Ascension Allegiance - Sermon for Ascension Sunday (June 1, 2025)

Scripture Readings: Acts 1:1–11 | Psalm 47 | Ephesians 1:15–23 | ​Luke 24:44–53

“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.” (Ephesians 1:20-22).
 
This past week our King, Charles III, paid his first visit to Canada since his coronation in order to deliver the Speech from the Throne at the opening of a new session of Parliament. This is a deed worthy of notice for lots of reasons, including the fact that this kind of thing doesn’t happen very much.
 
For the most part, even though Canada remains a constitutional monarchy, and the King is our official head of state, the Royal Family has been fairly remote from the day to day lives of Canadians for some time. The King and Queen reign and reside far across the sea, and while we might think of them now and then, they don’t really tend to directly influence or factor into the decisions we make.
 
But at this particular moment in our country’s history, a moment when Canada’s sovereignty and independence has been called into question, and our way of life challenged by some of our close neighbours, the King was invited to come visit Ottawa, and to publicly reaffirm our historic and ongoing relationship to the Crown. And in this speech, King Charles also proclaimed our nation’s unique identity and role to play in the wider world… while also inviting both our representatives in the government, and by extension all Canadians, to continue to embody the values that we so often claim to uphold.
 
Here's a short excerpt: “You speak for your communities, representing an incredible richness of cultures, languages, and perspectives. We owe it to this generation, and those who succeed us, to think and act for the greater good of all. While the world faces unprecedented challenges, generating uncertainties across the continents with regards to peace and stability, economics, and climate change, your communities have the skills and determination to bring a wealth of solutions.

By fostering collaboration and engaging in respectful, constructive debates, you will ensure this Government is capable of bold and fair action to support Canadians.”[1]

Now whether or not this session of Parliament will live up to these words, during this visit King Charles has offered our government, and all Canadians, a positive vision for us to strive for together. As far as earthly rulers goes, I think that’s a pretty good step.  
 
But today, we Christians celebrate not just the authority and influence of an earthly head of state… we are celebrating the ascension of Jesus Christ the Risen Lord: God’s chosen Son who died, was raised, and who now reigns at God’s right hand in glory as the eternal King of Kings.  
 
In our readings today from the Gospel of Luke, and the Book of Acts, we heard how the Risen Christ appoints His apostles to serve as His representatives and witnesses in the world, promises them that they will receive power from on high when the Holy Spirit is given to them… and then Jesus is taken up before their eyes, and hidden from their sight by a cloud. And while this may seem like a strange and dramatic ending to our Lord’s story, that’s not at all how the apostles and later generations of Christians saw things.

After all, not absent-ion Sunday… it’s ascension Sunday!

This is not about our Lord leaving us and our world behind, and escaping the confines of our messed up world… this was His moment of exaltation in order to take charge of it… going up to be seated at His Heavenly Father’s right hand to reign with Him over the world that He died and rose again to save, and to set free to share in God’s Kingdom. In the ascension, we see Jesus taken up into God’s presence to take up His royal authority over all things.
 
As we heard in our reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “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. 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 who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:20-23).
 
The ascension reminds us of the wonderful truth that Jesus Christ the crucified and risen Lord has not left us here alone to fend for ourselves, and gone off somewhere far away… it tells us that He lives and remains our world’s only true King of Kings, even if others here on earth keep on laying claims to our allegiance.
 
We might not think about that word allegiance all that much in our context here in Gondola Point… but that doesn’t mean that our loyalty is not being sought after or challenged day in and day out.
 
I mean, in our everyday lives: whose approval are we usually seeking? Our family? Our friends? Our peers? Ourselves?
 
And what are the concerns that tend to drive us? The fear of loss? The desire for the next new experience or gadget? What about boredom… the need for distraction? Or are we just focused on doing what we need to do to get by?
 
All these priorities can take hold of us… and pull us towards them… demanding our attention, and that we align our minds and our actions in ways that satisfy them.
 
But when we confess that Christ Jesus is King, we are acknowledging our intention to live in allegiance to Him… to be His people… shaped by and for His Kingdom’s priorities… and obedient to His will for us, and for our world.
 
That doesn’t mean that these other obligations and preoccupations will simply disappear moving forward… but it does mean that as Christians, all of our other relationships and areas of concern are to be brought in line with the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ… and that ultimately, our daily lives are to be marked by our connection to Him above all else. That everything we say and do should be consistent with our confession that Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again!
 
Of course, this is easier said than done. But what does it mean for us to put this into practice? What does it mean for us to be an ascension people? Those who take the reign of Christ seriously, and are seeking to serve Christ Jesus our King in our context?
 
Does it mean just waiting around until He comes back? Killing time, and treading water… while abdicating any sense of responsibility?
 
Does it mean going along with the flow of the world around us… basically striving to gain influence by keeping in step with the latest trends and popular opinion… even if they go against God’s ways?
 
Does it mean trying to seize the reigns of power and steer the course of our society… imposing our own vision of God’s Kingdom onto our neighbours… forcing them to get in line with our agendas… or face the consequences?
 
Or are we being called to something even more challenging… and far more Christlike: to serve as faithful witnesses to the Good News of Jesus Christ in our world?
 
This was the calling of those first disciples who stood by and watched as the Risen Lord ascended to the Father’s right hand, and it has been an integral part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ ever since. It doesn’t mean we will all become gifted evangelists, or ordained ministers… even though some of us here may be.
 
Honestly, just being His people… being committed to walking in His ways, and being willing to share the faith, and the hope, and the love we have received from Him is already an incredible witness and message to the world around us. But this way requires us to practice integrity, to live with conviction, and to be willing to do and say things that may put us in a vulnerable position… where we may face the confusion or rejection of those around us for staying true to Jesus.  
 
But just like those first disciples, we too have been given two great gifts to help us live as Christ’s faithful witnesses: first of all, Christ gives to His people the power of His Holy Spirit… God’s life-giving presence dwelling inside us, and guiding us, and reshaping us to become like Him… to embody the values of God’s Kingdom in ways that go far beyond our own capabilities.    
 
And secondly, God gives us each other… the Church… the community of saints, or as St. Paul puts it, the body of Christ… brothers and sisters bound together by the saving love of God, and serving our Lord together as His holy people here on earth… learning together and leaning on each other and lifting up one another.
 
Ascension Sunday call for us Christians to be faithful citizens of Christ’s Kingdom. It reminds us of our own unique identity in the world: as a community of witnesses to the Good News that Jesus Christ truly is the Lord… confessing together that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again… and that we are to live each day embodying the life and values of Christ’s Kingdom… through the power of His Holy Spirit and work in us.
 
But even more than that, the ascension reminds us that the One who loves us, and gave His life to rescue us and our world, is alive and reigns on high, and His Kingdom will come, and His will will be done… and that even if, in times of darkness and despair, we can’t always recognize the signs of His reign at work, we can trust that Christ Jesus our King will not abandon His world… but will return to set it right for good.
 
Ascension Sunday calls us to first look up to our King Jesus Christ, the ultimate source of our life and our hope…  and then it calls us to get to work, with the Holy Spirit’s help, serving His Kingdom together. Amen.

I’ll close now with the words of St. Paul to his fellow witnesses in Ephesus: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” (Ephesians 1:17-19). Amen.


[1] “Speech from the Throne to open the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada” https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/campaigns/speech-throne/2025/building-canada-strong.html