Introduction

Roller coasters are becoming more and more popular in America; they are being built taller, and longer, and faster - and nearly every major theme and play park seems to have one. In a world that keeps us as dizzy as being on a roller coaster, or at best we have a suspicion that we are being used as a yo-yo, trying to meet the demands of all the strident voices about us. So, when a church event that has its anniversary on a certain Thursday every year - not even a Sunday - we find it a bit difficult to get too excited about the Ascension of our Lord. But lest we miss its true importance, let us look at it one more time. Jesus and his little band of followers are standing on a knoll called Mount Olivet, within sight of Jerusalem, and emotions are running high. Jesus is about to l…