The Ascension Of Our Lord
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VI, Cycle B
COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Acts 1:1-11 (C, RC, E)
Jesus was taken up into heaven and was soon obscured by clouds. IÍm sure there are some of us who interpret this literally, and there are many of us who assume this was poetic imagery. It doesnÍt really matter. What does matter is that here we have Luke continuing the reports of his Gospel. After repeating his introduction to Theophilus, Luke tells of the unforgettable hour in which Jesus took leave of his friends after assuring them that they would soon receive an empowering Spirit, and after also making it clear that their questions about the future were inappropriate and would not be answered. As Jesus passed from view, two white-clad figures appeared, urging the apostles to get back to work. In effect, we have a stage setting here. Jesus, having reassured his friends (and us) that we would receive help in life, goes on and leaves the way open for those who are called into his service to quit staring into space and to get down to the hard work of living and teaching the faith.
Lesson 2: Ephesians 1:15-23 (C, E); Ephesians 1:17-23 (RC)
Paul addresses his Ephesian friends with great affection. They have won this affection by their faith and their loving attitudes. Paul reminds them that the power which will henceforth work in them is the same power as God used in raising Jesus from death. Paul concludes this section by giving what amounts to a benediction, affirming Christ as Lord of the Church. For me, the most significant point to be made is the fact that Paul was praying for his people, asking God to give them the Spirit who will make them wise and give them mighty strength. Intercessory prayer. The New Testament doesnÍt directly address intercession so much as it incidentally demonstrates it.
Gospel: Luke 24:44-53 (C); Luke 24:49-53 (E)
Jesus assures his disciples that the scriptures of their former faith have been fulfilled. They rightly foresaw that Jesus must suffer and die, then be returned from death. He then instructs them to return to the city until such time as ñthe power from above'' settles upon them. Following this, Jesus disappears and the disciples go into the temple to give thanks to God.
Gospel: Mark 16:15-20 (RC); Mark 16:9-15, 19-20 (E)
Jesus orders the disciples to go out into the world and win as many new adherents as they can. They are to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is notable that some of the people were troubled by doubt, but they still were prepared to go. Jesus, finally, promises to be with them always.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñYou Shall Receive Power''
Text: Acts 1:1-11
Theme: The two white-clad figures in this report, perhaps angels, perhaps people sent by God, urge the apostles to return to their mission, assured that ñJesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.'' The apostles then return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives where this remarkable event has taken place. One senses that the two men dressed in white were not insensitive to the feelings of the apostles. But they did apparently understand that there is a kind of religion which turns away from the arena of life and loses itself in meditation and speculation. ThatÍs not Christianity. Ours is a working manÍs faith, a means of facing the worst as well as the best of life with courage, strength, and integrity.
1. We are to live life with honor. That is the key requirement to this Christian faith. We are to exemplify all the highest qualities of humankind in the way we treat each other „ and in the way we treat others outside our faith. Jesus effectively substituted a twofold commandment for the myriad of little rules known to his hearers. We are to love God, and we are to love each other.
2. By living life with honor we can find happiness. There is no other way. Assuming a distinction between pleasure and happiness, one may derive a certain short-term pleasure as a result of dishonesty, or misrepresentation. It doesnÍt last. What we eventually discover is that God is the source of real happiness, and God withholds that gift from those who betray the values of his Son. That doesnÍt mean we have to be perfect. We all make mistakes, fall short, sometimes make a mess of things. As long as God sees that weÍre sincerely trying, I believe that he wills joy in our lives.
3. By living life happily with honor, we pass the habit to our children. Those of us who have done a lot of counseling have observed that almost everyone turns out like one or both parents. Exceptions may be dysfunctional families in which counseling has enabled change. But most of us end up saying, ñI sound like my dad,'' or ñI sound just like Mother.'' I am convinced that a child growing up in a home where Christian values are extolled and practiced will unfailingly become the same kind of person. Each person develops a unique personality, true. But values are learned quite early, are based more on observation than on moral preachments, and become the basis of a personÍs hope for the future.
