18 May 2015

Notes from my sermon for the Feast of the Ascension

Ascension notes

5 Ws
who what when where why (how)
Jesus, Ascending, then, there, fulfillment of scriptures. How - God's mysterious ways

YET: those are simple answers, and this story is not a 3rd grade book review

5 new Ws
WORSHIP - obviously. Having had minds opened to understand scriptures, one is filled with delight to engage in worship. - "blessing and great joy"

WITNESS - Jesus himself calls us this. "You are witnesses of these things!" What we witness changes us - how we view the world - how we engage with the world. Witness: a call to proclaim

WORK OF SPIRIT - "I am sending upon you what my Father promised!" each given own gifts - not more or less, not better or worse, just different: learn, embrace, master, delight.

WAIT - wait for the Spirit; no need to jump in too fast - wait and listen, wait and prepare. "Wait in the city - among people, until you receive the power you will ned for your ministry, which can only come from God, and which is on it's way."

WE - in the WORLD - the work is left for US - Jesus has left the building, the Spirit is promised to come empower us. Not just in the ways we always have done, not limited to the 4 walls, but everywhere.

HOW - well, there's the good news - to the glory of God, through our using the God given gifts. Individually, as faith communities, as the world -

The ministry is now ours, the time is now, the opportunity to live the Good News is amongst us - just as Jesus has promised in today's scriptures. Thanks be to God indeed.

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