Look Up. Look Out.
May 21, 2023 + Pr. Michelle Sevig + Seventh Sunday of Easter
Heads up! For anyone who’s ever watched a little league baseball game, (I’ve watched too many to count over the years) you’ve likely heard these words whenever there’s a foul ball that pops over the fence. The clear, concise statement is meant to alert all those around the field to look up and look out for a ball dropping somewhere.
“Heads up” is a warning that’s given so that we actually look up from whatever it is that’s distracting us. Oftentimes my attention is not on the game at all, but I’m focused on a conversation I’m having with another parent or if I’m really honest, my head is bent over a small screen.
Perhaps the same thing is true for you… whether you’re hunched over a phone while at a game or on the train, or if there’s something else that distracts you and keeps your head low, your eyes turned down or inward instead of on what’s happening around you.
In today’s reading from Acts—the story of Jesus’ Ascension—quite the opposite is true. The disciples had their heads UP--looking toward the sky, their mouths open in astonishment. And their hearts were sad, their minds confused as their beloved Jesus disappeared from their sight. White robed messengers give them a heads up--a warning—telling them not to look up because they won’t see Jesus there anymore. The messengers seem to be saying, “Stop looking up and start looking out.” Look out toward your neighbor, open your eyes to see the glory of God in the person standing next to you, and in the stranger you meet, in the needs of the world.
Jesus’ ascension is hard for us to understand. But there are a few simple ways we might think of it theologically. Jesus leaves the earth so that he might be present to us now through the Holy Spirit–the Holy Spirit we officially welcome and celebrate next week on Pentecost Sunday. The same Holy Spirit who descends on the newly baptized today and remains with them forever. The same Holy Spirit who breathes God’s very breath in you. Jesus ascends to heaven that he might fulfill all things, that his presence might be known in all places, that we might become the body of Christ for the world, through the Holy Spirit. .
In the gospel reading from John, another heads up…Jesus looks up to heaven and prays for his disciples, that they may know the same intimacy he has with God–the father. And that they may experience eternal life—not in some heaven in the sky, but here and now. Jesus speaks these words the night before his death and in them he reveals the deep relationship he has with the Father. He prays for his followers, that they may continue his work in the world. He prays that we may be one, united as he and the Father are one. Father, Son, Holy Spirit…One God.
This morning we will baptize Ayden, Addi and Henry in the name of God made known to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit–One God. In Holy baptism we are united with God and we are united with Christians throughout the world and we are made one.
At the communion class I had with Addi, Henry and a few others last weekend we watched an animated video about the sacraments. In one section Jesus is shown gathering into his arms a whole crowd of people (more than 100) and the narrator says, “Jesus welcomes all God’s people to the holy meal” and the little cartoon girl responds, “but those aren’t all the people of the world!” and the narrator says, “You’re right. You’ll have to use your imagination”
And we did. The children at the class with me talked about the people at our church who are in Jesus’ loving arms, and the people at other Lakeview Lutheran churches who are at the communion table with Jesus and us too. But not only Lakeview and not only Luthern! We used our imaginations to think about the people in California, and Utah, Ukraine and South Africa. We used our imaginations and named people who are like us and people who are not like us. People we know and like and maybe even some we don’t. People all over the world with whom we are united at the communion table when we eat and drink with Jesus, because he has promised that we are one with him and the Father and the Holy Spirit.
For in Christ there is no east or west, in him no north or south. At this table we are united with the church throughout all the ages. At this table we are one with the saints who have gone before us. At this table we celebrate the kingdom of God already breaking in upon us. At this table we anticipate a day where all people will know the healing and reconciling love of Christ regardless of race, gender, class or anything else we might use to divide and differentiate.
For the reign of God is here, now. Not up there. Not up in the sky, not some other time and place in the future. But right now the spirit of Christ is among us, empowering us to open our hearts in joy and our hands in service. We are not called to crank our heads up toward the sky looking for Jesus to return, but we are called to joyfully bless God in our service to others who are among us now.
As Christ’s body in the world we are constantly looking outward, not upward. We gather each week in community to celebrate our oneness with Christ--to wait and pray much like those early disciples did. And we also come to receive purpose for our lives and encouragement to go out into the whole world to share freely the love and grace we have received from God with others.
Heads up! Make sure you look up every now and then to notice the stars, the sun, the clouds and all the other good gifts of the Holy One. But stand firmly on the earth. Look out at your neighbor in need. And rejoice that the spirit of the Risen Christ now fills you. And fills all things.