Title: ñShould We Pray For Other People?''
Text: Ephesians 1:15-17
Theme: First, there are some logical arguments against the efficacy of intercession through prayer. Do we change GodÍs mind? Will God do something nice for my beloved wife because I prayed for her that he might otherwise not have done? Is God willing to divert some plan of his because I asked him to for the sake of a friend? Do I even have a right to interfere in a friendÍs life? I know some people who are praying that a certain individual participate in a religious service which happens to mean a great deal to them. Is that intrusive, manipulatory? If God has a plan for my life, is it appropriate for someone, however well-meaning, to implore God to do something different?
DonÍt misunderstand. IÍm not denying the need for intercession. I do, however, suggest that the preacher might want frankly to confront some of these questions for the sake of those thoughtful people who tend to analyze. But finally, I believe in its power because the Bible says itÍs so.
1. We should pray for another personÍs welfare. Ths is especially true if there is illness or distress.
2. God will surely never allow us to in any way coerce another person, no matter how well-meaning we may think we are.
3. It may be that through intercessory prayer we help carry the burden faced by another. ItÍs also possible that some form of spiritual strength passes between the praying person and the person prayed for.
4. In the end, as in most spiritual matters, faith must go beyond the understandable, must be willing to enter the mystery of GodÍs way and trust. In truth, there are enough indications that intercessory prayer does make a difference to the person prayed for that we will surely do as Paul did: pray for those we care about.
Title: ñThe Benefits Of His Passion''
Text: Luke 24:44-53
Theme: This passage brings us to the finale of JesusÍ earthly ministry. In preparing to depart, he leaves his friends some final instructions. After reassuring them that things have not gone wrong, that the expectations contained in their scriptures are being fulfilled, and thus GodÍs will is operating, he asks of them that they fulfill their part by doing certain things.
1. We are to preach the message of repentance and forgiveness. As earlier discussed, repentance involves more than regret for past failures. Repentance is a turning away from the attitudes and values which led to those failures. Repentance requires an effort to become a new person. Of course, those of us who have tried to do this on our own will know that itÍs nearly impossible without help. I too often find myself slipping, saying something I swore I wouldnÍt say again, or rationalizing some minor misconduct as not being harmful, really. Just the other day I heard a fellow minister confide something about another clergy person which wasnÍt exactly a compliment. Instead of defending the absent person, or at least changing the subject, I listened intently. I collaborated in a bit of gossip of the kind I from time to time decry from the pulpit. The only way this change takes place is with help from God. Even then, it takes place slowly. My one hope is the realization that God will forgive me if I persevere in this process of change and growth.
2. We are to ñwitness'' to these things. I understand this to be a rather sweeping request, that we not only exemplify repentance and forgiveness in our daily lives, but that the entire gospel of love be seen to operate in us. In other words, the best way to witness to forgiveness is to live like someone who has been forgiven. I have included a grand illustration of forgiveness, of living the gospel, below.
3. We are to receive a new power into our lives. That is the consequence of our effort to live the gospel. I donÍt know which comes first, a conscious commitment on my part, followed by the gift of power, or the gift of power, then followed by my commitment. Maybe it works both ways. Maybe it depends on my state of mind or my life situation. What I do know is that the two go together. I know that as I try to be what Jesus asked me to be, I feel a power at work, enabling me, encouraging me. I also know that sometimes, when my efforts lag, I sense something missing. It isnÍt that God gives up on me, or that IÍm being punished. ItÍs just that I am removing myself from the source of the power by exercising my freedom unwisely. I do, however, have a suspicion that God wonÍt let me get too far away.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Let me share something which happened to me a few years after I entered the ministry. I received a call from a funeral director telling me that an elderly man had unexpectedly died and his wife had no church affiliation. Would I, he asked, be willing to perform the funeral service for the wifeÍs sake? Of course I agreed and, learning that she was then at the funeral home, I went there to meet her. When I arrived I found an elderly lady beside herself with grief. She and her husband had been very close in a long life of happy marriage, and my talk with her was interrupted several times as she began to sob. A relative was there who was as unsuccessful as I felt in trying to console the poor woman. I agreed to be there the next afternoon for the final arrangements, then left to drive home.
