Category: Uncategorized

I know “ascenscial” is probably not a word. But there is an assumption within the “ascension” that can lead to all sorts of other messes, if we don’t sort it out ahead of time.  Of course, it could also simply be interesting speculation…

In Luke 24:51, “While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.”

and in Acts 1:9-10, “When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.”

The word used in the Luke passage for “taken up” does not automatically mean “up” as a direction. Anymore than when my 2 year old “swallows up” her food, does it mean she took it in a direction opposite the floor.

In Acts, we find a similar situation, with Jesus being taken out of their sight as literally “a cloud received him”.

These are human attempts to describe something that doesn’t occur on a regular basis. Something “science fiction” authors hadn’t yet developed easily-grasped modes of describing yet  (if we can consider todays common sci-fi terminology “easily-grasped”).

To put it simply, if Jesus went “up” from one spot on the world into “heaven”, that means he went “down” from another spot on the world.  We have seen the galaxies and solar systems beyond our own a bit more than they had in the early Church, enough to understand “heaven” is probably not simply “up there somewhere”.

It seems more likely, especially with things like Christ entering the locked room after the resurrection, that “paradise” as Christ called it on the cross, is a realm that is not far from our own. The resurrected Christ seems to be physically going in between “paradise” and our world in a way no one else can. Recent science fiction might even refer to it as “another dimension” occupying a space very near to ours.

So what does all of this mean for us?  Why does it matter?

It may not be a big deal.  But it definitely offers to give us hope, as we look forward to a New Heaven and New Earth being married together.  Perhaps someday we will all share in the resurrected existence we see in Christ, crossing back and forth between the two dimensions.  We do not have to believe in a moment where Jesus, like Superman, looks up and thrusts his fist into the air – blasting off from the surface of the earth.

Is it any less fantastic to believe that Jesus is simply “taken into” another dimension?  I suppose not.  But at least I don’t feel as silly.  I guess it also makes me feel like God is a bit less removed than some would believe Him to be.

It was one of those experiences that seem to define you as a parent. One of those long, perspiration and prayer filled moments that other seasoned parents watch you go through and smile, saying something like “ahh, NOW you know what parenting involves.”. One that you would rather fast-forward through, but at the same time can’t help but realize God wants to use this to help you grow.

I was knee-deep in a youth group graduation party, when our Childrens’ Pastor came downstairs. “Your wife is taking your daughter to the ER, and you need to go. I don’t know what’s wrong.” It was a blur from there until arriving at the ER before they even got there. Waiting to see what could be wrong. Finally they pulled up, and Sarah handed me Ruby. A faint smile as she recognized me, and no blood. But it was around 7pm, and this one year old that usually bounced off the walls was laying heavily across my arms.

She continued to lay, on the edge of consciousness, as Doctors examined her. Poking and prodding, listening and asking questions, she disregarded them as if a gentle breeze. The list of tests was seemingly endless. Urine samples (who knew a little girl could pee on the nurse that far away?), cotton swabs, blood samples, CT Scan, Spinal Tap, and an EEG. The first tears rolled as they began the IV. Her bottom lip pouted out as if to catch every tear that traced her cheeks. In the midst of her cries, she looked up at me as if to ask “Why are you letting them do this?” As drops of blood stained the sheet beneath her, I asked myself the same thing. Her temperature had spiked to near 103 since arriving. I kissed her sweat-covered forehead with all the love I could convey, whispering it would be alright.

As every test came back healthy, we were glad she was fine in that regard, but confusion continued to mount. What was this?

Over the next couple days, she returned to us. Her temperature stayed down for longer periods. She grew restless, wanting to be held at first, and then wanting to walk a bit. We were stored neatly in a closet used as a room for infants in the pediatric hall. It was no small miracle that the tube emerging from her arm held to the tape that seemed just as painful as the needle itself. My wife volunteered (read “required”) herself to stay with Ruby each night, sacrificing comfort to provide loving presence. Time passed with prayers, walks down a short hallway, and visits with love. It’s hard to imagine someone enduring this in the midst of tornado damage, as some have done recently in other areas. We remain thankful for all we have.

About 3 days later, they’d tested everything possible. Still no idea. They determined it had been a virus of some sort, and that she had sufficiently fought it off. We could go home. A quick lunch, and then we laid all 3 girls down for the first “family nap time” in quite a while.

Waking slowly, we noticed our 2nd born had grown a fever during her nap. At least this time, we could skip the hospital involvement…

1 Peter 2:4-5 “As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him– you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

We are told that Jesus is “THE living Stone”. Peter continues to tell us that we, “like” living stones, are being built into a “spiritual house”. This comes as an important reminder in a world of flag-like faith.

I believe we generally approach faith, and our lives, as if we were flags for the Kingdom. We will wave, often vigorously, advertising the Kingdom. Declaring it’s existence. We will even allow ourselves to become so large, decorated, and adorned with all sorts of extra stitching, under the guise of becoming attractive to those looking for the flag. Parents, and grandparents will even invite the next generations to wave their flag along-side of us. But this analogy was never offered to us in scripture. Instead, we are given the connection of “stones”, and not just any stones you find on the side of the road – but stones for BUILDING upon.

What if we truly lived as those who desire to be built upon? If life was less about what I can advertise and wave to those around me and those generations to come – and more about what foundations I can help lay for those who will be built upon me?

It’s easy to become a flag. It’s enjoyable. We can enjoy moment after moment of waving. Enjoying the pleasures of life as God’s gifts, without much thought for what comes next. But to be a stone that will be built upon – this requires sacrifice and obedience. Words we tend to shy away from.

Maybe you have the ability to be a spiritual stone for others. Maybe an economic stone. Emotional stone. Relational stone. Creative stone. Maybe some sort of blend of gifts and abilities to offer the building WE are becoming (not only “we” pointing around the room, but “we” as in all who have come before, and those generations to come).

As we offer ourselves to others, recognizing Christ as the ultimate “cornerstone” (v.6), and giving our lives to the building…we are becoming the temple where God chooses to dwell. We carry His presence into a world parched and dry for this Living Water. We invite our grandparents. We actively lead our grandchildren. We join together…not in waving, but in becoming what those after us will need to continue building God’s dwelling place…