While He blessed them,
He (Jesus) parted
from them and was
carried up into heaven.
Luke 24:51
When someone lifts up his hands it can be a sad thing on a sad day. It can mean he’s saying “goodbye.” Many a family sadly remembers the raised hand of their son or daughter who went off into military service to serve our nation… some going to a far off, unfriendly place; some never to return because “war is hell!”
Family and friends feel sadness too as they watch the raised hands wave farewell to dear friends who leave to move away to a different town; different job; different school—to a different place.
Grandpa and grandma realize sadly that they may be left out of future birthdays, backyard get-togethers, and family celebrations because “distance (absence) makes the heart grow fonder.”
And then comes the day when grandpa or grandma leave their home to reside in a nursing home because of special needs required, and we raise our hands in a loving embrace to see them off. Goodbyes, for whatever the reason and in whatever form they take, are usually sad.
Note the unique farewell of Jesus. Our Savior raised His hands as he ascended into heaven, but those hands weren’t raised to wave goodbye. No, those hands were raised to continue His blessing. Christ’s blessing on us didn’t cease when He began to ascend. It didn’t cease when He was seated at the Father’s right hand. Christ’s blessing on us will, in truth, never cease!
He says: “I will be with you always to the end of the age” (see Matthew 28:20). While others leave and leave us sad and lonely, Christ leaves and leaves us blessed and here’s why:
First of all, Christ’s ascension must never be considered as His departure. Jesus didn’t ascend to leave us but to continue with us in all things and every circumstance in our life. Christ is and will be with us always. He doesn’t live physically on earth now, but He does much more.
He lives in us and guides us, encourages and rules us through His Word spoken and declared…the Holy Bible and His sacraments, to grant us God’s grace that forgives our sins and promises life and salvation.
Don’t worry, for you will never see Jesus raise His hands and wave goodbye to you. That’ll never happen because He loves you too much (see John 3:16). That can never happen because He is too powerful to let it happen.
Dear friends, Christ’s ascension is no farewell ceremony intended to make us sad for Scripture assures all believers in Christ that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God (see Romans 8:31- 39).
In fact, Christ has taken the sting out of many of our goodbyes. Let’s go back again to the beginning of this reading. The family that lost a son or daughter in war will see him or her again, for he had the same Savior as they. Grandpa and grandma may live in a new home away from their immediate family and friends but they’ll enjoy the company of new acquaintances but even more so, they and we are assured that someday at the command of Jesus, they and we will be reunited with family and friends again, having passed through death into life without an end. Our crucified and risen and ascended Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is the first-fruit who will come again and take us, and all believers in Him, to the eternal joy of heaven.
Yes, Christ didn’t wave goodbye as He ascended. He went to prepare a place for us so that we may be with Him and reunited with the saints above. Yes, Christ takes the sting out of all our Christian goodbyes for the joy that was set before Him to call us His own; for the joy that will be ours for Jesus’ sake.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This week our contributor is Reverend Dean Rudloff, Life In Christ Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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