That evening, I found myself unable to put the saddened lady out of my mind. She seemed not to have much family, had been so close to the man she loved, and now was devastated by her loss. As I reviewed our talk in my mind, I began to pray for the woman. As I prayed, something strange seemed to happen to me. A surge of grief swept over me, much as though someone I had known and loved had died, though I had never met the couple prior to that day. For some time that evening I was distressed at the emotions I was feeling, and the more I prayed for her, the more grief I felt. After a few minutes my feelings of grief subsided. By habit, I looked at my watch and saw that it was just a few minutes before nine in the evening.
The next day I went to the funeral home and once more spoke with the bereaved wife. This time, however, she seemed quite calm and peaceful. I asked her how she was doing and she said something like this to me: ñLast night I began to feel better. Of course IÍm heartbroken at the loss of my dear husband, but I began to realize that I must and can go on with whatÍs left of my life.'' I couldnÍt resist „ I asked her if she could remember at what time she had begun to feel this way. She didnÍt know exactly, but she thought it must have been about nine while she was talking with the distant relative who had come to stay with her.
What happened? Was the relative a calming influence? Did God, independently of any part I might have played, reassure her? Had her terrible feelings of grief played out for the time, leaving her simply exhausted? Of course any of these explanations may have been correct. But I have another explanation, one which felt so powerful to me at the time that to this day I believe it to be the right one. I am convinced that God shifted part of that womanÍs grief onto me, thereby lightening the painful load for her just long enough for her to realize her grief wouldnÍt last forever. Briefly, in some spiritual way, we had been linked together in a shared oneness. She had realized that there would be a tomorrow, and the same strength which had made her a good wife would see her through the days ahead.
____________
Paul Tillich in The New Being related the story of Elsa Brandstrom, aged 24, who looked out the window of the Swedish embassy in St. Petersburg and saw thousands of German prisoners being herded to Siberia in World War I. Henceforth, she vowed to leave her life of splendor of which she was a beautiful and admired part. She became a nurse and visited the prison camps. Tillich reports: ñThere she saw unspeakable horrors and she, a girl of 24, began, almost alone, the fight of love against cruelty, and she prevailed.''
Fighting against resistance and suspicion by the authorities, against the brutality and lawlessness of the camp guards, against cold, hunger, dirt, and illness, against the primitive conditions of an undeveloped country and a destructive war, she prevailed. ñLove gave her wisdom with innocence, daring with foresight. And whenever she appeared despair was conquered and sorrow healed. She visited the hungry and gave them food. She saw the thirsty and gave them drink. She welcomed the strangers, clothed the naked, and strengthened the sick. She herself fell ill and was imprisoned, but God was abiding in her. The irresistible power of love was with her.''
After the war Elsa Brandstrom continued to work with the orphans of Russian and German prisoners of war. At the outset of HitlerÍs regime, she came to America and continued her humanitarian work. On her deathbed, she received a delegate from the king and people of Sweden, ñrepresenting innumerable people all over Europe, assuring her that she would never be forgotten by those to whom she had given back meaning to their lives.''
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 47 (C, RC, E) „ ñGod has gone up with a shout....''
