Opinion Column

Our priority must be to worship the risen Christ

Christian churches have just been celebrating Pentecost, following ten days after Ascension day on 29 May, and Andy Bryant reminds us what our response should be to these earth-changing events.

There is a danger that Ascension Day gets over-shadowed by the feast of Pentecost.  Pentecost is often celebrated as the birth of the Church. It is the moment God sends his Holy Spirit upon his disciples, and we see their transformation into confident apostles. It is a day full of drama with wind and tongues of flame, and Peter boldly addresses the gathered crowds.
 
Ascension Day is quieter but no less significant.  For forty days the disciples have been encountering the risen Jesus.  In the garden, in the locked upper room, on the road to Emmaus, on the sea-shore.  They have talked and shared food and created memories they would never forget.
 
On this final occasion, Jesus leads them out of the city and up a hill.  There he blesses them, reassures them of the coming gift of the Holy Spirit and commissions them to go out into all the world to be his witnesses.  This is the moment when he passes on the baton - they are to carry on the ministry of Jesus.  Jesus is then withdrawn from their sight and returns to his Heavenly Father.
 
In earlier days this would have left the disciples bewildered, confused, even afraid. But now they return boldly to Jerusalem and, far from hiding away, they were continually in the temple blessing God.
 
Jesus’s life had begun in the squalor of a stable.  There had been doubts over his parentage, even over his sanity.  The constant question had been “who are you?”  Jesus was a wonderful story-teller, an inspiring teacher, a true miracle worker.  Crowds had flocked to him, and deserted him, and even one of his own betrayed him.  Whatever hopes the disciples had seemed to die with Jesus on the cross. 
 
And then three days later it all began to change and now, as they returned from that hillside to Jerusalem, the disciples knew - this Jesus was none other than the Son of God.  This was why they were continually in the temple – there was only one response possible to all that had happened to them - and that was to worship.
 
Ascension Day is a reminder to all of us that our primary response to Jesus should be worship.  There are many things churches can do, but first and foremost our task is to worship God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This is the very reason for our existence, the purpose of us being on this earth.  We were created to worship God - we are born to give God praise and glory.
 
Amidst all the cares and concerns of running churches we can be distracted from this core purpose.  Amidst the struggles and worries of our daily lives, as Christians we can forget, but the heart of our lives is to be offering God praise and worship.
 
Yes - life can be hard and challenging; at times we can feel overwhelmed and the way ahead can be confusing, if not lost.  But in all moments, whether we can sense it or not, God is always there with us.  And when we mess up, and regardless of how often we mess up, God forgives us and grants us the gift to start again.  He never stops loving us and never abandons us.
 
How can our response to a God who is so wonderfully always with us, be anything other than to offer praise and worship?  Whether in the thunder of the organ, the dance of the band or in pure silence, however, wherever, let us never forget to be first and foremost a people of worship.
 
As at Ascension we hear again of the disciples being continuously in the temple, having witnessed Jesus returning to glory, may the offering of praise and glory always be at the core of our being.

The image is courtesy of pixabay.com

Revd Andrew Bryant is about to retire as the Canon for Mission and Pastoral Care at Norwich Cathedral. He was previously Team Rector of Portishead, Bristol, in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and has served in parishes in the Guildford and Lichfield Dioceses, as well as working for twelve years with Kaleidoscope Theatre, a charity promoting integration through theatre for young adults with Down’s Syndrome.
 
You can read Andrew's latest blog entry here and can follow him via his Twitter account @AndyBry3.

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