Ascension Day: When Christians Should be Looking Up!

Today is Ascension Day, forty days after Resurrection Day (Easter). The Bible tells us that it was after forty days on earth, during which time Jesus appeared publicly twice in the upper room to his disciples (John 20:19-29), once in Galilee to a large crowd of followers (Matthew 28:16-20), picnicked with some of the eleven after a night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee (John 21:4-14), and met with them again in Jerusalem (Acts 1:6). Luke makes it plain that during these days he offered "many proofs" that he was, in fact, the same Jesus who was alive again (Acts 1:3). He also told them that great power was coming for them from heaven, but that they must wait in Jerusalem now for it to come.

After all of this, according to the book of Acts (1:6-11), he led them for their final "study session" (where he laid out once again the plan for worldwide witness once their power had come to them), to the same hillside east of Jerusalem where he had, weeks before, told them about the end of the age--the Mount of Olives. He repeated the plan (you remember what it is, don't you?) and as he finished, with the eleven watching, he began to rise bodily into the sky, a glorious, shining cloud of glory enveloping him as he rose so that they could no longer see him. He (and the cloud) were gone! But in the meantime, two angels stood next to them, and gently told them that staring was not their occupation. But hope was theirs--this same Jesus, will return in just the same way.

In his glorified body.
Visibly.
Carried back on the cloud of God's glory.
To the Mount of Olives, where he will stand on earth.

We've been studying a little bit (OK, a lot) about what the Bible says will precede this return, but never let us lose sight of what the signs point to.

Our Jesus is alive, and he is coming back.

Can it happen? Just as surely as he went up, he will come back down. Until then, don't lose hope, even though you can't see him yet.

Happy Ascension Day!

Significance, Suffering, and Sovereignty

We want the first, avoid the second, and ignore the third

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Mark 10:35-40 (ESV)

This story always intrigues us, for many reasons. One is that in Matthew's gospel we discover that James and John used their mom as the one to make the request--how bold of them!

There are many lessons to be gathered but there is one specific lesson that has been on my mind this week.

Note that James and John wanted special seats in the kingdom of Jesus--on his right and left hand. These would be prominent places indeed. If the rest of the disciples were on thrones as well, and in a line, they would be the ones seen most prominently, closer to Jesus than anyone. And these seats would identify these two disciples as especially significant--as if no one was closer to Jesus. It wasn't exactly what Peter would have thought.

We look at them and feel sorry for them--after all, the entire church for 2,000 years has heard of their prideful move and its failure. We know that the other disciples were angered, perhaps because they didn't ask first. Being important in the kingdom was a big deal to them. They wanted, they craved significance!

Interestingly, Jesus doesn't just put them in their place with a withering response. Instead, he points out two issues.

The first is whether they are able to drink the cup that he is about to drink. We have the advantage of history and the biblical record to know that this was the cup of his suffering and death. They brazenly answer, "we are able." They weren't at that point, although Jesus tells them they will, in fact drink from that same cup. James would be the first martyr and first of the disciples to die for Christ. John would be the last, after numerous attempts on his life, dying as an old man after living in exile because of his faithfulness.

Why does Jesus say this? Because the road toward significance in the service of Jesus is, invariably, the road of suffering. It is, after all, the way of the Cross. A path that emphasizes death to self, putting others first, sacrifice, loss, giving up familial relationships, and a cost to pay is not an easy, rosy one. It is good--incredibly good--and we know its ultimate joys. But it is still a road of suffering. Were they willing to embrace suffering? They said yes, but when Jesus prepared for his, they slept, and when he underwent his, they ran in the other direction.

How about us? Are we willing to run toward suffering, and chaos, and all the mess involved in invading strongholds of sin to, as the old song says, "rescue the perishing?" The followers of Jesus must embrace suffering on the path to significance.

Jesus doesn't dwell on their actual inability, but he moves to a second issue--sovereignty. He says that it is not his prerogative to award those seats, but that right belongs to the Father, who will give them to those for whom they are prepared. Not only will the Father give them out, but he has prepared the seats for particular people and people for those seats. Was it James and John? Jesus doesn't say--only that he won't do it.

Why does Jesus reveal this truth? I would suggest it is because we must remember that it is the Father's will that matters, and sometimes that will is not for us to be made prominent or significant in the eyes of others. You can indeed serve faithfully, and suffer bravely, and yet God's plan for you may not involve being seen as significant. Your role is perfect for you, and brings glory to God (as we are all made to do), but it may or may not be appreciated and valued by others. This creates another question: are we willing to be faithful in serving and even suffering, if God's plan for us does not involve being recognized as "a great servant" or "a noble sufferer for righteousness?"

By the same token, we have to decide if it is enough to be "significant" in the eyes of God alone? Will we walk the path of obedience, knowing it brings suffering, hoping only for the joys in Christ we are promised, and not worried about whether we will be recognized for doing so? True significance means trusting the sovereign determinations of God as to when or whether earthly eyes will know of us and our faithfulness.

