What we observe today is one of several “ascensions” recorded in the Bible. Before you label me a heretic, let me make my case. In Genesis 17 there is the story of when Abraham was 99 years old and, we are told, the LORD appeared to him. (Genesis 17:1) That’s important to note. Abraham didn’t just hear some disembodied voice. The LORD appeared visibly to Abraham.
Are you ready? Jesus told us to be. He told his followers: You will be hated by all nations because of my name. (Matthew 24:9) Do you feel the hatred of the nations? Here is the honest truth. We in our nation have been living a sort of “divine exemption” from all of this. By God’s grace and protection, our experience as Christians has been almost persecution-free.
At the center of Jewish worship life in the Old Testament was the Temple in Jerusalem. The first Temple was built at the time of David’s son, King Solomon. It was a magnificent structure! The Most Holy Place, that sacred inner room where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, was overlaid with about 20 tons of pure gold!
In order to understand our text this morning, we need to have an understanding of how sheep were cared for at the time of Jesus. During the day, flocks of sheep would be out on the hills grazing under the watch and protection of a shepherd. But at night, shepherds might lead their flock to a pen. This pen would be enclosed all around by a stone wall, high enough that sheep could not climb or jump over it. This large, open-air pen would be large enough that a number of flocks could be kept in there overnight together. In one of the stone walls there would be the one opening into the pen.
I don’t know if you have ever experienced a time in your life like this, but for me it was when I began my studies at the Seminary. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced! Each and every day we would go from one class to the next and do nothing but study Scripture. Each and every day my mind was blown by the discovery of something new. I remember thinking at the time, “This can’t really be what I get to do!” It was Scripture study to a degree and depth I had never known before.
Thomas was having none of it. His friends have told him that they have seen the risen Lord Jesus! It happened on Easter evening. They were all locked in a room to hide from the Jews. For whatever reason, Thomas was not with them. All of a sudden, the risen Lord was present with them! They tell Thomas, We have seen the Lord! (v. 25) And for them, seeing was believing!
Today is all about “good news.” It is the good news proclaimed by the angels at the empty tomb. He is not here; he has risen! (Matthew 28) This is such good news that it has its own word. The word the Church has used through the ages for this good news is “gospel.” “Gospel” comes from the Old English “good spell” which means “good news.”
The Service of Darkness centers on a series of lessons, psalms, and liturgical texts that reflect on the Lord’s crucifixion and our repentance. As the service progresses, the candles of a sevenfold candelabrum are extinguished until only one remains. This candle is not extinguished but is removed from the chancel, leaving the church in darkness. The service is closed by a loud noise (known as the strepitus) that foreshadows the rending of Jesus’ tomb on Easter. After the strepitus, the last candle, still burning, is returned to the chancel. It thus anticipates the light of the paschal candle. The service ends without a benediction. We exit in silence to reassemble on the Festival.
It would be impossible to know for certain how many times the Passover was celebrated before Jesus came. We know it was first observed on the eve the Israelites left Egypt a free people under the leadership of Moses. We could give ourselves the year 1500 B.C. for this. We know that the Passover was to be an annual festival for the Jews, so every Jewish household was supposed to observe this festival for the 1500 years leading up to the time of Jesus!
It happens all the time. There is excitement. There is commotion. Just yonder, something is going on. A crowd gathers. It seems all the commotion is over some person. And the question buzzes through the crowd, “What’s going on? Who’s over there?”
