Whether you are officially preaching Ascension or not, the lectionary texts will lead you in the direction of considering the disciples last glimpse of the earthly Jesus. And what was that glimpse? Well, in artists depictions, Jesus feet are often the last things we see. In poking around for my favorite picture of the Ascension (Found it! Can you see the toes dangling up there?), I also stumbled on this helpful sermon, which I am liberally quoting here:
"When we speak of the Ascension, we proclaim not only with Thomas that Jesus is our Lord and our God, ruler of all things on heaven and on earth, but also that Jesus’ earthly ministry eventually had to come to an end. Those feet would eventually take their last step, leaving the disciples, and leaving us, to carry on his ministry, his work, and his love for others. When we speak of the Ascension, we look backward, to Jesus’ earthly ministry, but also forward, to our ministry today. The Ascension serves as the segue between the two."
Thanks Lee! Seems like a pretty good way segue, as he says, between these last few weeks' readings from the Final Discourse, and Pentecost.
On the other hand, the title of this post actually comes from the Epistle, and maybe you are in a place and with a people who need a word on the nature of suffering strange times. Or are you choosing another text altogether? Comments open!
Link to this week's texts found here.
And, an editorial note. Frequent commenter Gord from Following Frodo will be picking up co-facilitation of Lectionary Leanings in June and July and then every other month. Make sure to pop in and say hello on his first week next week!
Only first thoughts, I might sing them the bit of 'Good King Wenceslas' that goes "in his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted"... following in Jesus' footsteps means he guides us but also that we see 'wow he really iS God' closely followed by 'and now WE have to walk his way and take on God's mission'. Ulp.
ReplyDeleteMany many years ago, I belonged to a charismatic community called "Both Feet." Last glimpse of Jesus, shorthand for how committed our discipleship is to be...
ReplyDeleteRich texts--will preach on Ascension Day and that likely will be about times of waiting. Sunday I'm going with 1 Peter--don't know if I will lean in the direction of suffering or go mano a mano with evil. Good stuff at Working Preacher both 2011 version and 2008 version
ReplyDeleteI am shocking my own system and sticking with John. Easter 7 is Jesus' prayer after he has implored the disciples with love, love, love - and what greater love than for Jesus to verbally intercede for his believers to God.
ReplyDeleteIt's also children's sabbath so I'm playing around with how that might fit in.
Completely ignoring the lectionary here. Instead I decided to do a service looking at Scripture, tying in with this year being the 400th anniversary of the Authorized Version.
ReplyDeleteMy early thoughts are here and here is a column that should be in Friday's paper.
Due to the need to be available for other things related to my call, I think I'll be pulling a sustainable sermon for this week. The question is - - Is 3 years ago in the same call too soon? I don't think a soul will notice or remember, but I keep bumping up against my own guilt over not "working hard enough." Dealing with other stuff as head of staff, though, so I'm definitely still working! My old Ascension sermon is here. I'll definitely change up the open since the princess thing seems silly to me now (although it's still going like gang-busters at our house).
ReplyDeleteI'm on Acts, and I think I'm focusing on "you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth..." "...why do you stand looking up to heaven?" "...the devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread and the prayers."
ReplyDeleteOr something.
How that's all coming together, I have absolutely no idea. On the bright side, it's a communion sunday which means I only need to come up with 900-1000 words to say. And I'm in the midst of a children's sermon series on why we do what we do in worship, so I can take some time to talk about communion...and maybe even reduce the need for sermon words even more. :-)
I preached on this 3 years ago but it was boring, so I won't be bringing that one back. yeah, I already checked. LOL.
Interesting - turns out I havent ever preached about the Acts text before and I think I'm gonna focus on that one - although I am very captivated by the language in I Peter, too.
ReplyDeleteI have about an hour to hammer out my bulletin now, so should know something more soon.
as is probably obvious to anyone who actually read the entire acts text for this week, the whole breaking-of-bread bit is in next week's section. sadness. anyway...
ReplyDeleteI did finally settle on some hymns. woohoo! We'll be singing We Rejoice to be God's Chosen, Faith Begins By Letting Go, and Go To The World.
now to, you know, write the liturgy and stuff. and a sermon. :-)