Welcome
Hello Everyone,
Thanks for joining us for worship on this Ascension Sunday.
Call to Worship (Psalm 47:1-9)
Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with loud songs of joy.
For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
a great king over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the king of all the earth;
sing praises with a psalm.
God is king over the nations;
God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
he is highly exalted.
Opening Prayers
God of promise and purpose,
we greet you this day with thankful hearts.
As flowers open and buds unfurl around us,
the beauty of your world lifts our hearts in praise.
As children grow and students prepare to graduate,
their energy and enthusiasm encourages us toward your future.
You lifted up Jesus to be by your side,
and so we know he is always by our side as the future opens before us.
Draw close to us in this hour of worship
and show us the promise and purpose in our own lives—
how we can unfurl with new life
and move into the future with the energy of your Holy Spirit
and the abiding love of Christ our Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, you have called all your followers
to carry the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness to the ends of the earth.
Yet we confess we cannot always find the words to tell others of our faith.
We are often silent when others criticize the church that bears your name.
We try to act out your love
but it’s hard to tell others why we do what we do for you.
Forgive our hesitation to share the gift you have given us,
and renew our courage to speak of our commitment to you.
Assurance of Pardon (Romans 8:35-39)
Friends, remember the promise St. Paul declares: What will separate us from the love of Christ? Hardship? Distress? Peril or sword? Neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Let us rejoice that, no matter what is happening around us, no matter what we have done, God’s deep love will never let us go.
Hymn: “Crown Him with many crowns” Words: Matthew Bridges. Music: DIADEMATA
Prayer for Understanding
By the power of your Holy Spirit, open our minds and hearts to receive your Word, O God, so that we may recognize your call to serve in the name of Jesus Christ, the Living Word. Amen.
Scripture:
Acts 1:1-11 Jesus’ Ascension and Promise of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:15-23 Christ’s Authority over the Church
Luke 24:44-53 Jesus’ final words to the disciples before his Ascension
Sermon: Authority, Advocacy, & Advancement
In the summer of 1987, I had the privilege of assisting the Rev. Frank Breisch here at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Banff, Alberta. Frank asked me to preach the evening services, which were geared toward university students and those working in the tourist industry. During one service I was preaching from the book of Ecclesiastes and told the personal story of how I was confronted by an angry man in Calgary that scared the beggebbies out me to make the point how strong a motivator fear can be. I was about to move on to another point, but Frank’s wife yelled from the congregation asking me to complete my story, as she wanted to know how it ended. And so I happily obliged her curiosity, and finished the rest of the story before moving on.
We all like to know how a story ends. Few of us read all but the last chapter of a book or watch all but the last ten minutes of a movie. We like to know how a story ends. This is human nature to want to do this.
When it comes to the story of Jesus, many Christians would list the resurrection as the final chapter or event in Jesus’ ministry. This was certainly the climax of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but it is not the final chapter or the final event. Jesus’ Ascension marks the final chapter of his earthy life and mission.
According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus spends 40 days after his resurrection on Easter and instructing his disciples before he leaves to return to heaven. Jesus takes that time to summarize his teachings and explaining the significance of his death and resurrection from the Scriptures.
Jesus also takes the time to repeat to his followers what he wants them to do after he leaves. And when that is done Jesus is taken up into heaven in a cloud.
With Jesus’ Ascension his earthly ministry comes to and end and he resumes his heavenly role of being our Lord and Advocate before the Father. In the Ascension of Jesus, his role as the Son of God comes full circle. From his descent from heaven and humble birth in a feeding trough in a barn in Bethlehem to his glorious Ascent back into heaven from the Mount of Olives, we are able to catch a glimpse of all that Jesus, the Son of God, accomplished for us. And we are once again reminded of God’s kingdom plans for his church.
You can sum up the importance of the Ascension for us in three words: Authority, Advocacy, and Advancement.
First of all we are reminded that Jesus is the primary Authority or Lord of our lives and church.
To proclaim Jesus as Lord seems kind of out of touch with our society’s emphasis on democracy, consensus building, and personal freedom. We also live in a society where once people are placed in leadership roles, they too often abuse their authority for their own ends. And as a result we become skeptical and cautious about following the lead of those in authority.
But Jesus established his divine authority to rule all of creation and the church by demonstrating God’s love for us. Jesus put the desires of God before his own needs and wants and came to serve us. The Bible says that by the virtue of what Christ accomplished for us through his humble obedience God honored Jesus’ obedience to him and put him in charge of the world for whom he suffered and died.
