Sermon for the Ascension of Our Lord: "Hidden But Not Absent" (Acts 1:1-11)

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our risen and ascended Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[The Ascension]

When Jesus and His apostles met on the Mount of Olives, the apostles were full of great expectations. They asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). This question is puzzling. After all they had experienced with Jesus, they ask this question. It appears that they were still expecting Jesus to establish a kingdom here on earth that, in some respects, would be like other earthly kingdoms.

But at the same time, the apostles also believed that this kingdom of God would be one that would bring them spiritual redemption. They were expecting forgiveness of sins won by their Messiah, Jesus, and all the blessings for the soul which flow from forgiveness.

So, Jesus responds saying, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).

As Jesus spoke these words, He began His ascent into heaven. With the eyes of the apostles resting upon Him, they witnessed Jesus being slowly and visibly lifted up. They see all of this with their own very eyes as the witnesses they were to be.

There was an awed silence over the apostles. Their eyes are wide with astonishment as they follow Him and strain in their looking and then a cloud took Him out of their sight. From this event, we confess this great article of faith in the Creeds: “He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty” (Apostles’ Creed).

Although Jesus had vanished and appeared throughout those 40 days since His bodily resurrection – to the Emmaus disciples on the road, to the apostles in the locked upper room twice, at the Sea of Tiberias, and various other appearances to many – the apostles knew that something was different here. Jesus had never vanished from their sight in this way.

So, the apostles do what we would naturally do: stare into the sky. They stare even as the last cloud folds Him in. They gaze after Him – but He is gone.

The ascension was visible for the sake of the apostles. The moment the cloud hid Jesus from their sight, He was transferred timelessly into the heavenly glory. Jesus is now visible in heaven with the same body that died nailed to the cross and lay in the grave.

The obvious questions now for the apostles are: “Now what?”, “What’s next?”

So, as they stare, two angels in white robes appear and say: “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 1:11). This question intends to turn their minds from mere astonishment to more important thought. You see, the Ascension and the Last Day go together.

[He Shall Return]

Christ departed visibly; He shall return visibly. He went to heaven; He shall come back from heaven. He went away bodily; He shall return bodily.

This is what the two angels spoke to the apostles. The presence of these angels marks the Ascension as one of Christ’s saving acts. Remember, when two angels appeared at the tomb on that Easter morning? What did they say? “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise?” (Luke 24:5-7). The angels did not just appear previously to proclaim the resurrection. They also announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds saying, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Today on this Ascension of Our Lord Day, we know that because Jesus is risen from the dead, by faith in Him alone, we will also rise! Since Jesus ascended into heaven, we will also ascend! You see, the Ascension of Christ is a feast to celebrate!

So, as the apostles stood staring, these angels brought the glorious promise to them at this great moment that Jesus will come again in the same visible way.

But someone may ask, “How can Jesus be visible to everyone when He returns? If He returns on one side of the earth, how could people know on the other side of the earth?”

Oh, believe me, everyone will know. God is God and we are not. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, so He is capable of accomplishing everything.

So, Jesus will not announce His return on a television talk show or announce His return to you privately at a street corner. And if anyone does say he is Jesus, you ought to know that that man is a fraud, since He will not return in secret. So, don’t be fooled by people claiming to be Jesus. When Christ returns, there will be no mistaking Him. For He will return from heaven in the same way He ascended into heaven. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

The day of Christ’s return will be a day of comfort for all in Christ. It is a day of promise for us! But we also know that He will return as the Judge who will strike paralyzing fear into His foes (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7) as He will say: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Acknowledge Me” (Revelation 1:8). But because He is and remains our Savior, the sight of Him will fill our hearts with overwhelming joy. For He will be our acquitting Judge, the Judge who will speak to us these gracious words: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

[Sitting at the Right Hand of the Father]

Today, we live in the age between the Lord’s ascension and His return in glory on the Last Day. During this time, He is hidden from our physical sight, but He is not absent. The Lord’s promise of His continuing presence concludes the Gospel according to Matthew: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is ascended, but He is still present.

For some Christians, they take Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father to be a literal location. So, for them, Jesus is stuck in heaven, so it’s impossible for Him to be with us here today. Now, how do they account for His resurrection appearances? They say He just snuck through a window or snuck in and out when the people weren’t looking. So, to this they say, “The body of Christ is enclosed in heaven, so He cannot be present in more than one place at a particular time.”[1] But, if this is the case, then Jesus is not fully God. Since Christ is true God, He is indeed present everywhere. He has “ascended far above the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10).

So, when we confess He “sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty” and as our Epistle proclaims today that God the Father “seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20), we are not confessing that Christ is confined or restricted to a place, but that He again has full use of all His divine powers that were His before He took upon Himself our human flesh at His incarnation. So, “right hand” means strength and power, and not a restriction. Again, the “right hand of God the Father almighty” is not a location, but instead an office. If Jesus was confined, He would not be with us always, to the end of the age.

