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| The Ascension by Benjamin West, PRA 1801 |
Text: Acts 1
Introduction
Four years from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and
arguably a couple of years now since it has become much less of a concern, we
have learned a few things about human nature. One such thing is that we do not
like unknowns and uncertainties, especially when there is no end in sight.
Another, related to that, is that we would rather do anything than wait. And regarding
that, we stumbled through numerous treatments and cures, many of which had no
effect and some that were even quite harmful, just to have some semblance of reasserting
control over the unknowns that were being faced. Even if many of those things
were completely illusory.
For others of us, changes in routine can be quite upsetting
and anxiety-inducing. To use myself as an example, while I like the idea of
travel and seeing new places and having new experiences, all of the unknowns,
uncertainties, changes in routines, and the loss of control involved in many
aspects of travel often result in severe anxiety, which in turn manifests in
physiological abnormalities. More than once the symptoms have been severe
enough or concerning enough for me to seek out emergency medical services.
In-Between Time
On this final Sunday of the Easter liturgical season, we are
looking at an in-between time. The followers of Jesus have experienced several
monumental highs and lows: the arrest and crucifixion, the empty tomb, the multiple
appearances of Jesus following his resurrection and the next forty days to
them, and most recently, Jesus’ ascension. This is a huge number of emotional
and psychological impacts that directly affect their being. Many of these events include large
unknowns about what they think they will face about the future. Some of these
involve the loss of Jesus, who had been their center and source of control and
confidence for them.
It should not be a surprise then, to hear the question, “Lord,
are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?” (Acts 1:6) coming from
them. For forty days, it seems like their lives are returning to how things
were before. Jesus is among them, walking with them and teaching them. He is
speaking about the kingdom of God.
“Wait…”
But Jesus tells them that the restoration of the kingdom is
not yet. Not only that, but there is no timetable that he gives them. What
Jesus promises is the arrival of the Holy Spirit into them. And the command
that Jesus gives them is to wait and “stay in the city until you have been
furnished with heavenly power.” (Luke 24:49[1])
Jesus does not give any indication of how long they are to wait.
And then Jesus ascends and is no longer among them. Their
world, which had been turned upside down by the crucifixion, but had seemed to
be returning after the resurrection, is once again tossed into the air.
Waiting…
The disciples return to Jerusalem and begin their waiting
for the Holy Spirit. The total number of individuals is reported as around
one-hundred and twenty, including women. They begin their waiting period
devoting themselves to prayer. Even though we know that the number of days
between Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost is a mere ten days, they don’t know how
long they would have to wait.
This next part is a narrative hypothesis of my imaginations as to how the next few days might have gone.
A day passes and there is no promised Holy Spirit. “Well,”
some of them might suppose, “Jesus has just returned to God and he is still
busy getting resettled in his heavenly abode. We shouldn’t expect the Holy
Spirit so soon.”
A second day goes by, and still there is no Holy Spirit. Maybe
a few a getting a bit antsy and anxious, but two days is still not a very long
time to wait.
A third day goes by and more of them are starting to
question and wonder. Is their devotion to prayer sufficient? Did they overlook
something else Jesus told them to do while waiting? What could Jesus possibly
be doing that is more important than sending to them the promised Holy Spirit?
Tired of Waiting
Now, the Bible doesn’t say how many days they waited until
the next event recorded takes place. All the text tells us is that “during this
time” of ten days, “Peter stood among them” and proposed a course of action.
Peter is not known for his patience. He is a man of words
and action. He is a man of extremes. When Jesus comes walking on the water,
Peter wants to do the same. Peter is the first to declare Jesus as “Son of
God.” But the very next thing, Peter is rebuking Jesus. When Peter sees Jesus
transfigured, he proposes building tents where all of them could continue
experiencing glory. Peter at first refuses to have his feet washed by Jesus,
but after Jesus tells him that it must be done, Peter asks for his entire body
to be washed. Peter says he is willing to give his life for Jesus and in the
Garden of Gethsemane, Peter is ready to defend Jesus with a sword. But when
Jesus tells him that force of arms is not the way, Peter flees and then denies
ever knowing Jesus.
The impatient and impetuous Peter seems to resurface in the
first chapter of Acts. He perhaps thinks that the reason the Holy Spirit hasn’t
been given is because their number is incomplete. With Judas Iscariot no longer
a part of the Twelve, the specially appointed disciples only number eleven. Perhaps
it is with this reasoning that Peter proposes appointing a replacement for
Judas. Peter justifies his proposition with a number of texts pulled from the
Hebrew scriptures.
