Driving to Heaven

Ascension Day

Today is Ascension Day. In German it was called "Christi Himmelfahrt," which roughly translates as "Christ's Ascension," but could literally be understood as "Christ's Drive to Heaven." In Germany, besides being an official religious holiday and state holiday (no separation of Church and State in Germany), it was an unofficial "Father's Day" for German fathers. Many religious people resented their holy day being mixed with a secular holiday since it was often seen that fathers simply used this day to relax and drink beer.

The religious import was somewhat lost.

When I was a pastor, I would often follow the German lectionary, which is somewhat different than the Revised Common Lectionary. Where as the Revised Common Lectionary uses a 3-year rotation, the German one uses a 6-year rotation. The passage chosen today is from Luke 24:50-53 (CEB):

He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them. As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God.

Modern Interpretations

I wish I knew where this picture came from. I would love to give it appropriate credit.

Being a modern person requires often leaps of faith to try to interpret Scripture. Did Jesus literally rise up into the air? I don't know. I wasn't there. I suspect that the people there were just using the language they had to interpret what was going on.

It's like the term, "sunrise." The Sun doesn't actually rise in the sky. The Earth orbits around the Sun and makes it appear as if it rises. We still call it a "sunrise" and the effect is still the same.

The leader of this movement had been killed. His followers claimed he was alive, but now in Heaven.

What happens now?

Perhaps that was the greatest question.

Following Jesus

Following Jesus requires a lot of faith for me, especially now. Being someone who is
openly a part of the LGBTQ+ Community, I get many questions from both sides. Someone recently told me in a Facebook message to drop dead when I said in a public group that I am bisexual and a Christian. Another person told me that I can't be bisexual and a Christian at the same time. Most Christians would deny that I am a Christian at all because of my sexuality.

Many of my friends in the LGBTQ+ Community wonder why I even bother trying to be a Christian. They have been so ostracized by other Christians. American missionaries have even gone to other countries, most notably Uganda, to have their governments enact the death penalty for known people in the LGBTQ+ Community. 

Why would I want to be a Christian right now when Jesus' followers don't even believe I am a Christian?

And this is the question. Isn't it? I'll admit that this is the toughest question to answer. If it were not for my own church, which accepts me for who I am, I would not be a Christian right now at all.

The old song, "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love," seems to be false.

I guess it's up to me. My biggest challenge is to love, especially to those who tell me to drop dead.