Easter 7 2023 Deacon Mary Ellen Gallagher
Happy Assumption Day! This isn’t a day when
we make assumptions about each other, but is
noted as the day that Jesus was “assumed” ,
meaning he physically rose into heaven after
making resurrection appearances during the
great 50 days of Easter.
We don’t hear about people being assumed
anymore. Charlie pointed out to me that there
was a television series about folks being
“raptured”, but that is different. In this show the
people aren’t particularly holy, as the prophets
of the Old Testament were holy. In this show it
was a plot device, rather than a religious
experience. Other than this show, there aren’t
many TV shows or movies that have people
suddenly being physically raised up into
heaven, at least none that I remember.
However, during biblical times, it was a way for
the writers of the biblical stories to emphasize
how holy someone was.
The prophets Enoch, Elijah, and, by some
accounts, Moses, were all suddenly raised
physically into heaven.
Even later in history, Mary, mother of Jesus,
was assumed into heaven as well.
And today we read about Jesus himself being
assumed.
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In my imagination, It must have looked like
something out of a science fiction show such
as Star Trek from the 1960’s. Captain Kirk
would radio the starship Enterprise when he
wanted or needed to return to the ship and he
would say, “beam me aboard, Mr. Scott” and
suddenly Captain Kirk would start looking fuzzy
as he as was being beamed aboard and then
you would see him back on the Enterprise.
We thought this was the coolest thing and
many of us, myself included, thought this would
be a great way to travel.
However, assumption in the Bible stories seem
to be less of a cool way to travel, than to be the
answer to a problem of “where are the physical
remains of the holy people” in Jewish history?
Answer: They physically rose up into heaven.
However interesting the idea of assumption is,
there is something else, something more
important that is going on.
In fact it is revealed in the opening sentences of
the service, in the Collect for the Day.
The collect today says “O God, the king of
glory, you have exalted your son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven;
(that is the assumption part). Do not leave us
comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to
strengthen us and exalt us to that place where
our Savior Christ has gone before.
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This is a crucial piece.
Now let’s take a look at today’s lessons and
hear what they have to say on this subject.
In the first lesson, the author of Acts of the
Apostles gives us a glimpse into the apostles
world between the resurrection and Pentecost.
In the story we hear today the apostles ask the
resurrected Jesus, “so Jesus, are you going to
rescue Israel from the Roman occupation
now?”They are still thinking in short-sighted
political terms.
The answer Jesus gives is a bad news/good
news kind of answer. He says, “you know
what? You don’t need to know everything God
is doing. God has a special timeline. You will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you. And then you will speak for me wherever
you go.That’s the bad news. The good news
comes later.
Continuing the story, suddenly, Jesus was lifted
up to heaven and a cloud took him out of their
sights. While they were gazing at this
marvelous happening, suddenly standing
beside the apostles were two men in white
robes who asked the apostles “why are you just
standing there looking up? The men in white tell
them that “Jesus, has gone into heaven, and
he’ll come back same way”.
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Not knowing what else to do, the apostles
returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of
Olives. This was a short journey, around 3/4 of
a mile. When they entered the city they went to
the room upstairs where they were staying. If
you want to know the disciples names here
they are: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip,
Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James,
Simon, and Judas, son of James. There were
some women there, too. Mary, Jesus’ mother
was there as were his brothers.The reading
says and they spent all their time praying.
What do you think they were praying for? Think
for a moment what you might be praying for
under those circumstances. I think I would be
praying for understanding of what had
happened and for guidance on how to go
forward. The Holy Spirit had been promised,
but had not yet arrived to comfort them. This is
really an in-between time for the believers.
They had been promised that something was
coming, but they didn’t know what it would be.
They didn’t know that it would be the beginning
of a great journey, one that would involve all of
the disciples. They didn’t know what it would
mean to receive comfort and power to spread
the good news of Jesus when the Holy Spirit
came upon them and that they would be Jesus’
witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
It was the beginning of spreading the good
news, the gospel, to the known world of their
time.
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At this point in the story, since they didn’t know
of the marvelous works they would be doing in
Jesus’ name, if I were one of them, I would be
bereft that Jesus had left them after being
raised from the dead. And I would be skeptical
about being comforted. In a short period of
time, they have experienced a profound loss
(the crucification), gain (Christ being raised from
the dead on a Easter), and loss again. (Jesus
being assumed into heaven). How could they
believe that all would be well?
Faith. They had faith in Jesus that, as Julien of
Norwich put it, “all shall be well, and all shall be
well, and all manner of things will be well”.
They didn’t have to know the answers, they just
had to know from their experiences with Jesus
that it was true. They had to live in that faith.
They would have to live in that faith to continue
to preach the Good News of Jesus.
It didn’t always go smoothly for the apostles,
though. They were persecuted by non Christian
rulers throughout the known world
We read about this in the First Letter of Peter
that we read today. This letter was written
much later that Acts of the Apostles, and is
written to persecuted Christians living in five
regions of Asia Minor.
Peter says, my dear friends, don’t be surprised
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at how difficult life can be as a follower of Jesus.
Think of it as sharing your suffering with Jesus
and then you can shout for joy when his glory is
finally revealed. God’s spirit is resting on you,
even when people make fun of you because
you believe in Jesus. It’s not so bad to be
humble now, because God will lift you up later.
The letter goes on to say, “let God carry your
burden of worry for you, because God really
cares about you. Don’t let yourselves lose
control. Pay attention to what you are doing
and what’s going on around you. You could
easily be caught up in something that is wrong,
or could hurt you. Don’t do things that hurt
people. Be steady in the faith you have. There
are plenty of brothers and sisters throughout the
world who know what you are going through
and suffer for Jesus’ sake themselves. Your
troubles won’t last forever. God’s grace will
support you, strengthen you, and finally take
you to be with God and Jesus.
This is the comfort promised throughout the
lessons. God is going to win.