WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:02.640 A reading from Acts. 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:17.679 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:29.039 After his suffering, he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.799 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:48.320 This, he said, is what you have heard from me, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:56.479 So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom of Israel? 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:17.120 He replied, It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:25.519 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:33.040 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:39.120 They said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:47.840 This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:50.400 The word of the Lord. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:09.439 You, O Lord, our sovereign, you have put on splendid apparel. 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:18.560 You have made the whole world so sure. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.680 Ever since the world began, your throne has been established. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:33.759 The waters have lifted up, O Lord, the waters have lifted up their voice. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:43.360 Mightier than the sound of many waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:49.599 Your testimonies are very sure. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:15.919 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:25.840 I pray that God that God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of glory may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.240 So that with the eyes of your heart enlightened you may know that what is hope to which he has called you. 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:40.719 What are riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for those who believe. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:43.680 According to the working of his great power. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:04:03.199 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:15.360 And he has put all things under his feet, and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him he fills in all the word of the Lord. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:59.600 Jesus said to his disciples, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:20.639 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. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:28.399 You are my witnesses of these things, and so I am sending upon you what my father promised. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:34.639 So stay here in the city until you have been clothed with the power from on high. 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:41.439 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifted up his hands, he blessed them. 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:47.600 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:52.160 And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:56.720 And they were continually in the temple, blessing God. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:05:59.759 The gospel of the Lord. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:08.480 Imagine it. 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:14.319 This man who some loved and others wanted to get rid of. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:24.800 This man who seemed to hold some significant authority, who had risen from a place of poverty to a place of great power. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:33.439 This man somehow is suddenly caught up in this magical cloud, his feet no longer touching the ground. 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.800 All who are witnessing are standing back in awe as they watch. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:46.560 Not completely sure of what is happening, or what to make of it, or what any of it means. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:07:10.959 Then to the surprise of most of the viewers and to the man himself, his wrists become shackled, and he finds his resting place is now inside this teeny tiny little lamp, tossed into a deep desert cave where he will be lost for generations. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:19.519 The story clearly is not the story of Jesus, but that of the villain in Disney's Aladdin. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:29.920 Jafar is a power-hungry man and is willing to do whatever it takes to gain more power. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:43.360 He goes from being a street pick pit pickpocketer to being the second in command only under the Sultan himself, all in search of more power. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:52.000 See, he started at the bottom of the heap, but he was determined to get to the top. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:08:01.279 Concerned at all, though, who he might step on and who he might hurt as he mated above everyone else. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:09.199 He wasn't happy even being second in command when he was under that authority of the Sultan. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:13.120 So his first wish was to become the new Sultan. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.879 But that was not enough power for him. 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.040 So he wished to become an all-powerful sorcerer. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:32.960 He still wasn't happy because Aladdin pointed out to him that still the genie held more power than he held. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:42.080 And so Jafar made one final wish to become the most powerful creature on earth, to become a genie. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:53.360 But with the power of the genie comes the shackling truth that he will always have to be submissive to whoever holds the lamp. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:59.840 And when he's not out busy granting wishes, he will be imprisoned in that tiny lamp. 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:09.200 Far sought power, not caring where it came from or what the implications of said power might be. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:25.519 It seems to me that earthly power often comes from ill means, from evil ways, used to oppress people, and often it doesn't last in the end. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:35.759 This power instead brings destruction to both the person holding the power and to those underneath it. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:41.120 Today, though, we celebrate the feast of the ascension. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:44.559 We celebrate a very different kind of power. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:54.960 The ascension refers to Jesus being taken up into God's presence, God's presence often being symbolized as a cloud. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:00.960 Jesus now takes his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:14.960 Jesus rises to a place of great power and authority, an authority by which someday all nations will recognize, all will respect, and all will bow down to. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:35.679 Jesus' ascension is the final step of his work to bring us salvation. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:46.240 It is as necessary a peace as the incarnation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:57.679 Jesus' ascension is not some selfish power act, but one more act of selfless love towards the world. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:03.360 The ascension is this first step of the coming of the Holy Spirit. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:07.600 Without the ascension, there can be no Pentecost. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:21.919 So here's where I'd like to pause for a second, impress you all with my seminary degree, throw out a few fancy words for you you might be familiar with, and you might not. