Following my signature is the sermon manuscript for the preaching of the
Ascension of Our Lord based upon Acts 1:9-11 and Ephesians 1:19-23. The
audio file can be downloaded at: http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=1321
The audio begins with the singing of the Hymn of the Day. The sermon begins
at the 3:50 mark.
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father and Christ Jesus, our
Lord.
He is risen! He is Risen indeed. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ is risen from the dead--and now He is ascended.
Ascended? Why? Why go through all that trouble just to leave us?
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted
up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into
heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said,
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was
taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go
into heaven." Acts 1:9-11
Much of Christendom still stands staring into heaven-waiting, wondering,
watching for signs. And when they are not watching for signs, they are
working to win souls for Christ or worshipping to show God their love and
faithfulness to Him and His commands.
But as you have learned, Kyle, we don't have to stand looking into heaven
waiting, wondering and watching for signs. God isn't perched up there
somewhere watching us and waiting for us to prove our love and faithfulness
for Him by our work or worship.
No, the work was done by Christ on Calvary and the benefits of that work
poured over you in Baptism so that you can live in Christ's love and
faithfulness, to rest in the work He has done to save us and continues to do
through us as we live in the world where He has placed us as His forgiven
children.
What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,
according to the working of his great might that he worked 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 one to come.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to
the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:19-23
So Christ has ascended not to go away, but to be all things to His
Church--that is, to His people who are His body on earth-everywhere and
always.
Just like everything else He has done, continues to do, and will do for you
on the Last Day B He has ascended for YOU! Indeed this is the answer to
every "why" question we have about Christ B for YOU!
The Ascension is for YOU:
1. To prepare a place for YOU--
"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there
you may be also."I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My
Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:2-7,
NKJ)
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved
us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:4-7, NKJ)
2. To do great things through YOU--
"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me
for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than
these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My
name, that I
will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:11-13, NKJ)
Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and
gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended"-- what does it mean but that He
also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is
also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all
things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints
for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we
all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Eph 4:8-13, NKJ)
3. To intercede for YOU--
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against
us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how
shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a
charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake
we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height
nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:31-39, NKJ)
But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God
through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For such a
High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; (Heb 7:24-26, NKJ)
4. To be with YOU always--
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to
Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matt
28:18-20 NKJ)
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless
it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the
vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much
fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. . . . As the Father loved Me, I
also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will
abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in
His love. John 15:4-5, 9-10
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. (II Jn 1:3,
NKJ)
Yes, the Ascension of our Lord is for you, because the ascended Jesus here
is for you Kyle, and for each of you dear baptized, no matter where you may
find yourself now and even to the end of the age B In the name of the Father
and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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