“Welcome Home, Jesus!”

“Follow me.”

“Feed my sheep.”

“Tell the good news to everyone. Be my witnesses.”

“I’m going to prepare a place for you. I’ll be back.”

The setting is not Jerusalem. It’s not Galilee. And the audience is not the disciples. The speaker is not really even Jesus. 

I was sitting in the back row of the chapel at Chicago West Side Christian School. The eighth grade teacher was playing the part of Jesus. The entire PK – 8 school was assembled, with the little kids in front and the big kids in the back by me. The leaders – teachers and students – were acting out the gospel where Jesus ascended to heaven and had some final words of instructions for his followers. 

As he was talking, Jesus started ascending up a huge step ladder, decorated with clouds and a blue sky. Just before he disappeared over the railing and onto a balcony where a few kindergarteners were waiting, a little kid down below, spontaneously shouted, “Good bye, Jesus. We’re going to miss you.”

Almost in response, a kindergarten girl excitedly shouted, “Welcome home, Jesus!” as the risen Christ climbed over the railing and stepped onto the balcony, next to her.  

I was not planning to attend chapel that morning; I had a long report to write and we were crunched for time. But this semi-retired accreditation coordinator was glad he got to witness the ascension in a whole new way. I now have a completely new image of the ascended Jesus. It’s not so mysterious. He’s not some spirit hovering in the clouds.  

Jesus is a person. He has a real body. That’s why he let Thomas touch his scars. To convince him he was in the flesh. He was real. That’s why he prepared breakfast and ate it with his friends. He got hungry. He ate. He digested food.

Jesus is a person and he’s also God. He really did give us some instructions. That’s why his words to Peter are recorded – so that we would also feed sheep, so that we would also follow him, so that we also would be like him, and so that we would also tell the world about him.

Jesus is a person. Jesus is God. His last words on earth not only gave us instructions. They also gave us hope. He really is preparing a place. He really is coming back. He really is going to take us so that we will be with him where he is.

It’s still a bit of a mystery to me. I am still curious about a few things. But because of some inner city kids and their eighth grade teacher, I have a more real picture of what is waiting for me up in the balcony. 

When the time comes, I expect to be greeted by Jesus. But if not Jesus, I would not mind if I was greeted by a kindergartener – “Welcome Home!”