Sermon Notes — May 17, 2026
“Ascension — Part of the Plan”
May 17, 2026
Acts 1::1-11 (CEB)
Rev. Terry Carty
There is a Bible verse that is so commonly seen in our culture that many know it by heart. John 3:16 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
This is somewhat of an affirmation of faith, and it is a statement of theology. It could start with “I believe…” I think that people display this in public places to encourage others to believe like they do. Perhaps it has led people to open a Bible to see what it means. But I can’t think of a single person who has ever told me that seeing a sign like that led them to follow Jesus.
While I believe that John 3:16 is true, I think God’s plan for saving the world is more than that. I think that God has a long-term strategy …
Pray: Good and gracious God, I pray your blessing on us and on me as we consider Your Word. Illumine our minds to find the importance of the Ascension of Christ. Amen.
Over the past four months the Monday Night Men’s study group has been reading
Philip Yancy’s book, “The Jesus I Never Knew.” Near the end of the book, the author pondered how different the world would have been if Jesus had not resurrected from the dead. He speculated that after the crucifixion the disciples would have gone back to their previous lives – but they would not have forgotten Jesus. Even though he was not the Messiah, his followers would not forget this man who had been the wisest teacher and who had demonstrated powers that no one could explain.
After their emotional wounds began to heal, the disciples might have collected and written down the sayings of Jesus somewhat like our Gospels, but without his claims to be the Messiah. He might have been honored by the Jews along with other martyr-prophets. Perhaps Jesus, the carpenter/philosopher from Nazareth, would have been esteemed in history like Confucius or Socrates. And we, today, could look him up on the internet and sift through his most famous sayings - taking or leaving whatever we liked.
However, Easter did happen – Jesus rose from the grave and for 40 days he moved among his followers instructing the apostles about God’s kingdom. Luke’s Gospel (the same author as the Book of Acts) gives an account of the instructions of Christ.
In chapter 24 we hear Luke’s version of the “Great Commission”
The resurrected Jesus said to them,
44 “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 He said to them, “This is what is written: the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and a change of heart and life for the forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power.” (Luke 24:44-49 CEB)
Today’s story from the Book of Acts makes it obvious to me that the disciples still didn’t understand that Jesus had not come back to lead the revolution, restore the kingdom to Israel, and rule as their king. Some of us are still praying for that Jesus to come.
But that does not seem to be the way God had planned. As long as Jesus was there with them, his followers hung on every word and tried to imitate him. I think that if Jesus had remained on earth as the walking/talking God-in-human form, with eternal life, we mortals would have never taken the initiative to heal the world. If Jesus had stayed, we servants and followers, we even today would still be leaving it up to Jesus to fix everything we break.
As I see it, God never planned to send Jesus to stay with us. A public exhibition of his death followed by resurrection was a part of the plan. After leaving instructions for his most highly trained followers, the exit strategy was ascension in their presence.
As they watched, he was lifted into a cloud to return to the Creator. They weren’t really sure what to do next, but Jesus promised to send them the power – we know the power came on the Day of Pentecost when everything became clear to them. On that day the plan was complete.
As you can see, John 3:16 falls short of the power of God’s plan. I see that God had a plan for Jesus from the beginning until the end. I see a 6-part plan:
1. God so loved the world, that God came in-the-flesh in Jesus.
2. Jesus taught and healed and shared the full intention of God for the world.
3. Jesus died.
4. Christ rose victorious over death.
5. Christ ascended leaving a core gathering of his followers.
6. And a short while later, the Holy Spirit descended into the followers so they could teach, heal, and spread the word about God’s kingdom. Now they … now we … are the in-the-flesh body of Christ.
Philip Yancy says “What Jesus brought to a few – healing, grace, the good-news message of God’s love – the church can now bring to all.”
I love a mental image that the Yancy book gave me. He called it “propagation by the dandelion method.” We are all familiar with dandelions. They are weeds, actually. If we are trying to maintain a nice turfgrass lawn, they may be our enemy. The broad leaves keep sunlight from the good grass and they spread easily.
But the child in us appreciates the little yellow bloom when it shows up in the yard. And later the fuzzy looking white ball grows up enticing us to blow on it and watch the spores float away on the wind.
This new mental image helps me remember the way God has chosen to share God’s kingdom in every age and generation. The bright little yellow bloom reminds me of Jesus, light of the world, son of God, that brightened the world.
The bloom fades and dies reminding me of the suffering death of Jesus. Then, a stalk rises out of the dead, and a pure white ball blooms again as if a resurrection.
As in the Ascension, the white puff rises into the air.
Then the wind blows the puff in all directions, like the wind of the Holy Spirit blows His followers to places where only the Spirit knows.
Today, we celebrate the Ascension. It is now time for us to heed the angels when they asked the Disciples, “why are you standing there looking toward heaven?” We have work to do. We are the body of Christ. Let’s get busy.