Ephesians 1:15–1

May 17 2012 Ascension Sermon

¹⁵For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, ¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might ²⁰that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²²And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

(Eph 1:15-1 ESV)

One of the great things about kids is their sense of imagination and wonder. When they play, they play the parts of kings and queens, army generals, and pro athletes. Many a time, the front yard has witnessed a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler to Matt Forte. And, especially when you have a young daughter, the basement becames a fairy-tale kingdom ruled by princesses. So it is—children think about possibilities, and the sky's the limit.

But, as we get older, reality starts to kick in. Maybe I'm not going to be president after all. And the odds that I'll play for the Bears, frankly, look pretty slim.

You climb up the professional ladder, and then, one day, you come to see that you've gone as high as you're goanna go, and from that point on, you do your best just to hang on.

The same goes for health. You grow for a while in height and in strength, but then it becomes a matter of maintenance, and finally you start looking good . . . for your age.

So it seems the further along you get in life, the less you think about success, and the more you gear yourself for survival.

Now, not all of this is bad. For with age and time comes wisdom. And, along the way, people find out that it doesn't really matter if you become king of the hill. You eventually learn that the best things in this life are simple gifts— friends, family, church. There's no need for a lavish feast or a million-dollar home. A simple meal among loved ones will do just fine. Thanks be to God for the simple gifts.

But that having been said, we should never completely lose that childlike sense of adventure and wonder. There are opportunities all around us. Whether as individuals or as a church, we can remember that, even if we've gone off in the wrong direction, we can always make a U-turn. And, on the other hand, there's no reason to rest on our laurels or think a glorious past is our peak; for there lies before us a brighter future. Doors are opening all around us. And no matter what happens, better things are on the way.

Now, don't get me wrong. As Lutherans, we don't harbor any illusions. Human nature, this side of the grave, is never going to improve. I don't care how many laws we pass or how many self-improvement books we read. When we look at ourselves in the mirror of the Law, we are painfully aware that original sin remains with us. The good that we would, we don't do, and that which we don't want to do, we end up doing. It's frustrating.

But there is hope. And that's what Ascension Day is all about. It's the day we celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ has risen into heaven and has been crowned the King of kings.

Well, you might say, "Why is that such a big deal? I mean, Jesus is the Son of God. Of course, he's the King."

But, on this day, we remember that the one who rules is one of us. Jesus is our Brother. A man from Nazareth, has been promoted. A member of our family has climbed the ladder to the top. Somebody who knows our sorrows, our frustrations, and our temptations now sits enthroned at the right hand of God.

And that fact bodes very well for our future. You could say that now, we're insiders. It's like being a worker in a company that your uncle happens to own. It's like being the coach's son. Like growing up a Kennedy or a Bush. Call it an unfair advantage if you will, but a man, who happens to be our best Friend, rules in heavenly glory. He's made it to the top and has every intention of bringing us along with him.

One of my favorite children's stories is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. Many of you have read the book or seen the movie. In fairy-tale fashion, Lewis tells the story of our salvation. The ruler of Narnia, a majestic Lion, laid down his life to break the dark magic. In the end, Narnia is restored, and four children are crowned and seated on thrones of the kingdom.

And, when you begin to understand the story, you realize that we are those children. We are destined to rule.

The Bible is full of sadness, but the most tragic story comes right at the beginning. And it isn't a story about a plague or pestilence, rape or murder, exile or wandering. But one simple act of disobedience. Adam and Eve had it all. They were the king and queen of all creation, having dominion over the earth. And then,... they fell. And when they fell, it was like falling off a cliff. And they kept falling down, down, and farther down. Made in God's image, man came to worship images in the forms of men, beasts, birds, and creeping things.

And so it is—sin has brought down the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve. Sin has made us trivial. When we put others down, we only show just how small-minded we've become. When we take what isn't ours, we show how we have become enslaved to ordinary things that have no real meaning. When we covet and crave, we demonstrate just how empty we are inside. When we put so much focus on our clothes and appearance, we show how much we have to cover up. When we harm others, we become less like kings and queens and more like petty dictators and cheap thugs.

But today, the Day of Ascension, we see the light. The heavens have opened up. And now, not even the sky is the limit. For Christ, through his death, has taken our smallness and our pettiness upon himself. Though we ignored him, he was devoted to us. Though we mocked him, he was big enough to take it. Though we looked down on him, he lifted us up.

By his resurrection, he has restored our fallen race. And by his ascension into heaven, he gives us a glimpse of our future glory, apart from sin and its meanness. He shows us life where hard hearts become soft and petty people become bighearted.

When you put on your baptismal gown, however many years ago, you were fitted for royal garments. And, on your confirmation day, as you wore that gown, you were having another dress rehearsal for the glory that awaits.

Once our sin made us lower than the beasts, but now, even the angels envy us. So, pity the world's powers and principalities. Feel bad for all the stars who don't know what we know. They strut around, not knowing that they're really just playing dress up. Meanwhile, we're in line for a promotion that makes theirs seem like child's play. Because our Lord wore a crown of thorns, we'll wear the crown of life.

Go ahead and embrace the future. Consider the possibilities. Open the doors and walk through. And know that our Lord has great plans for you and for our congregation.

We have a friend in Jesus. And

Because Jesus Ascended into the Highest Heaven, We Will Too.

Better things are on the way. Amen.