Sermon Preached by Rev Coralie McCluskey
at St Mary's Welwyn

Thursday 5 May 2005 - 8pm

Ascension Day, 2005

 

Acts 1: verses 6-8.  So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”  Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

 

Jesus commissioned his apostles to preach the Gospel to the whole world and he promised them the enabling, strengthening power of the Holy Spirit.  On Pentecost day that promise was fulfilled.  And they did a good job, trace their journeys in the Acts of the Apostles.  They travelled far and wide proclaiming the Good News to all they met, ensuring that it was handed down to us today.

 

Today that task, to preach the Gospel, depends on us for we too are apostles of Christ.  Just like the young people and adults preparing for confirmation in the Team, when we were confirmed we had the Holy Spirit poured out on us, the spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, inward strength, knowledge and true godliness, we too are commissioned to bring the gospel to others, a great privilege but a sometimes a seemingly impossible task. 

 

So how do we set about it, the answer is simple by living the Christian life and if you are unsure of whether you are, ask yourself; if it was a crime to be a Christian and I was arrested and put on trial, would enough evidence be found in my life to convict me?

 

Once upon a time there was a practising Christian who never missed church on Sunday lived in a nice house, had a family, not without its up and downs but was happy and satisfied.  There was a problem however, a niggling problem. This Christian had been to a meeting about mission and evangelism and was concerned about the next door neighbour a professed atheist.  As a practising Christian there had always been a desire to convert the neighbour but every time religion was introduced into the conversation the neighbour changed the subject.  So following the conference on mission and evangelism the practising Christian decided to send a copy of the gospels to the neighbour.  Who could fail to be moved by the teaching, healing, humility and love of Jesus?

 

Passing the neighbours dustbin a few days later he noticed the copy on the top and picking it up knocked on the neighbours’ door.  I hope I’m not intruding he said to the neighbour but I found this on your dustbin.  You know if you’d only read it you might find God.

But I do read it the neighbour replied, every day. I don’t understand the Christian said.

You are a Christian the neighbour asked, yes the Christian replied, well I’ve been reading your life every day for the past ten years.  End of story.

 

How are we to fulfil Christ’s commission to us.

 

We need to begin with ourselves, evangelise ourselves, let the Gospel permeate every area of our own lives.  Let us open ourselves up to the love of God.  Let us think and work and act like Christ.  Let us commit ourselves to studying the gospel, to praying and to constantly serving out God.

 

Jesus said you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. This was his farewell command as he ascended to the Father.

 

He has no body now on earth but ours.

He has no hands but ours to raise the fallen.

No feet but ours to seek the lost.

No eyes but ours to see the silent tears of suffering.

No ears but ours to listen to the lonely.

No tongue but ours to speak a word of comfort to the sad.

No heart but ours to love the unloved.

Lord be merciful to us, through the power of the Holy Spirit give us the courage to witness to you in the world and so the Gospel will be spread and people will find their way into your Kingdom.