So, for a time, Jesus willingly relinquished much of His divine power as a man, but now that He has returned to heaven as man and God, He has again taken up full use of His divine power. At the Ascension, Jesus was exalted into heaven. On earth, His exaltation was His crucifixion. But His Ascension is His triumphant enthronement as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Today, because the ascended Christ is not only God, but God and man united in one Person, therefore wherever He is, He is present as God and man. This means that He is not only present as God, but He is present also as man, with His Body. Christ is bodily present in the Lord’s Supper, where He gives us His body and blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins.

In this time between the Ascension and His return, the presence of Christ for us is a hidden presence as we no longer physically see Him as a man or audibly hear the words from His mouth. Nevertheless, His presence is not spiritual in the sense that He has nothing to do with this world. Otherwise, how would we identify His presence? He is present to us and speaks to us through His Word, as it is proclaimed and read. These words are not simply written by man; they are not simply words spoken to our ears, or printed signs to our eyes. No! Through the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures, Christ speaks to us. For the Church is the assembly of believers around the Word and Sacrament. Around the Means of Grace, the Church gathers around the hidden, yet powerful presence of Christ.

So, the Ascension of our Lord is not a time of mourning. Jesus has not left us. His Ascension is all about our comfort, peace, joy, and confidence. Imagine the awe and delight of the angels and archangels as the Son of God returned as also the Son of Man with all power and authority in heaven and on earth, where He rules with grace and mercy, where repentance for the forgiveness of sins in preached. Jesus is not absent as He rules all things for the sake of His Body, the Church.

Even though He reigns in heaven, He still carries for us the marks of His crucifixion. He is the Lamb who was slain, who “is above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Ephesians 1:21). He blesses us with forgiveness, lifts us up in His hands and seats us with Himself “in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20). Alleluia! Christ is Ascended! Amen!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

---

[1] Book of Concord, Formula of Concord: Epitome, Article VII: Holy Supper. The Reformed argued that Christ cannot be present in the Lord’s Supper, since He was trapped in heaven.

Sermon for St. John, Apostle and Evangelist: "Walking in the Light"

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

A small child was taken to a cathedral. She sat watching the sunshine through the windows. She then asked her mother, “What are these people on the windows?” Her mother replied, “They are saints.” “Now I know what saints are. They are the people who let the light shine through.”

This morning, the Third Day of Christmas, the Church celebrates one of those saints who let the light shine through – St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist.

John – a fisherman by trade – was among the first whom Jesus called to be an apostle. In his Gospel, John often refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” which tells of a close friendship between himself and Jesus. John was also the only one of the Twelve not to abandon Jesus during the hours of His suffering and death. When all looked doubtful, he remained faithful. Together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, he stood at the foot of the cross. It was there that Jesus gave His mother into John’s keeping and gave John to Mary as her own son.

According to Early Church tradition, Mary lived with John in Ephesus until the day of her death. Also, according to tradition, John was the only one of the Twelve who did not die a martyr’s death. Although, he suffered a time of exile upon the island of Patmos during which the great revelation was granted to him.

John died as an old man, but his Holy Spirit-inspired writings – First, Second, and Third Epistles of John; Revelation; and the Gospel of John – continue to be a bright shining light in the Church and serve as the Holy Spirit’s encouraging words to us always.

[False Teachings]

Now, some years ago, an article called “Pick-and-Choose-Christianity” appeared in a major national magazine. This article summarized the results of a three-year-study of all denominations in a midwestern state. This study pointed out that most church members “pick and choose” which teachings of Christianity they will accept and which they will leave behind. One of the most popular teachings that was disregarded was sin. A third of respondents said they were prone to mistakes, but they did not think of themselves as sinful.

In our reading from 1 John this morning, the Apostle John is putting his hearers to the test. As the last living apostle, he has become increasingly aware of errors finding their way into Christ’s Church. These errors are not minor issues. These errors are a matter of life and death.

Now, John’s focus in our reading today is the need for a savior. You see, these false teachers were proclaiming that there is no sin. They were teaching the heresy known as antinomianism, which dismisses the Law of God in the life of the Christian. To put it short and simple, antinomianism means it does not matter how you live. So, when it does not matter how a person lives – when everything is fine – why is there any need for a savior?

So, John’s principal concern is to reinforce faith and life in Christ’s flock against the threat of this deceiving influence that is coming in from outside the Church. Here, John is being a loving and caring pastor in testing them that they are indeed walking on the right path.

You see, sin is very real. Sin isn’t a thing made up by the Church to deny people any sort of enjoyment. As human beings, we often like to just dismiss sin, or just avoid the term altogether by calling sin a mere mistake or a poor choice, or use the acronym “YOLO” – you only live once – as an excuse for bad or risky behavior. Today’s popular excuse is: “What I do in my life should not concern you.” But like any virus, sin spreads. Discussing sin is uncomfortable. Discussing sin is unpleasant. This is likely why these false teachers then and now just dismiss sin.

