"Alleluia! Amen!" May 1, 2016

Luke 24: 44-53 Acts 1: 1-11 Recently we went to see the latest Tom Hanks film “A Hologram for a King,” about an American Salesman trying to compete in the Global Economy. Similar to his talking to Wilson the Soccer-ball or growing up “Big” overnight, it is an offbeat film. Afterward, I posted on Social Media that based on this film, I wonder what hope competition, when China has so large a population as to grossly reduce labor costs? ALSO, that the more restrictive cultures become, the more intimate behavior continues by becoming illicit. One friend replied that we need Strong borders like A Wall and High Tariffs to restrict less attractive Imports. Another that we need Open Borders with Maximum Exports to reach into new markets. A third, that we need to innovate with the latest technology. A fourth that once America develops renewable affordable energy, this will level the playing field. Yet, I believe the readings for this Ascension Day point us to Another Alternative of what has not been revealed. Ascension Day is a Strange Occasion. Christmas, the Various Miracles, Easter all defy human expectations, yet when it comes to Jesus stepping on a cloud and floating to heaven, we balk and doubt. The knowledge and practices of this life weigh us down to where we cannot accept or believe. All we can say, is what the Hymn we sang responded: “Alleluia? Amen?” Just as there were 40 Days of Preparation & Prayer leading to Easter, Ascension Day is the 40th Day after Easter. Jesus appeared to the disciples repeatedly over those 40 days, demonstrating the Resurrection. Almighty God created this world as part of this cosmos. Jesus is the Savior, who demonstrated love by dying for us and rising, but Jesus is no longer among us, so something happened. “Alleluia? Amen.” The Apostles' Creed states that we believe “On the third day Jesus rose again; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the quick and the dead.” “Alleluia... Amen.” Most Sundays, we read a Biblical passage, then relate the text to our times, making comparison with circumstance in our lives, demonstrating the truth and reality in order to demonstrate the insight of Christian Wisdom for our Reasoning, our Philosophy of life, the Morals and Ethics, and Commandments of our lives. The problem which The Ascension points to, is that that accepted practice of Reason, of explaining and turning Biblical truth into Psychology Today, Reader's Digest Wisdom or Philosophies to fit our needs, is not Christian! Reasoning our way through Christian faith, accepting only what is reasoned, and dismissing what is revelation, what cannot be proven by logic, is what the Early Church described in abandoning the Heresy of Gnosticism. What sets us apart as Presbyterians, why I am a Presbyterian, has nothing to do with the Political positions of the Church, and those positions are why I become so tired of debates about Politics masquerading as Religion: regarding Israel, Sexuality, Nuclear weapons, Abortion, Euthanasia, Immigration, etc... What I find unique in the Presbyterian Church is that following from the Reformation, we have been committed to repeatedly recognizing when we were Wrong, when our practices did not fit with the Bible, and we returned to the more pure practice of the Early Believers, the Early Church. Other Denominations, other Religions have made a commitment to Biblical InErrancy, or Papal InFallibility, that their ordained leaders, their historic interpretation, their ways of interpreting, could not be Wrong. So when Circumstances Change, when Ordained Leaders are found to be human, when our Traditions weigh people down, people either abandon all belief, giving up on God, or they bifurcate their beliefs saying I am Christian but I do not accept the teachings of the church, or I am Spiritual but not Religious, Baptized but in Recovery from the Church. Which only leaves one saying “Alleluia... Amen.” The passages we have read this day from the Bible emphasize and underscore that God is the Creator and Judge. Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior who lived a human life and died the most gruesome, fear-inducing human death, to conquer death, to conquer fear, to atone for Sin, to drag us back into relationship with God once and for all. Jesus gave us 4 gifts: The Sacrament of Communion; the New Commandment to Love as we have been loved; the Grace of God that Salvation is not warranted, not deserved, not bought, Salvation is a Gift from God; and finally here 40 days after Easter, to demonstrate that there is faith beyond our understanding, there is ever new revelation which requires power from God which will come through the Holy Spirit. We live in an era, within a Nation and Culture, deluded by the notion of Manifest Destiny. We have been convinced we could Master the Universe, we could have it All, possess whatever we desire, whenever we want, and that life not only does not have to hurt, but that life can be avoided, and most foolish of all that we have no need of anyone. Ascension Day is a declaration of faith that we believe Life is Real, we believe in God, a being outside ourselves and beyond our understanding, we believe in faith that comes to us in relationship with God. Gnosticism came from Greek Philosophers, longing to reach beyond the weight of matter, to live in an ideal realm of pure spirit. Gnosticism encouraged ignoring all relationships, all responsibilities, anything and everything