SENDS, ASCENDS, DESCENDS
Rev. Jeff Wood, First Presbyterian Church of SebastianWeLoveFirst.org & Facebook.com/welovefirstsebastian
In the Christian calendar year the last two months have had three of the five significant turns of the Christian faith. Imagine trying to understand the Christian faith without Christmas? Or Easter? We can’t fully understand it without Sends, Ascends, or Descends either.
Sends is that Jesus commissions his followers to carry on his work to the ends of the earth. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t just get received. It continues and is passed on. To everyone. This is in the heart of Christian faith.
Ascends is that Jesus goes to heaven. This is not so much a space shot into the celestials as being crowned and taking one’s seat on the throne. Think of President-elect and that one then being inaugurated. Authority now in play. Jesus installed and presiding is also in the heart of Christian faith.
Descends is that the Spirit of Jesus comes down. The physical Jesus could be with some disciples, some of the time, in some of the places. But the non-bodily presence of Jesus (Spirit) can actually be with all disciples, all the time, in all places. This is central to the Christian faith.
After these turn of events, which the Church remembers usually in April and May, Christians are commissioned, directed, and empowered to go be the hands and feet, the love and light of Jesus in the world. So from December to May, we receive the Christ-child; we see the Christ sacrifice himself for us; we hear him send us; we realize he is empowered; and we take him into us. Then the rest of our days we live out this faith and love for the world.
Rev. Jeff Wood
First Presbyterian, 1405 Louisiana Ave. Sebastian FL 32958
Welovefirst.org facebook.com
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