Ephesians 1:15-23 Under His Feet

"Hey man...you've changed."

Observation: Ephesians gives a poetic vision of the ascended Christ. God "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 in the age to come." A far cry from the rural peasant from Galilee that we knew...

Application: Happy Ascension Day! Today on the church calendar, forty days after the day of resurrection, ten days before the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we celebrate Christ being taken up to heaven and sitting at God's right hand.

I have ambivalent feelings about Ascension Day, because in a way, with all this poetic imagery, the world seems to finally be getting the Messiah it wants: on a high throne, in a fancy palace, far removed from the dirt and grime and pain of daily human existence..."above it all." We, and all creation, are just "under his feet."

We know from the Bible what has happened all too often to human rulers once they get power. David goes from a humble, faithful shepherd boy, to a selfish and lecherous king. Solomon goes from a wise student to uber-wealthy power broker with hundreds of wives and almost as many gods. In human history, power corrupts. Being removed from the daily lives of ordinary people is not a good thing for most royals. By that logic, ascension to a whole other level of existence would not be a great thing for the ministry and mission of Jesus.

But that's where the metaphor of "ascension," "enthronement" and being "seated at God's right hand" kind of breaks down. Granted, to make sense of a physical resurrection, we have to believe that Jesus' body is indeed still...somewhere. And for lack of a better understanding of this mystery, we call that somewhere "God's right hand." Jesus is in heaven, with his Father. But does that mean he's removed from all human suffering? From the very people he died to save, and the sheep he promised to shepherd? No way.

By raising Jesus "above all rule and authority" and lifting his name "above all names," God is not giving Jesus a "promotion." Jesus has always been king, from manger to cross. What God is lifting up before all is Jesus' way of life. God is lifting up faith, compassion, justice, mercy and self-giving love as the real authority and power in this universe. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, which has descended and filled us, that power  and authority still rules our world. Jesus is not removed from our pain. Jesus is the head of the church--united to us forever--and Jesus' presence fills all in all. Love has been lifted up, only to reach out once again.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for sitting at God's right hand. Help me to lift your way--the way of self-giving love--above any other way. Amen.