that weighed a person down, to ignore the reality of gravity, to be with God in another different place. John describes that the disciples who had accompanied Jesus stood absolutely still, stoic, stiff-necked, staring up at Heaven as they watched Jesus ascend. But, that suddenly there were two individuals with them dressed in white, who asked “Why do you stand, staring into heaven?” The point of the Ascension, the whole point of life, is not to try to get beyond this life to be with Jesus in heaven, but that You have been sent to live, to share belief in God, the command of Jesus to love, to be witnesses to the coming of the Holy Spirit in people's lives. ALLELUIA! AMEN! This is Jesus' final address. He had the Last Supper with them, they heard his words from the Cross, he appeared to Mary at the tomb, he taught the two on the road to Emmaus, he appeared to them on the shore offering forgiveness and challenge to Peter. The disciples know they are saying goodbye for the final time and are filled with anxiety. I have a couple being married in the next several days who are extremely anxious about being in front of family and friends. I have described to them, that whatever it takes to get you through your celebration is what we are here to do. I will give you the words we are going to say. We will rehearse the vows once a week. Jesus has several statements in the passage from John which answer their anxiety. First, that “Those who love me will keep my word. Whoever does not love me, does not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.” This is not a statement of love and hate, or rejection of Jesus. But the reality that all the world, all time and space are the creation of God. The only faith which has emphasized the Incarnation of Christmas is Christianity, that God became a human being to Call disciples, to heal and to teach and die for us. Judaism believes that you come to faith and demonstrate that faith by the Law, the 10 Commandments and the Prophets. Islam teaches that you come to faith by following the Teachings of the Koran. So in an explanation of ecumenism, Jesus describes “Those who love me will keep my word. Whoever does not, does not keep my word but God is still available, and continues to reach out.” If anything, Jesus makes God easier and more available for us. “ALLELUIA! AMEN!” I believe there is a connection here with the image from Revelation of the New Heaven, the New Jerusalem, where there will be no need for religion, no need for a Temple, no need even for a Lamp, because here you will know God constantly with you, here will be no dark, no chaos, no fear. “ALLELUIA! AMEN!” Second, Up until this moment in the Gospel story, Jesus has made repeated reference to God, and to his own death and resurrection, but now names that Creation Theology and Sacrifice on the Cross are not all that we need. God will send another, the Counselor, our Advocate, who will continue to teach us, revealing what we did not see in earlier times. Christianity, particularly in the last several decades has become mono-theistic as if we only believe in Jesus, without any acknowledgement of the existence of God, or that we are not on our own here, we continue to be challenged and encouraged by the Holy Spirit with us. “ALLELUIA! AMEN!” Third, the phrase Jesus says more than anything else in all the Bible: “Peace.” But this time, he explains peace in a little different way. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let your hearts be not troubled, be unafraid.” Most often when we pray for peace, it is for an end to conflict, an end to war. When someone describes being at peace, they do not express an emptiness or a void, they describe a wholeness, a sense of fulfillment. But here, I think Jesus offers us more than the absence of something negative. Dietrich Bonhoeffer described “The Incarnate Jesus takes up space on earth. Because of his weight, because he is real and tangible, the Body of Christ makes footprints. There is almost an exchange here between the presence of Jesus with us and the presence of peace. A Philosophical truth, a Doctrine, a Religion needs no MASS, it is an idea. But peace, peace is a heavy thing, peace requires making room for it. Peace is different from the way of the world. This world gives us trouble. We give ourselves to relationships, only to have our hearts broken and marriages divorce. We live in a world of famine and war, that if the 1st World would share 7/10 of 1% of our financial resources, we could eliminate all poverty and starvation. We live in a world that perceives limited resources, rather than abundance. We live in a world of trauma. We live in a world of depression. We live in a world of watching helplessly as loved ones are sucked into addictions and violence. The Greek word Jesus uses here for PEACE is EIRENE, which was used primarily to describe National Tranquility, exemption from war. No wonder the disciples responded asking: “When will you bring about the Kingdom of Heaven?” But then, Jesus adds a verb THARSEO meaning do not let yourself be troubled or worried; it is actually not a passive verb but an active one, To TAKE HEART, to intentionally be NOT AFRAID. The world can throw all of these sticks and stones, but you are held in the hand of God! You are loved so much as to be a motivation of your love for others. You have the Holy Spirit as a Companion in all that is to come, so HAVE PEACE; TAKE HEART and BE NOT AFRAID. “ALLELUIA AMEN”