Prayer Of The Day
Grant us faith, O God, to accept those truths which lie beyond the understanding of our little minds. Grant us love, that we may reach beyond our own small lives to others for whom we may yet be the source of some form of salvation. Grant us strength, that we might prevail against the damaging forces which beset us, that finally we might be found faithful in our lifeÍs calling. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
Lesson 1: Acts 1:1-11 (C, RC, E)
Jesus was taken up into heaven and was soon obscured by clouds. IÍm sure there are some of us who interpret this literally, and there are many of us who assume this was poetic imagery. It doesnÍt really matter. What does matter is that here we have Luke continuing the reports of his Gospel. After repeating his introduction to Theophilus, Luke tells of the unforgettable hour in which Jesus took leave of his friends after assuring them that they would soon receive an empowering Spirit, and after also making it clear that their questions about the future were inappropriate and would not be answered. As Jesus passed from view, two white-clad figures appeared, urging the apostles to get back to work. In effect, we have a stage setting here. Jesus, having reassured his friends (and us) that we would receive help in life, goes on and leaves the way open for those who are called into his service to quit staring into space and to get down to the hard work of living and teaching the faith.
Lesson 2: Ephesians 1:15-23 (C, E); Ephesians 1:17-23 (RC)
Paul addresses his Ephesian friends with great affection. They have won this affection by their faith and their loving attitudes. Paul reminds them that the power which will henceforth work in them is the same power as God used in raising Jesus from death. Paul concludes this section by giving what amounts to a benediction, affirming Christ as Lord of the Church. For me, the most significant point to be made is the fact that Paul was praying for his people, asking God to give them the Spirit who will make them wise and give them mighty strength. Intercessory prayer. The New Testament doesnÍt directly address intercession so much as it incidentally demonstrates it.
Gospel: Luke 24:44-53 (C); Luke 24:49-53 (E)
Jesus assures his disciples that the scriptures of their former faith have been fulfilled. They rightly foresaw that Jesus must suffer and die, then be returned from death. He then instructs them to return to the city until such time as ñthe power from above'' settles upon them. Following this, Jesus disappears and the disciples go into the temple to give thanks to God.
Gospel: Mark 16:15-20 (RC); Mark 16:9-15, 19-20 (E)
Jesus orders the disciples to go out into the world and win as many new adherents as they can. They are to baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is notable that some of the people were troubled by doubt, but they still were prepared to go. Jesus, finally, promises to be with them always.
SERMON SUGGESTIONS
Title: ñYou Shall Receive Power''
Text: Acts 1:1-11
Theme: The two white-clad figures in this report, perhaps angels, perhaps people sent by God, urge the apostles to return to their mission, assured that ñJesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.'' The apostles then return to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives where this remarkable event has taken place. One senses that the two men dressed in white were not insensitive to the feelings of the apostles. But they did apparently understand that there is a kind of religion which turns away from the arena of life and loses itself in meditation and speculation. ThatÍs not Christianity. Ours is a working manÍs faith, a means of facing the worst as well as the best of life with courage, strength, and integrity.
1. We are to live life with honor. That is the key requirement to this Christian faith. We are to exemplify all the highest qualities of humankind in the way we treat each other „ and in the way we treat others outside our faith. Jesus effectively substituted a twofold commandment for the myriad of little rules known to his hearers. We are to love God, and we are to love each other.
2. By living life with honor we can find happiness. There is no other way. Assuming a distinction between pleasure and happiness, one may derive a certain short-term pleasure as a result of dishonesty, or misrepresentation. It doesnÍt last. What we eventually discover is that God is the source of real happiness, and God withholds that gift from those who betray the values of his Son. That doesnÍt mean we have to be perfect. We all make mistakes, fall short, sometimes make a mess of things. As long as God sees that weÍre sincerely trying, I believe that he wills joy in our lives.
3. By living life happily with honor, we pass the habit to our children. Those of us who have done a lot of counseling have observed that almost everyone turns out like one or both parents. Exceptions may be dysfunctional families in which counseling has enabled change. But most of us end up saying, ñI sound like my dad,'' or ñI sound just like Mother.'' I am convinced that a child growing up in a home where Christian values are extolled and practiced will unfailingly become the same kind of person. Each person develops a unique personality, true. But values are learned quite early, are based more on observation than on moral preachments, and become the basis of a personÍs hope for the future.
