John 20:1-18 “Ascending”

Happy Easter! Christ is alive! What a happy, wonderful thought this is! Did anyone notice while Helen was reading this text in the Gospel of John that Jesus never really says that he is alive? Surprise! Our whole Christian Faith pivots on Jesus coming back from the dead, right? Yet, Jesus himself does not confirm that he is alive by simply stating to Mary of Magdala upon his appearance in the garden “Hey Mary, I am alive.” I would think that that would be the first thing he would confirm for Mary!

What does Jesus say to Mary? The Greek word that we have here is αναβαινω. It is translated here as “I am ascending.” This can be construed as a new way of looking at what it means to be “alive.” It is not just about your biological functions. It is not just about your heart beating, your lungs taking oxygen, and the consumption of Cadbury chocolate Easter eggs. To be sure, by the way, we have ample evidence in the Bible that Jesus really was alive from the fact that he is at dinner with the two strangers on the Road to Emmaus story or later when he cooks breakfast for the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Yes, Jesus is biologically alive! He just describes His life differently to Mary of Magdala.

The Greek word αναβαινω means that he is moving upwards towards something or someone. He is on a trek or a journey that will lead to higher heights. That is how he describes his being alive to Mary of Magdala. Just like that old television series “The Jeffersons,” Jesus is “moving on up!”

Mary must have been confused by this language–especially since it was used to stop her from giving Jesus the hug He so much deserves. However, I think Mary sees this and understands this. Remember how it was that those two silly men, John and Peter, come to the tomb and discover that it is empty? They look inside and see the burial cloths nicely rolled up as if room service had come to make the bed. They do not see that there are two angels in the tomb. They do not seem to be able to see what is happening in the spiritual realm at all. They go back into hiding only having confirmed that the body of Jesus was not there. That does not make for a very good Easter Morning story at all. No angels, no Jesus! Just a group of grumpy men hiding out from the authorities.

Mary looks in the tomb and sees two angels. She even talks with them. Even though she is weeping, or maybe because she is weeping, she is able to see what Peter and John obviously missed. Let that sink in for a moment. Sometimes we need to have tears in our eyes to see what God is doing in this world. We might have to be broken and distraught to see the glory all around us!

In that most humble emotional state, Mary is able then to perceive another person standing right next to her. It is Jesus. Her mind is playing a trick on her as she does not at first recognize the risen Lord. Then, he addresses her by name. Jesus knows your name, too, and may speak it at any moment.

It is in this moment that Jesus states to Mary, “I am ascending.” He is on a journey. He is climbing to a peak. He is not just simply alive again. He is on a mission. He has a goal. He makes it clear to Mary in that moment that she is on a mission with Him and shares the same goal..

When Jesus says “I am ascending,” he follows that up with the line “to my father and your father to my God and your God.” Very clearly Jesus’ goal is our goal. Jesus is ascending to the father in heaven, and so are we. Jesus is ascending to be with God in heaven, and so are we.

The great early Christian church father and theologian Eusebius in Caesarea (260-340 AD) made a really big deal about this particular text from John. First, it is one of the texts that cements the understanding that Jesus can only be the Son of God because he states outright that he is ascending to his Father in heaven who is God. In those days, some people were claiming that Jesus was never fully human nor the Son of God. However in this text Jesus includes the entire human race to be in the same state as He is. Jesus states that He is “ascending to His Father and our Father, His God and our God.” Whatever Jesus is at that time of resurrection, he is just like us! We are also part of His Resurrection as we are heading towards the same peak, the same goal.

In this we attain a whole new definition of what it means to be alive. We are not just breathing and consuming food. We are climbing to higher heights. We have a goal. Our lives have meaning and purpose. Saint Paul tells of this so beautifully in his letter to the church in Ephesus, Chapter 2, “1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

We are given a new life in the Resurrection of Jesus. As he ascends, so do we! Again from Saint Paul in his Second Letter to the Church in Corinth, 5:16-17, “16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

So, to be alive means that we have joined Christ on His journey or trek to God the Father in heaven. We are ascending with Christ as He ascends. We also have angels about to lift us up as we read in Acts 1:10: “While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee why do you stand looking up toward heaven?’” Yeah! Finally the men get to see the angels that only Mary saw before at the tomb! They can literally see Jesus ascending as he stated at the time of his Resurrection. And, they just stand there looking up to heaven with silly looks on their faces! They must have been thinking “Now what?” They miss the point apparently that they are supposed to follow Jesus! Even through the Resurrection, we are supposed to follow Jesus and ascend as He has done. Let that be our goal in life.

Amen.