13 May 2024

Sermon Notes - Ascension (trans) (Year B)

ASCENSION!
Primary feast
Transferred to make sure we get it!

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

We could go deeper:
Add ‘else’ to the questions…
Who ELSE - disciples
What ELSE -
When ELSE - timeless revelation, tenet of belief
Etc.

But that keeps us context of comprehension…
In our faith journey, we are often called to go deeper.

As world grows with knowledge, our experiences inform our understanding, our reading of the scripture evolves.

So: Today I propose new questions to contemplate when we celebrate this glorious feast of the Ascension!

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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