Title: ñShould We Pray For Other People?''
Text: Ephesians 1:15-17
Theme: First, there are some logical arguments against the efficacy of intercession through prayer. Do we change GodÍs mind? Will God do something nice for my beloved wife because I prayed for her that he might otherwise not have done? Is God willing to divert some plan of his because I asked him to for the sake of a friend? Do I even have a right to interfere in a friendÍs life? I know some people who are praying that a certain individual participate in a religious service which happens to mean a great deal to them. Is that intrusive, manipulatory? If God has a plan for my life, is it appropriate for someone, however well-meaning, to implore God to do something different?
DonÍt misunderstand. IÍm not denying the need for intercession. I do, however, suggest that the preacher might want frankly to confront some of these questions for the sake of those thoughtful people who tend to analyze. But finally, I believe in its power because the Bible says itÍs so.
1. We should pray for another personÍs welfare. Ths is especially true if there is illness or distress.
2. God will surely never allow us to in any way coerce another person, no matter how well-meaning we may think we are.
3. It may be that through intercessory prayer we help carry the burden faced by another. ItÍs also possible that some form of spiritual strength passes between the praying person and the person prayed for.
4. In the end, as in most spiritual matters, faith must go beyond the understandable, must be willing to enter the mystery of GodÍs way and trust. In truth, there are enough indications that intercessory prayer does make a difference to the person prayed for that we will surely do as Paul did: pray for those we care about.
Title: ñThe Benefits Of His Passion''
Text: Luke 24:44-53
Theme: This passage brings us to the finale of JesusÍ earthly ministry. In preparing to depart, he leaves his friends some final instructions. After reassuring them that things have not gone wrong, that the expectations contained in their scriptures are being fulfilled, and thus GodÍs will is operating, he asks of them that they fulfill their part by doing certain things.
1. We are to preach the message of repentance and forgiveness. As earlier discussed, repentance involves more than regret for past failures. Repentance is a turning away from the attitudes and values which led to those failures. Repentance requires an effort to become a new person. Of course, those of us who have tried to do this on our own will know that itÍs nearly impossible without help. I too often find myself slipping, saying something I swore I wouldnÍt say again, or rationalizing some minor misconduct as not being harmful, really. Just the other day I heard a fellow minister confide something about another clergy person which wasnÍt exactly a compliment. Instead of defending the absent person, or at least changing the subject, I listened intently. I collaborated in a bit of gossip of the kind I from time to time decry from the pulpit. The only way this change takes place is with help from God. Even then, it takes place slowly. My one hope is the realization that God will forgive me if I persevere in this process of change and growth.
2. We are to ñwitness'' to these things. I understand this to be a rather sweeping request, that we not only exemplify repentance and forgiveness in our daily lives, but that the entire gospel of love be seen to operate in us. In other words, the best way to witness to forgiveness is to live like someone who has been forgiven. I have included a grand illustration of forgiveness, of living the gospel, below.
3. We are to receive a new power into our lives. That is the consequence of our effort to live the gospel. I donÍt know which comes first, a conscious commitment on my part, followed by the gift of power, or the gift of power, then followed by my commitment. Maybe it works both ways. Maybe it depends on my state of mind or my life situation. What I do know is that the two go together. I know that as I try to be what Jesus asked me to be, I feel a power at work, enabling me, encouraging me. I also know that sometimes, when my efforts lag, I sense something missing. It isnÍt that God gives up on me, or that IÍm being punished. ItÍs just that I am removing myself from the source of the power by exercising my freedom unwisely. I do, however, have a suspicion that God wonÍt let me get too far away.
ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
Let me share something which happened to me a few years after I entered the ministry. I received a call from a funeral director telling me that an elderly man had unexpectedly died and his wife had no church affiliation. Would I, he asked, be willing to perform the funeral service for the wifeÍs sake? Of course I agreed and, learning that she was then at the funeral home, I went there to meet her. When I arrived I found an elderly lady beside herself with grief. She and her husband had been very close in a long life of happy marriage, and my talk with her was interrupted several times as she began to sob. A relative was there who was as unsuccessful as I felt in trying to console the poor woman. I agreed to be there the next afternoon for the final arrangements, then left to drive home.
That evening, I found myself unable to put the saddened lady out of my mind. She seemed not to have much family, had been so close to the man she loved, and now was devastated by her loss. As I reviewed our talk in my mind, I began to pray for the woman. As I prayed, something strange seemed to happen to me. A surge of grief swept over me, much as though someone I had known and loved had died, though I had never met the couple prior to that day. For some time that evening I was distressed at the emotions I was feeling, and the more I prayed for her, the more grief I felt. After a few minutes my feelings of grief subsided. By habit, I looked at my watch and saw that it was just a few minutes before nine in the evening.
The next day I went to the funeral home and once more spoke with the bereaved wife. This time, however, she seemed quite calm and peaceful. I asked her how she was doing and she said something like this to me: ñLast night I began to feel better. Of course IÍm heartbroken at the loss of my dear husband, but I began to realize that I must and can go on with whatÍs left of my life.'' I couldnÍt resist „ I asked her if she could remember at what time she had begun to feel this way. She didnÍt know exactly, but she thought it must have been about nine while she was talking with the distant relative who had come to stay with her.
What happened? Was the relative a calming influence? Did God, independently of any part I might have played, reassure her? Had her terrible feelings of grief played out for the time, leaving her simply exhausted? Of course any of these explanations may have been correct. But I have another explanation, one which felt so powerful to me at the time that to this day I believe it to be the right one. I am convinced that God shifted part of that womanÍs grief onto me, thereby lightening the painful load for her just long enough for her to realize her grief wouldnÍt last forever. Briefly, in some spiritual way, we had been linked together in a shared oneness. She had realized that there would be a tomorrow, and the same strength which had made her a good wife would see her through the days ahead.
____________
Paul Tillich in The New Being related the story of Elsa Brandstrom, aged 24, who looked out the window of the Swedish embassy in St. Petersburg and saw thousands of German prisoners being herded to Siberia in World War I. Henceforth, she vowed to leave her life of splendor of which she was a beautiful and admired part. She became a nurse and visited the prison camps. Tillich reports: ñThere she saw unspeakable horrors and she, a girl of 24, began, almost alone, the fight of love against cruelty, and she prevailed.''
Fighting against resistance and suspicion by the authorities, against the brutality and lawlessness of the camp guards, against cold, hunger, dirt, and illness, against the primitive conditions of an undeveloped country and a destructive war, she prevailed. ñLove gave her wisdom with innocence, daring with foresight. And whenever she appeared despair was conquered and sorrow healed. She visited the hungry and gave them food. She saw the thirsty and gave them drink. She welcomed the strangers, clothed the naked, and strengthened the sick. She herself fell ill and was imprisoned, but God was abiding in her. The irresistible power of love was with her.''
After the war Elsa Brandstrom continued to work with the orphans of Russian and German prisoners of war. At the outset of HitlerÍs regime, she came to America and continued her humanitarian work. On her deathbed, she received a delegate from the king and people of Sweden, ñrepresenting innumerable people all over Europe, assuring her that she would never be forgotten by those to whom she had given back meaning to their lives.''
____________
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 47 (C, RC, E) „ ñGod has gone up with a shout....''
Prayer Of The Day
Grant us faith, O God, to accept those truths which lie beyond the understanding of our little minds. Grant us love, that we may reach beyond our own small lives to others for whom we may yet be the source of some form of salvation. Grant us strength, that we might prevail against the damaging forces which beset us, that finally we might be found faithful in our lifeÍs calling. In ChristÍs name we pray. Amen.
