Calvin Synod Herald, 2014 (115. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2014-05-01 / 5-6. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Jesus' Ascension Is The Crown Of His Life Scripture reading: Acts of apostles 1:1-11. Text: “And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. Acts of apostles 1:10-11. Again we are facing a mystery concerning the last part of Jesus’ life for which we cannot offer any logical and scientific explanation. For us the question is not HOW our Lord ascended into heaven but what it means for us? May we pray that this time three issues will shine through Christ’s departure from the earth? As we read the Bible we learn that Jesus’ birth was not only exceptional but His arriving on earth had heavenly origin, therefore it was divine, mysterious and spiritual. Please read Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-35 and Luke 2:8-14. As we follow Christ’s life, teaching, healing, ministry and the end of his life, we find:- Jesus’ birth was validated by his teaching and ministry,- His life, teaching, healing and ministry was validated by His death on the cross,- His sacrificial death on the cross was validated by His glorious resurrection Easter morning, and- His entire life - from His birth to His resurrection - was validated by His Ascension into heaven or returning to His Father. Our Lord predicted this about Himself: “T came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.’” John 16:28. Also 1 Peter 3:21-22. Enthusiastic evangelists like to preach and emphasize the importance of repentance and being bom anew. Please read John 3:1-15. Repentance is preceded by admission of sins and asking for forgiveness; and it is assumed that being bom anew means that one has to repudiate his/her previous worldly life. For many this sounds too “religious.” We are considered modem and liberated people who dislike any pressure or forceful means. To avoid this, we should offer another way - and basically it is the same as being bom anew - namely: “SPIRITUALIZATION OF THE WORLD.” Obviously in this case spiritualization means being inspired by the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised his disciples before ascending into heaven. Please read Acts of apostles 1:8 and Luke 24:49. We can translate the word SPIRITUALIZATION into this expression: doing our best to become more and more like Christ was and His apostles were. When people are “SPIRIT DOMINATED” what is the result: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:22- 23. When Jesus ascended into heaven His physical body turned into a spiritual one, the opposite of His birth. John 1:14/a. “And while they (who witnessed Jesus’ ascension) were gazing into heaven as he (the Savior) went. ..” Acts of apostles 1:10/a. Here are few points; after we look into heaven obviously with respect to Jesus, we will be blessed with a different view, - we look around and see the world and people with a different approach and mind. No doubt there is much evil, suffering, injustice, and cruelty in this world that could make one become embittered and disgusted. However, in the midst of a storm the slightest sunshine is the sign of hope and better future. The more is the world submerged in human wrongdoing the more we need the spiritualization of it. Mt. 6:10.- We also should have an improved introspection, being more objective impartial and unbiased about ourselves. How do I evaluate myself and how do I compare myself to others? Most of us think, “I happen to be just in the right middle, neither too bad and nor too good, just at the acceptable place where I do not hurt anybody and wish to help others. This is the way Apostle Paul interpreted Jesus’ ascension: “(In saying, ‘He ascended,’ what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.”) Ephesians 4:9-10. Rev. Alexander Jalso Praver by John Calvin THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE Grant, Almighty God, that since under the guidance of thy Son we have been united together in the body of thy Church, which has been so often scattered and tom asunder, O grant that we may continue in the unity of faith, and perseveringly fight against all the temptations of this world, and never deviate from the right course, whatever new troubles may daily arise; and though we are exposed to many deaths, let us not be seized with fear, such as may extinguish in our hears every hope; but may we, on the contrary, leam to raise up our eyes and minds and all our thoughts to thy great power, by which thou quickenest the dead, and raisest from nothing things which are not, so that, though we be daily exposed to ruin, our souls may ever aspire to eternal salvation, until thou at length really showest thyself to be the fountain of life, when we shall enjoy that endless felicity which has been obtained for us by the blood of thine only begotten Son our Lord. Amen. John Calvin (1509-1564) as collected from his commentaries on the Minor Prophets, translated into English in 1846 by John Owen I