I think James and John were a bit out of control in their request, but if we are honest, it can be easy to want to be significant--to be recognized, even if it is for our humility! May God help us serve, and live, and worship for the approval of the only One who matters. The path of true significance in God's sight is open to all his children--it will involve both suffering, and sovereign direction, but also divinely promised reward at the time we hear, "Well done!"

Who will get those two seats? I don't know. But the question reminds me of a story I read about the death of George Whitefield, the great evangelist. John Wesley had been an early friend and co-worker of Whitefield, but they differed sharply on doctrine--with Whitefield being a strong believer in the sovereignty of God in salvation and Wesley taking a strong view in favor of man's free will. Their letters back and forth on these issues were argued with passion and heat. When the news of Whitefield's death reached Wesley, a lady who was one of Wesley's followers asked, "Mr. Wesley, do you expect to see dear Mr. Whitefield in heaven?"

"No madam" replied Wesley after a lengthy pause.

"Ah, I was afraid you would say that," she answered.

To which Wesley added, "Do not misunderstand me, madam; George Whitefield was so bright a star in the firmament of God's glory, and will stand so near the throne, that one like me, who am less than the least, will never catch a glimpse of him."

I think that we may be surprised to find that God has a way of making significance in his eyes much more rewarding that significance in the eyes of others. And learning to rejoice in the recognition that others may receive (even if you don't for the very same service) is one of the greatest preparations of our hearts for a destination we rightly call "Glory."

Out of Control!

We are reminded daily that we are not in charge.

This week, I have had nearly a dozen conversations with people that have in some way pointed out that plans made did not happen. Things thought certain turned out to be illusory. Decisions that seemed to be no-brainers turned out to be wrong. As one person said it, "Nothing here seems to be going according to plan." Even my devotions sounded this note during the week.

That should not be a new discovery for us, but an acknowledgement of settled reality. Oh, I don't mean that there isn't a plan that is being carried out. It's just not yours, or mine. Does that bother you? Why? After all, it's been the truth as long as we've been alive.

The longer I live, the more I realize that the moments when my plans for me and others come to fruition are more happy exceptions than a regular rule. How many times have I envisioned the way a conversation should go, only to have it not go that way? How often have I thought that things should work out a certain way for me or those around me, only to have them be different? Would anybody really think that I'd create a plan where I'd live in Ohio and my married kids and grandchildren would be all over the country? No way.

Yes, I can decide to go to the store, and then go. Even then, however, I'm warned to take an "if the Lord wills" approach to those details. And that's a clue to the greater reality we must see. There is a master planner, and it is not any of us.

We live in a God-created world where everything follows the Creator's plan. And it is set: look at Isaiah 46:8-10

 “Remember this and stand firm,
recall it to mind, you transgressors,
 remember the former things of old;
 for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it."

That is just one passage of many that speak of God's directive power over his creation, including us. But that is not the only truth about his plan that we must hold on to, lest we go crazy with fear and doubt.

The second great truth is that the God who is all powerful is working things for his glory and the good of those he has redeemed. Even in the passage above he makes sure we recognize that his control points to the glory of his name. Consider also Isaiah 42:8:

 I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols

And then that verse we glibly quote but don't dwell on its depths: Romans 8:28-30

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

Taken together, these texts (along with many others) point us to three realities:
1. God is in control of everything, not us.

2. God's plan lines up with his character of holiness and love, bringing him the glory he is due as God.

3. The people who have been called by God into his family (and become those who love God) can be sure that all things are working out what God knows is good for us.

The fact that I'm not in charge of things should become great news. After all, the One who is in charge came up with the plan of redeeming sinners through the death of his Son and making us righteous by faith alone. If he can do that, then I can rest in knowing the rest of his plans are equally good.

However, it's tough to live in that reality when things go badly, or what we perceive as badly. We don't get the job, our relationship falls apart, a loved one gets very sick. These aren't good circumstances, and they will be our lot in a world still marred by sin. And we face the sinful choices of others (that God's plan includes--even when we can't figure out how such freedom to defy him can be harmonized with his control) that bring pain and suffering--these are not good things.

But all of the bad that we acknowledge is not outside his directive plan, and will yield ultimately good results for us and glorious results for the name of God, even when he exercises judgment over his enemies; this glorifies his justice.

This is where faith comes in. We must believe what we know to be true. God's control is always good for us. My thinking that things are bad may be true about the circumstances, but not about the outcome. And it's really, really good that you and I are not ultimately in charge of our lives. I've made enough wrong moves in my life to know that I don't get things right all the time, and I don't want to imagine what my life would be if my failures were fatal on my own, instead of tools in a good Father's plan for me!

"A person's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps."--Proverbs 16:9

I taught Christine a song from that verse, and it's what I hold onto now and I seek to make the decisions in front of me. You can, too!