But for God, sin is a big deal. Sin is an extremely big deal, since it is us separating ourselves from the love of God. Now, ever since Adam fell into sin, humankind has been stuck in the pit of sin and unable to save ourselves. Instead of loving God by following His commandments, all we do is dig ourselves deeper and deeper into sin.

Like all of us, John also was not perfect. He too was sinful. Like us, John needed salvation.

Thanks be to God the Father that He did not leave us to die in our sins, which we all deserve, instead He sent us the Savior. He sent us the Savior Jesus Christ – the Word made flesh – to be born of the virgin Mary. He sent His only-begotten Son to take upon Himself all our sins to the cross – every sin of thought, word, and deed against God’s command – so that anyone who would believe in Him would be saved from the power of sin, which is eternal death. He came as the only Savior from sin. No good works and no other religion have the power to save. He came so by grace through faith in Him, we would not walk in the darkness of our sins, but instead walk in the righteousness of His Light.

This is why John is proclaiming the need for salvation. Since, he had salvation through the blood of Jesus, he shared this good news. All throughout John’s life, he repented of his sins. He received forgiveness. He grew in the one true faith.

[Walking in the Light]

In our text, John is confronting his flock with this question: Are you walking in the darkness or are you walking in the light? Now, to walk in darkness is to live in sin and death. But what exactly does it mean to walk in the light? John tells us: We repent and confess our sins.

For most of us, this middle part of our epistle is a part of our muscle memory. We know this by heart. Sometimes the meaning of Confession and Absolution may just pass us by, but through our confession, we receive forgiveness. Our sin is wiped clean through the merit of Jesus. So, when you are absolved of your sins, it is Jesus doing this work – for you. This passage from 1 John is one of the ways in our liturgy that we confess our sins in the Divine Service to God our Father. But have you ever thought about the meaning behind it?

You see, these false teachers were proclaiming that they had fellowship with God. These false teachers were proclaiming that they had no sin. By denying sin, they were denying the saving power of Jesus Christ. These false teachers were in fact leading their hearers to eternal death apart from God, since the only way we come to fellowship with God is through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

For these lies, John proclaims: “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:6-10).

You see, none of us is perfect, except for Jesus Christ. As imperfect human beings, Christ alone has the power to make us perfect. He came to earth, so that through His cleansing blood in His atoning death, everyone who would believe in Him would have life. He came to earth as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

[Children of the Light]

Like John, we are also people who let the light of Christ shine through. We are witnesses of what Christ has done! Through God’s Word (the Bible), we hear the voice of Christ – the same voice that John heard. Through Confession and Absolution, we hear this same voice of Christ as He forgives our sins. And at the Lord’s Supper, we see, touch, and taste the same body and blood of Jesus that John witnessed being shed upon the cross and alive in the flesh again with His resurrected body.

As witnesses of Christ, we too have changed. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit has worked the new creation in us beginning at our Baptism. By grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we have become Children of the Light, we have nothing to fear, not even temporal death, since we have the sure and certain hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Through Christ’s Light that we shine in our daily lives – our daily vocations – we live out our lives proclaiming Christ.

As Children of the Light, our Christian life is not hidden. As Jesus says in Luke 12:35: We “stay dressed for action and keep our lamps burning.” By keeping our lamps burning, we do not live our Christian faith in private. In fact, our Christian faith is for all the world to see! Now, we don’t scream our faith through a megaphone, but we live our faith in what we think, say, and do. Christ shines through us as we live out our faith by proclaiming Christ in our daily actions and our daily vocations. This can be as simple as inviting friends to church, so others can hear the good news of Christ’s forgiveness.

As forgiven sinners, we try to follow God’s Law. We try the best we can. We try, try, and keep trying.

And when we fail and fall into any kind of sin, remember “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). So, we repent and confess that sin to God our Father and that sin is forgiven. Through your confession, you are forgiven by God the Father through the blood of Jesus.

Now our life is a struggle, the devil constantly entices us with the world and our flesh to sin. But, by God’s grace, we have the remedy for sin and this remedy is Jesus Christ. This is why He came. He came to save us from our sins. He came so that we would have life everlasting.

To sustain our weak faith, Jesus instituted the New Testament in His blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of sin and to strengthen our weak faith. In the Sacrament of the Altar, He grants us to drink His blood, which redeems, purchases, and wins from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, strengthening and preserving both body and soul to life everlasting. All this He accomplishes, all this He procures, not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.

This Christ alone has done for you and me, so that we would walk safely in His light. Through Christ alone, we are His chosen and redeemed children. This is most certainly true. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5b).

Through Christ’s cleansing blood, we no longer live in darkness, but live in His light as we receive the benefits of His cross: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. We walk in His Light as we confess our sins, receive His forgiveness, and share the love of Christ with our neighbor. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T