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Sunday 17 May 2026 Seventh Sunday of Easter
We are Entrusted with the Mission of Christ
Acts 1:6-14; John 17:1-11
Context: Holy Communion in a lively village congregation of around 50, energised by dyslexic, autistic, neurotypical, and ADHD members
Aim: To encourage empowered participation in the mission of God
THE MISSION OF CHRIST
Ascension Day is not an easy feast to celebrate. It doesn’t feel joyful. For the disciples, it was a moment of loss and loneliness. Even as they asked Jesus if he would restore the kingdom to Israel, he was taken from their sight. It must have felt like the crucifixion all over again –another departure, another grief. Celebration was surely the last thing on their minds.
When they return to Jerusalem, the disciples immediately seek the comfort of the upper room where they stay isolated and afraid. It was as if the Resurrection had never happened.
Ascension Day can feel perplexing and uncomfortable for us too.
But the reading from John 17 reminds us that Jesus had prepared his disciples for this moment. At the Last Supper, he prayed for them, knowing he would soon leave them. He asked the Father to protect them and to keep them united. As the prayer continues beyond verse 11, Jesus tells them that they will be sent into the world so that others might come to believe through their witness. Ascension, then, is the moment when the mission is passed from Jesus to his disciples.
CHRIST’S MISSION HANDED ON
Jesus had completed his saving work through death and resurrection, but the mission itself continues. And now it rests in the hands of a few rather unremarkable people. The Gospels are honest about the disciples: James and John grasp for privilege; Thomas doubts; Judas betrays; Peter is impulsive and unfaithful. Yet these are the people Jesus entrusts with God’s mission. No wonder they feel daunted.
Ascension is no less daunting for us. Their mission is now our mission. They fulfilled their task and inspired a new generation to continue in the way. And generation after generation, the task has been handed on – until it reaches us, here and now. The weight of it can make us want to retreat and hide, just as the disciples did.
THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
During the 1980s, the Anglican Communion reflected on what it means to be the Church today. They concluded that the Church is defined not by its structures but by its aims. They said: ‘The mission of the Church is the mission of Christ.’
They identified five marks of this mission:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
- To teach, baptize, and nurture new believers
- To respond to human need with loving service
- To transform unjust structures, challenge violence, and pursue peace and reconciliation
- To safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
These are not easy tasks. Jesus told his disciples they would be hated for the message they carried, and we sometimes experience the same resistance today. These responsibilities would crush any individual, but Jesus gives us two sources of hope.
First, we have each other. The burden of salvation fell on Christ alone, but the burden of mission is shared. In John 17, Jesus prayed for our unity so that we might be effective in carrying out his work. We need each other, and we have each other. The Church is not just the people gathered in this building today, but millions around the world. Together we can accomplish great things.
History shows what Christians can do when they proclaim, disciple, serve, seek justice, work for peace and care for creation. Lives have been transformed. Societies have been changed. Hope has taken root where there was none.
Second, God is with us. Just before today’s passage, Jesus promises the coming of the Spirit – the power that will sustain and equip his people. Next week, at Pentecost, we will celebrate that gift. But even today, we remember that we do not carry the mission in our own strength. We have the Spirit of God within us.
Ascension may not feel easy to celebrate, yet it is a wonderful feast. Our Father entrusts us with the mission of Christ. He gives us a community to sustain us and his Spirit to empower us.
The mission of the Church is indeed the mission of Christ.
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