Therefore, we are not to march to the beat of our own drums, but to get in step with the beat of God’s kingdom rhythms that Jesus, who created and redeemed us, followed. This is the point that Paul makes in his letter to the Ephesians.
Therefore, the Ascension of Jesus is the constant reminder that we are to faithfully follow Christ our Lord, we must continually submit our wishes and desires to Christ our Lord because we trust that he has our best interests at heart. We trust our Lord, for he sees the bigger picture, he knows our circumstances, and knows where we need to go. We follow Jesus’ lead as band members who follows the tempo the drummer has set. When all the band members are following the lead of the drummer, beautiful music is made for all to join in on.
Our daily submission to Christ is demonstrated in the small ordinary decisions we make to show love, forgive others, grow in faith and share our faith with others. As a church, our submission to Christ is demonstrated when we follow Christ’s command to be a people who are blessed in order to be a blessing for others.
At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter what we want for ourselves or for this church, but what does ultimately matter is what God wants to do in and through us for the sake of helping others know him. Therefore we need to listen carefully to the rhythms for our life and witness that Jesus is currently guiding us with and to pay attention to the ones he is preparing us to follow in a post-Covid-19 world.
The Ascension not only reminds us of Christ’s Authority over our lives, church and world, but it also reminds of Christ’s role as our Advocate before the Father.
An Advocate is one who speaks on behalf and looks to the best interest of their client(s) before another in power. The New Testament speaks of Jesus as being our priest before the Father. We are told that Jesus continues to pray for us before the Father. This is why we when we pray to God, we pray in the name of Jesus.
We do so because it is by Jesus’ death & resurrection that all of the barriers we have erected between us and God through our disobedience and rebellion against God, are removed by Christ. Through Christ we come as people who have been declared not guilty by God and who now enabled to fully embrace and live in God’s love and grace.
I find the words of the Scottish Thinker and Theologian John Duncan (1796-1870) about the Ascension of Jesus very helpful. He said,
“The dust of the earth is now on the throne of the majesty on High.”
The Ascension reminds us that Jesus is our perfect advocate or lawyer and Jesus alone is able to plead our case before God. If we think that we can stand in the presence of our Holy God, without the help of our Advocate Jesus Christ, then we are sadly mistaken. And as the old saying goes “whoever hires themselves for their lawyer, has a fool for a client.”
Christ continues his priestly role of bringing our joys and concerns to the Father on our behalf. In other words, through Jesus we literally have God’s ear and have a voice in the places of heavenly power and authority. Therefore, we can come boldly into the presence of God and enjoy his love without fear or judgment.
The Ascension reminds us of Christ’s Authority as Lord, and his role as our Advocate before the Father, but is also reminds us of one more important aspect. Jesus returns to the right hand of the Father, in order to Advance the kingdom of God on earth.
It was on the day of the Ascension that Christ gave the first disciples the Great Commission. “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. (Lk 24:45–48).
Jesus knew his stay on earth would be temporary. This is why Jesus poured out his life in teaching and equipping the disciples with the necessary teaching, skills, and resources to accomplish the Great Commission.
The Church would be Christ’s body on earth to declare that Jesus leaves the earth entrusting the ministry of proclaiming the Good News to us his followers. Jesus leaves the earth with promises to his disciples that the next stage of God’s divine plan for our world will be accomplished through them with the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through them.
There is an ancient Christian legend says that on the day of Jesus’ Ascension, he was met in heaven by an angel who wanted to know how Jesus’ mission was to continue. “I have twelve friends who will be my witnesses,” Jesus said. “Is that all?” the angel asked. “What if they fail? What other plans do you have?” Jesus looked at the angel and said, “I have no other plans.”
From the witness of the 12 Apostles and the other disciples of Jesus, the advancement of God’s plans, purposes, and goals are placed into our hands to carry out. This huge and scary task is only possible as we submit our lives to Christ’s Authority to direct his church and as we continually depend on Christ our Advocate to continually pray for us and provide for our needs to proclaim him through our lives and words.