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:33.759 There are two sides of the coin of salvation: there's justification and sanctification, but working together, they bring us all salvation. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:43.360 Justification is this one-time event where we can imagine ourselves turning away from sin and turning towards God. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.159 It is that point where we become righteous in God's sight. 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:55.440 Now we could spend hours debating when this point of justification happens. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.759 Does it come when we profess something? 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:00.480 Does it come when we are baptized? 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:02.080 I'm not sure. 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:03.919 It's a fun debate. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.879 But we'll save that debate for another day. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:10.240 Today I want to talk about sanctification. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:22.399 Today is about Jesus' act of salvation by ascending so that He can send the Holy Spirit so that we can experience sanctification. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:32.399 Sanctification is this continual process of being made holy, of being set apart for the work of God. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:46.960 It is that change and that transformation that shapes us and shapes the world around us to be what God has designed us to be and to be what God desires us to be. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:53.919 Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.799 Jesus offers us this power even today. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:04.159 But it is nothing like the power that Jaffar was looking for. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:10.000 It is the power of the Holy Spirit to continue the work that Jesus started. 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:18.399 It is a power to participate in the continually and continuing unfolding of the salvation of the world. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:34.240 We are given power so that we can participate in this ongoing work of salvation, this ongoing work of sanctification, while we are in fact under the authority and care of Jesus, our King. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:43.440 Before Jesus ascended, he was talking to his mates, and he promised him that he would return. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:50.159 I saw an image going through my Facebook feed a few times this week as we celebrated the feast. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:14:03.200 It was a classic image of the ascension, Jesus getting caught up in a cloud, and his disciples standing, staring, watching this, bewildered, with three letters surrounded by quotes on the bottom. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:04.639 BRB. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:06.720 Be right back. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:19.200 When I was living in India, I was so pleased to know that in Bangla, there is no word for goodbye. 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:27.039 You either say Amyaschi or Abara Ashbin, which is basically I am coming, or again I will come. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:35.519 It's a sense that you're never leaving for good, but there is always a truth and a hope that someday you will return. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:41.679 And that gave me great comfort when I knew I was leaving my dear friends after living with them for three years. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:47.120 I was so glad to be able to say Amiaschi instead of goodbye. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:54.320 So, in a sense, Jesus here in this moment, too, is saying, Amiashi, I'll be right back. 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:58.799 Jesus promised the disciples that he would return. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:10.240 And while we must still be waiting for this mysterious second coming, whatever it does look like, the truth is Jesus did come right back. 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:16.080 Maybe this time not in the same form, but now through the Holy Spirit. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:21.519 Through the Holy Spirit, we get to continue to experience Him in each of us. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:26.480 And we have that power to continue the ministry of Jesus. 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:30.559 We have become the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:39.759 And collectively, as a universal church, the universal body of believers of Christ, we are the body. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.919 We are Jesus. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:47.039 Jesus carries on in each of us. 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:53.919 So I ask, how are we using this gift, this power that is given to us? 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:16.159 As a church, we remember many of the saints who have gone before us, recognizing that the power of the Holy Spirit continue to work through these wonderful examples, that we may be inspired and pick up that mantle, pick up that power, and do similar works. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:25.759 One person I am often drawn to is that of Mother Teresa, or as many affectionately refer to her as Mama T. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:34.799 Mama T never seemed to be seeking power, but instead she was seeking to serve Jesus with humility. 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:41.120 And through that, the transformative power of the Holy Spirit impacted many lives. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:48.879 It can be argued that this sanctifying power was passed on to her first from her parents. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:55.919 Her mother was a great activist in the ways of radical hospitality. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:17:06.640 Mother Teresa remembers from an early age that she seldom sat down for dinner with just her family, but there were always many more guests at the table. 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:15.680 And when she asked her mother about this, her mother said, I cannot feed my family when there are so many others going without food. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:20.559 And so most days she invited many more guests to that table. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:28.640 And this form of radical hospitality, this power of the Holy Spirit moving through her mother, caught on. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:38.240 And in the end, Mother Teresa herself practiced radical practiced radical hospitality to thousands of people who she met. 00:17:40.319 --> 00:18:10.799 It's been 22 years since Mother Teresa died, and yet now approximately 4,500 sisters in the Order of Mission Missionaries of Charity continue on her work, continue acting in the power of the Holy Spirit to serve those who hold little power, if any, so that they can in turn experience the power of the Holy Spirit and its transforming love. 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:52.480 I doubt many of us are called to the same type of radical hospitality as she was called to, but I suggest we're all called to similar acts of radical love, and we can do so through the power given to us by Jesus. 00:18:53.359 --> 00:19:08.400 We are part of this one power that moves in and through each of us, sanctifying each of us and moving through us so that we can be a part of the sanctifying of the world around us. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:13.519 There are powers within the world that lead to destruction. 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:21.440 And then there is the power that comes from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit that offers new life. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.440 Which power is it that you wish for today?