Happy Ascension Day!
Happy Ascension Day!
Did you notice that on your calendar today? It’s 40 days after Easter and it’s an historic feast day in the church calendar – even though most of us, especially Protestants have tossed many of those church holidays out with the Reformation. They’ve been replaced with other civic holidays that commemorate other events. Once in awhile, though, they converge.
As it just so happens, tomorrow is Graduation Day for Canon-McMillan school district. It’s the culmination of 13 years (or more) of schooling and the start of a new… well, life in many ways. The walk, the calling of a name, the reception of a diploma, the moving of a tassel from one side of a mortar-board hat to the other, all little ways of marking the movement of crossing over from one life to another. For some, it means stepping into a job, for others, entering a trade school, for even more, it’s off to college or university – to far flung destinations across the country or globe. Moving on up… and out. It’s a big deal.
And it’s not all that unlike what the historic Christian church has celebrated today, 40 days after Easter, for nearly two millennia – Jesus, moving on up. He spends three years ministering to people in and around Galilee, traveling around with a handful of close friends, drawing crowds from time-to-time, until enough ruckus has been created and he’s arrested, tried and convicted on trumped-up charges – that are made ridiculous when he is resurrected three days later. And after a few weeks of re-connecting with those friends and confirming the he really is alive, really is approved by God, really is… God in the flesh… he leaves. And he gives them some parting words.
You can think of it as a Valedictory Address if you like. He has, after all, graduated Top of the Class – he’s the first of a great harvest of those who will be resurrected (1 Cor 15:20). And when he does, before he goes, he gives them a mission, a job to do.
This Sunday, as we conclude our Before You Go series, we’re going to look at this final address of Jesus to his disciples. We often refer to it as The Great Commission. And it is. It’s also his final words on earth. And I think it’s as important and impactful for us today as it was for his disciples when they heard it two thousand years ago.
I’m also looking forward to celebrating our graduates on Sunday, and together celebrating communion. And I’m curious to hear about your experience so-far with last Sunday’s 3 Meal Challenge. Have you scheduled them? Have you had any? How have they gone? How has Jesus shown up?
Welcoming You to Grow in Jesus,
Pastor Don