Sermon for the Ascension of Our Lord: "The Never-Ending Story"

+ Ascension of Our Lord – May 30, 2019 +

Beautiful Savior Lutheran, Milton

Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I finish a good book, movie, or TV show, I don’t want it to end. We might even be a little sad when it’s over. We want the good story to continue on. 

I imagine the disciples felt a little like this too…as Jesus led them out of Jerusalem and journeyed to Bethany. As Jesus lifted up his hands and blessed them – those hands they had seen heal the sick, give the blind their sight, and welcome sinners; hands they had seen pierced, died, and alive again. As Jesus parted from them and the cloud took him out of their sight. 

It might seem, from the disciples’ point of view, that this was an ending to the story. For a moment they stood there. Gazing into the heavens. 

And then the angel reminded them that this was not the end. 

“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.”

For the disciples, and for us, Jesus ascension is not the end of the story but rather in Jesus’ ascension, the story of his saving work continues on. Jesus ascension is part of the one, true, never-ending story. The good news of Jesus to save us, rescue us, redeem us, and make us his own.

This is what St. Luke tells Theophilus at the beginning of the Book of Acts – part 2 of the Gospel of Luke. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He resented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

In the Book of Acts, St. Luke tells us, the story continues. Jesus’ saving work goes on. It’s not the end, but rather a new chapter, the next leg of the journey until our Lord returns. Jesus’ ascension tells us the story of how our Lord’s work, word, and promise go on, now in his church, through his people – just as he promised.

As Paul declares in Ephesians, Jesus now fills the church. As the Glory of the Lord appeared in the burning bush to Moses, as He dwelled in the smoke and fire of the tabernacle, as He sat between the winged cherubim on the ark of covenant, so too, the Glory of the Lord in human flesh now dwells in, fills, and is present with his bride the church. 

So, if you think of it that way, our Lord’s Church is never empty. There could only be one or two of us here tonight and yet whenever and wherever Jesus’ word, water, body and blood are given for us, the church is always full. Full of Jesus’ Word of promise, peace, and comfort. Full of Jesus’ crucified, risen, and ascended body and blood given for our forgiveness. Full of water and word where the Holy Spirit descends to us that one day we might rise in the flesh as Jesus did and ascend with him.

This is the same story Jesus sent his disciples to declare. 

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance forthe forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Repentance and forgiveness of sins. That’s the work of the church summed up in two words. That’s what our Lord calls us to hear again and again and again. 

The Law that shows us our sin. The Gospel that shows us our Savior. God’s judgment that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And the verdict: that we are justified freely by God’s grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 

Our Lord called his disciples to be part of this grand story. To receive his promises. Hear his teaching. Witness his death and resurrection. And then to be sent out again, as the old song goes, to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love. 

By God’s grace and promise we are a part of this story too. Our story that once began with sin and sorrow has been rewritten. You are redeemed. Rescued. Restored. 

Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension has secured for us a new ending, a new creation. The old ending of death and judgment has been torn out and thrown into Jesus’ tomb, and in its place a new story has been written – not with pen and ink – but with Jesus’ holy precious blood and his innocent suffering and death for you. Our names written in the Lamb’s book of life.

And the same Lord Jesus who called his disciples and sent them out as apostles, also calls us his own. Calls us his people. Calls us to receive his gifts of repentance and forgiveness. Calls us receive his Holy Spirit. Calls us to be present with him as he is present with us and for us in his body and blood of the Holy Supper.

Calls us to be his witnesses, to tell others this great story of good news. 

In Jesus’ ascension, the story of His salvation for us continues.

A blessed Ascension day to each of you…

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.