The Ascension of Jesus is the final chapter to Jesus’ earthly ministry. The mission of the church of glorifying God, loving our neighbors/communities, and making / nurturing followers of Christ within a faith community that Jesus began continues through us. The Mission of the church continues as we faithfully submit our lives, both personal and communal as a church, to follow our crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. I hope we all feel honored that the one who reigns over us, who advocates and prays for us, also invites and calls to participate in God’s Mission on earth. We do so not with our own limited strength, or abilities, or wisdom or vision, but with promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave to his disciples and which was fulfilled on the seven days later
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
As we prepare for the next adventure of participating with Christ in this time and and in the post Covid-19 world, let keep our hearts, minds, and spirits attuned to the beat of Christ’s Kingdom of God rhythms as we rely on the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Amen!
Special Music: “Send me” sung by Denise Graves
from the Maranatha Music Presents: Lord I lift your name on high, March for Jesus CD
Closing Prayer
O God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all life,
You have begun the work of creating a new world,
a world where justice is known,
where freedom and healing are available to all people.
We pray for the places in the world that are caught up in violence,
where people are held captive or struggle under oppressive powers,
and where sickness prevails, and medical resources are scarce.
Grant those affected courage and perseverance through your Spirit.
May people everywhere find the fullness of life you intend for us all.
You have begun the work of creating a new community,
a community where love is shared, and all find a sense of belonging.
We pray for groups who are made to feel like they don’t belong,
for families that caught up in tension or strife,
and for those who feel isolated or desperate because no one seems to care.
Grant them all courage and comfort through your Spirit.
May people everywhere find the fullness of life you intend for us all.
You have begun the work of making a new creation,
a creation where all that has been broken is being restored,
where all that has been distorted is made right,
and what has been polluted or damaged is renewed.
We pray for the earth, the places where its natural balances are threatened
and species put at risk by human exploitation.
Send your healing Spirit to renew the earth and make us wiser stewards.
May creatures everywhere know the fullness of life you intend for us all.
We pray for the leaders Israel and the Palestinians leaders of Gaza
to stop the violence, to put pride aside, and to work out a peace agreement
that will help all to be safe and thrive in that region.
As you work towards making all things new,
we pray for renewal in our churches and ministries,
for leaders tired out by the responsibilities of coping with pandemic demands,
and for church members who have drifted away in the months of distancing.
Send your energizing Spirit to gather the church in ways both familiar and new.
May your servants in every church know the fullness of life you intend for us all
and be empowered to bear witness to Jesus in refreshing ways.
For together we offer the prayer he taught us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen.
The Offering
Donations for St. Paul’s can be sent by mail to St. Paul’s, Box 1264, Banff, AB, T1L 1B3. If you want to make an e-transfer, then please contact the church (stpaulsbanff@telus.net) for instructions as to how to do this.
Pastoral Charge and Blessing (Romans 15:13)
The risen Christ is with us.
Let us give thanks for God’s eternal presence with us.
Let us go forth, witnessing to the good news of God’s blessing and healing.
And may the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that you may abound in hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Mission Moment –Transform Online Course
Last fall, ministry leaders from across Canada came together for The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s Transform online course. Over four weeks, Rick Morse—co-creator of the New Beginnings church renewal program and author of Making a Congregational Plan that Makes Sense—challenged leaders to imagine what it means to faithfully respond to God’s mission and engage others to be missional. The course, which was made possible through gifts to Presbyterians Sharing, equipped leaders with the transformative tools, principles and insights necessary to discern God’s call for their ministries’ futures and create plans for moving forward.
Prayer Partnership
Sunday, May 16 (Ascension Sunday) We give thanks for creative faith formation programs that congregations have developed to nurture people’s faith.
Monday, May 17 We pray for the Cariboo House Churches in B.C. and their pastor, the Rev. Mark Carter, as they reach out to those who live in remote areas of the Cariboo-Chilcotin.
Tuesday, May 18 We thank God for opening eyes to racism against Indigenous people in Canada, and for moving hearts to turn knowledge into action.
Wednesday, May 19 We pray for the Canadian Council of Churches and the unity of the whole church as its governing board meets over the next few days, and we give thanks for presbyteries who serve the Council in a variety of ways.
Thursday, May 20 We pray for Winnipeg Inner City Missions (WICM) in Manitoba, and pray that healing hands provide health and well-being for the residents of WICM who struggle to make ends meet.
Friday, May 21 We pray for people who have been hurt in the church. May they all find a spiritual home within the broad unity of the body of Christ.
Saturday, May 22 We unite in prayer with KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, seeking change in Canada and around the world through advocacy, education and research programs in Indigenous rights, ecological justice, women of courage, and migrant justice.