Nostalgia and Desire for Comfort
Peter’s proposal might also be colored by nostalgia. When
they were the chosen Twelve with Jesus, traversing about Galilee, Judea, and
the occasional foray outside of these areas, it was a happy time. They knew who
they were and where they belonged. They were secure with Jesus. Perhaps in
Peter’s mind, reverting to some of the old structure would ease the discomfort
and anxiety that they were now experiencing. The replacement would have to be a
man (not a woman) who had been with Jesus during his entire public ministry. That
would restore proper structure.
Perhaps too, in the minds of Peter and the other disciples, because
Jesus had appointed the Twelve specifically, that the ministry handed down to
them by Jesus would remain their sole domain. That in order for Jesus’ ministry
to continue, their number would need to be maintained through appointment of
replacements. (Acts 1:15-26 is one of the passages that is used to base the
doctrine of apostolic succession.)
The rest of the believers agree that this could very well be
a good idea and nominate two candidates (the first Christian nominating
committee): Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus), and Matthias. After
prayer, they cast lots and Matthias is selected.
This is the only place where Matthias (and Joseph) is
mentioned. Nothing is recorded about his history. He makes no recorded
contributions to the early church. He is mentioned once and forgotten.
Perhaps replacing Judas with another wasn’t God’s idea, even
when Peter found texts to support the action. Even when sincere prayer was
involved.
But the Holy Spirit still doesn't arrive.
Pentecost
But then Pentecost comes (and here I touch on next Sunday’s
lection). The believers are all gathered and the Holy Spirit rushes in,
appearing like flames alighting atop each one, men and women alike. The gift of
the Spirit and the commissioning of ministry is given to all of them, not just
the Twelve.
When others in Jerusalem question what is happening, Peter
gets up to speak, and he seems to have finally understood, at least in part,
what the Holy Spirit has done. Peter quotes from the prophet Joel who
prophesied that in the last days God will empower everyone – not just select
priests, not just those with proper lineage, not just men, not just those of
specific ages, and certainly not just appointed apostles.
Whereas the text of Acts merely relates the details of the
appointment of Matthias without evaluation, the activities around the Day of
Pentecost is evaluated positively. Although the absence of evaluation isn’t
proof that what Peter and the believers did was negative, I think there is
sufficient evidence to suggest that what they did was not necessary for God do
God’s work.
The Holy Spirit Among Us
The Holy Spirit breaks traditions and boundaries. The Holy
Spirit is free to break even those markers that God might have placed in
earlier times. The work of the Holy Spirit is often found in experiences that
are discomforting. Growth is not found in places of comfort. Christians are not
called and commissioned to replicate what has come before. We are not called to
restore the past.
We are called to build the kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God sprouts and grows slowly, almost
imperceptibly. It is like a mustard seed. It is like a seed that is sown. There
might be long periods of time when nothing seems to be happening, like a seed
that lies dormant until the right conditions develop. There might be lengthy
times of waiting.
Faithfulness to God and God’s mission might mean that during
some periods of our lives, it requires us to wait for God to act. We can’t
force God to act.
Many times, we would rather act. Doing something at least
feels better than doing nothing.
I don’t really know why God asks us to wait. God could just
act without us having to wait. One speculation of mine is that God allows
periods of waiting so that we can exhaust our “doings”. Perhaps these times
allow us realization of those areas where we aren’t yet fully reliant on God.
Perhaps we are like small children yelling, “I can do it myself!” when clearly,
they cannot. Perhaps God is like the parent watching and waiting for us to
acknowledge our limitations and allow God to work in God’s own time.
Sometimes faith demands we act. But faith also demands that
at times we wait. We may suffer through discomfort and anxiety. We might want
it to end. We might try to cause God to act. But God acts in God’s own time. Waiting
is a spiritual discipline. Letting go of our desire to control is a spiritual
discipline.
When God acts, and God does, it is through the Holy Spirit working through us. The results of God-initiated action are far beyond what we could have possibly imagined.
Bibliography
Bartlett, D. L., & Taylor, B. B. (2008). Feasting
on the Word: Year B, Volume 2 (Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary).
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
Gonzales, J. L. (2001). ACTS: The Gospel of the
Spirit. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Liggett, J. (2024, May 12). Waiting, Easter 7 (B)
– May 12, 2024. Retrieved from The Episcopal Church:
https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermon/waiting-easter-7-b-may-12-2024/
[1]
C.f., Acts 1:4, “He ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what
the Father had promised.” The Lucan text is more explicit about what was promised.
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