Why Are We Followers of Jesus?

May 21, 2023 

   Today is the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.  And in the first reading of today from Acts, we have Jesus having his last encounter with the disciples before he leaves them. And so there are many themes that could be taken up based on the three readings for this Sunday, but I was particularly struck by the following line in today’s first reading.  “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”  Why do I point to this particular verse?  We must remember that earlier in the same passage we have been told that, “After his suffering Jesus presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” 

So here we have, according to the author of the Acts of the Apostles, a situation in which Jesus has repeatedly given the disciples many proofs about his resurrection, and has met them often and spent much time speaking to them about the kingdom of God - and now he is going to leave them.

But the fact that this was his last encounter with them was not so important to the disciples, for the question they ask is this: “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”  This is not an innocuous question.  Remember during Jesus’ ministry before he died, the disciples often quarrelled among themselves as to who would have prime position in the Kingdom that would be brought about by Jesus. This has been reported by three of the Gospels, twice in Luke (9:46-48, and again in 22:24), twice in Mathew (18:15 and 20:20-22) and once in Mark (9:33-37).  The Gospel according to John does not have this theme, but the chances are that that was dropped because the author of John’s Gospel was quite embarassed by that theme since John and his brother James were significantly guilty of this. So we read in Mathew 20:20-21: “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee (i.e. James and John) came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to her: ‘What do you want?”. She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand, and one at your left in your kingdom.’

Of course a few verses later (vs, 24) we are told that “When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers”. But this was a weakness that all the disciples suffered from.  Thus in Mark 9:33ff we have this:  ”Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”  But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.”

So here we have a situation, where the disciples have spent around three years in close proximity to Jesus, learning from the Master himself, seeing all his miracles, and hearing his teachings, and then meeting him again after his Resurrection and again learning from him, and yet, what is uppermost in their minds even at this stage: “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Sad, isn’t it?  They were still focussed on themselves, and whether the kingdom in which they hoped to be given important places, was going to come soon. Whoever eventually was made the greatest among themselves, they believed that each one of them would be given great importance. After all wasn’t it Jesus himself who had told them:  “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Mathew 19:18).  THAT was their focus - even at this stage.

And I wonder whether this is similar to the religion many of us practise.  Are we followers of Jesus, allegedly because we are convinced that the way he showed us is the way to live, but in actual fact, deep down, we are in it for what we can gain, or what we hope to gain - either in this world, or if worst comes to worst, at least in the next life, when Jesus’ kingdom comes?  

Unfortunately for the disciples, Jesus’ answer is: “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority”.  And then perhaps realising that they still haven’t really understood what his mission and their mission is,  he tells them that the Spirit of God will come and enlighten them and strengthen them. But before going, he tells them once again what they really should be focussing on, namely to be his witnesses throughout all the world, irrespective of anything they may or may not hope to gain, irrespective of when the kingdom will come.

So the question we have to ask ourselves is: Why are we followers of Jesus?  Is it ultimately to GAIN something, e.g. God’s favours or graces, or even to gain salvation, or perhaps to avoid punishment.  If one or more of these are our primary reason, then isn’t our relationship with God just a business relationship - I give God something (honour, worship, prayers, etc) and in return I will get something???  I am reminded of the Bollywood movie “PK”, in which the main character who is an alien, comments on religion as he sees it practised on earth as being based primarily on FEAR and GREED - either fear of being punished, or greed to get something.  

Actually,we could ask ourselves whether  in any true loving relationship among human beings, whether parents and children, or husband and wife,or any other, - in any TRUE loving relationship, aren’t the persons engaged in that relationship  in it because the relationship in itself has meaning…. whether it is beneficial or not.

Would we continue to be followers of Jesus if we found some other ‘religion’ offering us a better deal, as it were?  Or are we followers of Jesus because we find deep meaning in the way of life he taught us, or even because we have a relationship with Jesus - a relationship that is NOT based on something we can gain, but just because we find meaning and fulfillment in that relationship, irrespective of whether it will save us or reward us or keep us from hell?  

First Reading: Acts 1: 1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He 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.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 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? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 17-23

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,  and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.  God^f put this power to work in Christ when he 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 also in the age to come.  And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”