hear it over and over again.