When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ^ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rest-ed on each of them. ^ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.                   —Acts 2:1-4

 

May 1 is “Ascension Day” in the church calendar this year.  It’s a day that reminds us that Jesus is Lord—and not just of a part of the world. Jesus is Lord of all the earth.  

The Ascension of Jesus is also directly tied to the day of Pentecost that we read about in the passage above.  Jesus ascends to send the Spirit on his followers and into the whole world.

Too many times we Christians make one or two big mistakes when it comes to the Ascension.  The first is to very nearly ignore it altogether, as sort of an “add-on” feature to the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.  Or, we take the story of Jesus’ ascension to the right hand of God as sanction to run roughshod over others in the name of confessing, “Jesus is Lord.”   The disciples of Jesus are tempted this direction when they ask him, “Is this the time you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  In short, how long before you establish the typical lordship and take control with your friends at the top? 

The message of Jesus, however, is different.  As he ascends to the right hand of God, Jesus indeed does ascend to the power of Lord and Judge of all.  But Jesus promises that a power for witness—not domination—is soon to come on his followers so that they will become part of gathering people from every nation together in a new experience of life marked by a new relationship with God and new relationships with each other. 

It is exactly what happens on the Day of Pentecost.  The Spirit comes on Jesus’ disciples and carries them out into all the world, even the “uttermost part of the earth.”  Along the way, they see God at work in the least expected and most surprising people and places.  All the old certainties of what they thought about God and people are broken up, and a new life of community and salvation emerges.   There are moments of controversy, anxiety, uncertainty and conflict, as the truth slowly sinks in that God really is serious about including the whole world in the reconciliation and the love which has taken on life in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.

The Ascension and Pentecost travel together.  They are the pictures of God throwing open the doors of heaven to every single person, no matter who they are.  Peter winds up in the house of a Gentile Roman centurion named Cornelius.  And just try to imagine Paul the strict Pharisee, once committed to the destruction of the message of Jesus, standing in Athens, the symbol of all that seemed anti-God and preaching to Greeks in their own capital city.

The Ascension and Pentecost are the ultimate wake-up call to take our eyes off the skies and off ourselves and off notions of turning inward among ourselves.  Jesus Christ is risen and ascended.  His Lordship of mercy and welcome is the future of the world, and his Spirit is in us and on us to do all we can to make sure everyone knows they are invited as cherished guests at the table of God’s grace.