+ The Ascension of Our Lord – May 13, 2021 +
Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53
Beautiful Savior Lutheran
Milton, WA
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In C.S. Lewis’s famous book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the four main human characters – the Pevensie children – adventure through a wardrobe and find themselves in the magical world of Narnia. While in this land they meet and become dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.
Over dinner the children learn that they will journey with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver to meet Aslan the Lion, the true king of Narnia. “Is he safe?” Lucy asks. “Safe?” Mr. Beaver replied. “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he is good. He’s the king, I tell you!”
That is one of the many facets of the diamond that is Scripture’s teaching of Jesus’ ascension. Why does Jesus ascend? What’s the big deal about his ascension? What does this all mean?
It means, Jesus is the King, I tell you. And he is good.
This is what St. Paul is telling us in Ephesians when he writes that God the Father worked with his great might… “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.”
The opening to the letter to the Ephesians reads like a royal decree, announcing all of the King’s accomplishments. Notice, though, that Jesus is no ordinary King.
Jesus is King on the cross. A crucified, bloody, and beaten King. A King crowned with thorns. A King robed in our suffering, sentenced to death for our sins. A King dying for his disloyal, rebellious subjects. A defeated King. And yet Jesus’ defeat also marks his victory – and yours.
Look no further than his empty tomb. The grave could not hold him. Death swallowed him up but had to spit him out three days later, just like Jonah from the mouth of the great fish. Good King Jesus rose from the dead in triumphant victory, not for his own sake but for you.
This is what makes Jesus the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not a selfish, power-hungry tyrant, but a self-giving, good and gracious King. His life. His death. His resurrection. Yes, his ascension too, is all done for you.
In Acts 1, Jesus’ disciples learn once again that King Jesus does not act like the kings of the earth.
“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
The disciples were still a little confused. They thought Jesus was going to be a king like conquering David, the glory days of Solomon, or the wealth of Herod. And they were all set to be his right hand men in some kind of new earthly kingdom.
And isn’t that just how sinners like the disciples and us think, to make it all about us. My kingdom come. My will be done. Always curved in upon ourselves.
But this is not the kind of king Jesus is. Jesus is no ordinary king. But he is good.
Jesus’ ascension reveals the kind of King Jesus is for you.
Jesus is the kind of King who was born of the Virgin Mary in a humility in Bethlehem, to give you a new birth from above by water and the Spirit.
Jesus is the kind of King who lived to serve others that by his life he would redeem you and crown you with glory and honor by dying and rising for you.
Jesus is the kind of King who ascends to heaven, not to leave his disciples, his church, or you, but that he might be with you and rule and reign with his grace and mercy in his Word and Supper until he returns again in glory.
Jesus is the kind of King who has taken all you are into all He is, and made it everlastingly His own. When Jesus ascends, you ascend with Him. For God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus,” (Eph 2:6).
In Jesus’ ascension, God’s throne is not unmanned; it is occupied by the man who contains all men within himself. The divine throne is crowded with humanity.
Jesus’ ascension is one small sitting down for Jesus, one giant uplifting for mankind” (Chad Bird).
Jesus’ ascension declares that he is the King and he is good. And that nothing in all creation can separate you from the love of God which is yours in Christ Jesus.
Jesus is the greater King David who has conquered all your enemies. Jesus is the greater King Solomon who brings you everlasting glory and crowns you with life eternal. Jesus is your crucified, risen, ascended King who rules and reigns for you.
And no matter what the kings and rulers of this earth do, say, Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension declare to you that Jesus is your King and he is good.
A blessed Ascension Day to each of you…
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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