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The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.

Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

᛭ INI ᛭

Today’s a big day. Now, we’re all about Christmas and Good Friday and Easter, but, by and large, the Christian Church no longer cares much about the Ascension. In fact, the ritual of remembering the 40 days isn’t all that important. Secular holidays are viewed more solemnly by many Christians rather than religious ones. In fact, today is a national holiday in many European countries, though sadly greatly divorced from its original Christian roots... (It’s also Father’s day in Germany...) The 40 days of Lent (echoing Jesus’ temptation and Israel’s time in the wilderness) is matched by Jesus’ 40 days until His ascension. Time of temptation and suffering is over, filled up with new days—days eating and drinking and learning from the resurrected Jesus.

Jesus dies, rises, and ascends. Jesus is 100% God and 100% man. So, He created everything but also upholds everything, which means there’s a human being ruling the universe! That’s the big deal about Ascension! It’s why it’s a federal holiday in Europe, though now Europe’s done with it what the US has done with thanksgiving. Separated it from its religious foundation.

“Christ Jesus…being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2) “There is [now] no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,” (Acts 4) except Jesus.

(2. Where’s Christ, and what’s He doing?)

Christ “ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty,” as the Daily Creed (the Apostles’ Creed) puts it. What’s “in heaven” or “at [God’s] right hand” mean? Well, heaven isn’t a place like we experience. It’s not limited by time or by location. Neither is God’s right hand. His right hand, His rule and authority, isn’t separate from His presence. God’s omnipresent so His rule and power is everywhere, His right hand is everywhere, and yet nowhere, but yet not limited by anywhere.

So, Christ’s gone into the heavenly realm, the heavenly dimension. What’s He doing there? What does it mean that He “sits at [God’s] right hand”? He’s not just sitting around but ruling and reigning over all things. He co-rules the universe with His Father. In God the Father “we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) But also “in Christ all things consist” (Col 1:17), that is, everything exists and is upheld by Christ. Dividing cells, growing the grass, raining the rain, blossoming the flowers, spinning the planets, “stars will not shine unless [He] tell[s] them to, tell them to.” He also rules the nations, strengthening some, weakening others. All of this is the work of Christ. That’s what’s He’s doing “at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”

Is it a good thing? I don’t know. You don’t know either. (We need to be honest.) The Bible says it is. But then with rain you get disastrous tornadoes. He divides cells and you get cancers. With flowers and grass comes “thorns and thistles.” (Gen 3) God says that “all things work together for good for those who love Him.” (Rom 8) He doesn’t say that all things are good right now. He doesn’t give life to the living but the dead. Job knows that. Maybe you do, too… Jesus in charge doesn’t look like anyone’s in charge! Not like we’d do it…

(Transition.)

Repent. You’re not God. He is. You’re a sinful human. He’s not! “…from the rising of the sun to its setting…there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” (Is 45:7) The problem with disasters or cancers isn’t God’s absence but His presence! What’s He doing!?

“[The Father] raised [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet.” (Eph 1:20–22) This means that the One who’s ruling the universe is pro team human not just because He created humanity but because He’s human like you and me! How could He not work it out for good. And good doesn’t mean whatever we think is a good outcome.

And that’s why the ascension serves another purpose. “[The Father] gave [Jesus] to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Eph 1:22–23) The Lord ascended to do other work besides ruling the universe. That’s what Luke is hinting at for us. The former account I made…of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Luke’s Gospel records what Jesus began to do. Luke’s second volume, what we call Acts, records what Jesus continues to do and teach!

(1. Where’s Christ and what’s He doing FOR YOU?)

So, Christ ascended to heaven, “far above all rule and authority.” In fact, “all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Christ, who died and rose from the dead for you now fills all things, and He uses that almighty power to be “head over all things to the church.” This means that Christ has the almighty power to keep His promise: “wherever two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Mt 18) This is a promise not just for church services, but a promise for your home, too. “He [also] relieves the widow and the fatherless.“ (Ps 146:9) “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.” (Ps 68:5)

He’s continuing His saving work! He’s working through His Word and His Sacraments. He’s blessing and growing His Church through them. He’s blessing and growing and strengthening and preserve each member of His Church. (A member of His Church is anyone who believes in Him.) Acts reveals how Jesus was at work through His Church, His ministers, His people in their preaching, their listening, their communing, their receiving, their gathering, and their giving. He was saving His people.

That’s the very good news about Jesus’ Ascension. He uses His almighty power to baptize you. Each time His Word is read and preached in Church, it’s endued with His almighty power. In fact, He’s reading, speaking, and preaching! The same thing goes in our homes, when Christian fathers fulfill their sacred duty to raise their children in God’s Word, godly Hymns, and Prayer. He even blesses Christian mothers who do the same, as Kings, Chronicles, and 2 Timothy testify! (Even your adult children are not beyond your nurture and instruction.) With His Almighty power through His almighty Word, the bread and wine at Communion are His body and blood for you for the forgiveness of sins. Even on all altars at the same time! Even this one!

(Conclusion.)

The Lord has ascended far above the created universe. He sits at the right hand of the Father—ruling, ordering, and preserving all things! There’s a lot He does that He doesn’t tell us about. He’s working all in all. From DNA to dark matter, people to planets—He’s “upholding all things by the word of His power.” (Heb 1) I don’t know why things happen the way they do. He’s pro team you and me, working all things for good, because the One ruling the universe is pro humanity, pro you, because He’s human just like you and me.

But He didn’t ascend to do that work, even though He does it. No,

THE LORD ASCENDED TO CONTINUE HIS SAVING WORK AMONG US.

That Lord keeps on doing that work! Saving you. Saving Me. He ascended so He can do it under every corner under heaven. And So, it’s not that we’re doing the LORD’s work for Him. No, He’s doing His Work among us, and using us to do it. (More on that on Pentecost.) He’s doing His work in our congregations. He’s doing His work in your family, in your Home.

THE LORD ASCENDED TO CONTINUE HIS SAVING WORK AMONG US.

He uses both me and you to further His Word and Sacraments in each congregation. He uses fathers and mothers in each home to pass His Word, His Psalms, Hymns, and Songs, and Prayer to our children, maybe our children’s children, throughout all generations. All of it to save you, even in the mist of many things we do not understand why they happen.

THE LORD ASCENDED TO CONTINUE HIS SAVING WORK AMONG US

until He returns, for “this same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

᛭ INI ᛭