May 24th Service
On Line Service due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Saint John's Pulpit (Ascension Sunday)))) – "From an Empty Sky to Empowered Mission" Acts 1:6-14

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. Acts 1:6-14 NRSV

Ascension Vs. Conversion

In light of a church calendar and a history of Methodism, the service today is very meaningful. It is Ascension Sunday which means Jesus ascends after finishing his ministry as the Risen Lord for forty days. Secondly, it is John Wesley (a founder of Methodism)’s Conversion Day when he experienced the Holy Spirit on the Aldersgate Street in 1738. Simply speaking, it is the day of receiving the Holy Spirit in Wesley’s life and ministry. Let me ask a question. Between Ascension and Conversion, what is one thing in common? The word, 'change' may be appropriate. Jesus changed his stage from this world to Heaven. Wesley changed his faith status from knowing God by his knowledge to knowing God by his heart.

What about the word, moving? Yes, Jesus is now moving to another place. John Wesley is now moving to another level of his faith and life. If so, don’t you think that we are now asked to change or move to the next stage in our faith and life?

The last request from Jesus Christ before Ascension

When you read the four Gospels in the New Testament, you would be surprised to see that Luke is the only one who carefully narrates a story of Jesus’ Ascension in his books - Luke and Acts. Other Gospels skip this story or mention it with a few verses. A careful reading of the text today makes you focus on one verse. It is Acts 1:8. Why do think that this verse requires our careful attention? It was Jesus’ last request before his Ascension!

When you read the four Gospels in the New Testament, you would be surprised to see that Luke is the only one who carefully narrates a story of Jesus’ Ascension in his books - Luke and Acts. Other Gospels skip this story or mention it with a few verses. A careful reading of the text today makes you focus on one verse. It is Acts 1:8. Why do think that this verse requires our careful attention? It was Jesus’ last request before his Ascension!

This verse tells what Christians do in this world. Also, it does what we must do here and now. A couple of special requests from Jesus are shown. One is receiving the Holy Spirit. The other is becoming His witnesses. Precisely it shows two goals in our faith life. One is personal sanctification. To receive the Holy Spirit means a relationship with God. Jesus wants us to receive the Holy Spirit. He wants us to keep a special relationship with God. This is what we must pursue in our entire life. What does it mean to become His witnesses? First of all, we need to know the meaning of witness in Greek. The Greek word for witness is ‘martus’. Not only becoming a witness, but this word has another meaning- martyr. Somewhat heavy meaning! Jesus said 'you will be my witnesses…” Jesus wants us to deliver what we see, feel, hear, know and experience about Jesus faithfully. Moreover, Jesus wants us to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the truth, that is, Jesus!

It is not a level of disciples. When Jesus died on the cross, how many disciples could be with him? Although they were supposed to deliver what they see, hear, know, and experience about Jesus, but they were powerless in front of Jesus’ passion and death. Even after that moment, some of disciples went back to their hometown Galilee, and decided to live their life by fishing. However, to become witnesses is different from becoming disciples. As long as Jesus or the Risen Lord is with us, it doesn’t matter. Jesus can cover everything we need. But after His ascension, people need to do their mission by themselves in this world without Jesus’ caring (although they believe that they can communicate with Jesus in Spirit). Regardless of Jesus’ presence in this world, we need to deliver the Good News and must know that this requires our sacrifice. So, to become His witnesses means we need to transform the world by the teaching of Jesus. It is the reason why we call it social sanctification.

Let's go back to John Wesley. To John Wesley, his conversion might be a kind of his ascension. Before his conversion, he was a bookworm, nice and gentle priest. But he was not confident in his message, life and even his faith. But his conversion on May 24, 1738 transformed John to become a witness. When he led the early Methodist movement, John Wesley summarized the role of Methodism below:

  • "What may we reasonable believe to be God’s design in raising up the Preachers called Methodists?
  • To reform the nation and, in particular, the Church; to spread scriptural holiness over the land."

What happened after Jesus' Ascension? According to the text today, all were asked to move somewhere, not stay there!

While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.  11  They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Acts 1:10-11 NRSV

Don’t stay there!

From an empty sky to empowered mission! Jesus’ Ascension does not mean "THE END." It is a special assignment from Jesus. Until He will come again, we are asked to do our mission and share the love of Jesus with all whom we meet day by day. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do it!