May 29th was the fortieth day after Easter. This is the day upon which Jesus ascended bodily into heaven. For forty days after His resurrection, He appeared to various people; to the disciples many times, but to others as well. Paul writes that Jesus even appeared to five hundred people at one time! (1 Cor 15:6)
Before He ascended, Jesus told his disciples, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Then He was lifted up as they watched, and a cloud hid Him from their sight (Acts 1:9).
Have you had the experience of ascending? Likely, most of us have. I think about a recent flight we had taken. The grounds crew could be seen fueling the aircraft, loading the luggage, then guiding the plane backward from the gate. We weren’t that far from them, separated only by a little distance. Their features were clearly visible, and we could see them talking together, directing the work, laughing with each other. Then, when our plane had left the runway and was climbing higher and higher into the air, people became smaller and smaller until only objects of significant size could be seen. We could see a house, for example, but not the woman watering her garden or her husband checking the mail. As we continued to climb, we passed through a layer of clouds that hid the earth completely from sight.
Ascension is the day that marks Jesus’ ascension into heaven. He is no longer here on earth with his Church in the same way that He was before He ascended. We can’t reach out and touch Him. We can’t laugh with Him or see in His eyes that He understands the pain we’re going through. We can’t hear his voice or feel his arms around us. He’s ascended. He’s gone.
Does it feel like that sometimes? Like Jesus is gone? Are there times when you feel like He doesn’t see your tears or hear your prayers or know your troubles? It’s easy to feel like He’s separated from us, out there somewhere beyond the clouds, unable to see or hear or communicate with us. At times like these, we might feel insignificant, unimportant to Jesus. After all, there are a lot of very big problems in the world for Him to be concerned about. What are my little troubles to Him? What have I done to deserve His attention and time?
Nothing. Nothing at all. There is nothing that we have done to deserve Jesus’ attention, or help, or mercy, or love. In fact, it is quite the opposite. We are sinners and deserve only God’s wrath. But Jesus came to be with sinners, to eat with them, to laugh with them, to love them, to put his arms around them. He came to die for them, to cover them with His blood, to remove from them, from us, the punishment for our sins. Jesus’ death and resurrection restores our relationship with God. We have done nothing. God, in Christ, has done everything!
As we rise in the airplane, the people below fade from view. But that’s not true for Jesus. That’s not true for God. Jesus says in Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God sees through the clouds. He sees you. He knows you. He even knows if one of the hairs of your head falls to the ground!
Jesus has ascended to heaven, but he is not gone. He is with us always, as He promised before He ascended. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “[Cast] all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” And Psalm 139:8-10 tells us, "If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."
As we rise in the aircraft, people below shrink and vanish behind the clouds. We may not see them, but God does. Jesus does. He once was hidden from sight by the clouds. But He has not abandoned us. He sees. He knows. He cares.
Even though you can’t see Jesus, He is with you. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Jesus dwells within us, and has given the Holy Spirit to be our comforter. He is not far away and unseeing, but "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
The next time you take a flight and the earth is hidden from view by the clouds, ponder the mercy and grace of God, who sees and knows everything about you, and who cares for and loves you so much that he would send Jesus to die and rise for you. And in the hard and difficult times, when you might be tempted to think that you are hidden from God’s view, remember that He is a God who sees through the clouds. And He loves you with an everlasting love.
God’s peace be with you,
Pastor
art: Christi Himmelfahrt by Gebhard Fugel, c. 1893