Dwell with Christ - Church Society

Almighty God,

as your only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

ascended into heaven,

so grant that we may also, in heart and mind, there ascend,

and with him continually dwell,

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Where are you?

Have you come across the ‘what3words’ app? It’s been heralded as the ‘app that can save your life’. It divides our world into 3 metre squares and gives each square a unique combination of three words. Whether it’s meeting a friend, instructing a delivery company, or requesting emergency services, it’s apparently ‘the simplest way to talk about location’.

But today’s collect might have a thing or two to say about that. Because, as Christians, ‘where are we today?’ is one of the most important questions we can ask.

Risen Twice

Whether it’s lost in the fog of a mental health struggle, or feeling our way through a denominational crisis, or caring for a Christian coming to terms with dementia, knowing our location really matters. That’s why as Christians we need a collect that asks God to embed into our hearts and minds that our ‘3 words’ are ‘ascended with Jesus’.

To put it another way, one of the glorious but perhaps sometimes neglected truths of the gospel is that we not only follow a risen Saviour, but one who has ‘risen twice’ — being raised not just to life, but raised into heaven to reign as king. And crucially, the reality of Jesus’ ascension means that those who by faith are united to Jesus have therefore also ascended with him.

An Eternal Location Now

If we could peel back the curtain of this world and see into the heavenly places — the spiritual realities — then we would see the risen Lord Jesus, glorious in all his splendour, enthroned and ruling the world. But look even closer and we would also see ourselves there with him, ascended with him. It is a location that is totally safe and secure — and this is our eternal reality!

Have you ever had a horrible dream, only to wake up and feel the comfort of realising that the ‘greater reality’ is that you’re safely tucked up in your warm bed? The struggles and temptations of this age are certainly real, but we have a lasting and unshakable location that brings comfort even in the most nightmarish seasons of life.

Apostolic Answers

As such, we should expect this prayer to be answered in powerful ways. Here are three particular ways that the apostle Paul might envisage God answering this prayer…

In Ephesians, Paul prays we’d know this truth with the eyes of our hearts, i.e. that we’d really, really, really know it deep down. And that is a work that only the Spirit can bring about, so we must pray, as this collect helps us to (Ephesians 2-3).
In Colossians, we’re exhorted to live with our hearts and minds fixed on this reality, rather than having our hopes set on this present world (Colossians 3).
In Philippians, we’re urged to be heavenly minded and specifically therefore to follow the example of those who have this mindset, whilst also watching out for those ‘enemies of Christ’ who have their minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3).

Lift Up Your Hearts

In the Anglican Holy Communion liturgy, the minister exhorts us to “lift up your hearts”. In response, we remind ourselves that Christ is already ascended: “we lift them to the Lord”. As today’s Collect puts it, we are to take our shared ascended ‘location’ to heart and so “with him to continually dwell”.

Tempted to give up by the lingering presence of discouragement? Weary from the storms of life that seem to encircle you? Conscious of enemies within and without?

All those things may well be around us, but our spiritual location really is ascended with Jesus. So as the old hymn puts it, “Fix your eyes upon Jesus.” Not just because he is your future destination, but because he is your present dwelling place. Three little words that can save your life: ascended with Jesus.

So pray this with me: