Bishop Eric Menees
“[50] Then he led
them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.
[51] While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into
heaven. [52] And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great
joy, [53] and were continually in the temple blessing God.” (Luke 24:50-53 ESV)
Today, throughout the
church, we celebrate one of the major feast days of the church – the Feast of
the Ascension. Whenever we gather for worship and confess our faith we
proclaim: “He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the
Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.”
(Apostles Creed 1662)
How awesome it is to
ponder that, on this day some two thousand years ago, our Lord, following his
resurrection, was bodily ascended into heaven where he sits enthroned at the
right hand of the Father.
Jesus does not sit there
aloof from the cares and concerns of his adopted brothers and sisters here on
earth. No, the Father, through the Son, sent His Holy Spirit as His
eternal presence. In addition, Jesus himself intercedes with the Father
on our behalf. Imagine that for a moment: Our Lord and Savior hears each
and every prayer that we utter – from the trivial to the sublime – and then he
turns to his Father and advocates for us. What an awesome fact that is –
our God hears and responds to every prayer we offer up! That answer is
generally one of three: “Yes!” “No!” and “Not Yet.” While we always enjoy
the first answer, and never enjoy the second two answers, because God is God
and we are not we have to have faith and trust that our Triune God desires the
very best for His children – even when that means that He chooses not to save a
life or stay the hand of a terrorist. This does not mean that we are
simply fatalists and sit back passively. No, Jesus taught us to make
prayers and supplications to the father the way that a poor widow entreated for
Justice from a Judge in the Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8).
And St. Paul gives the very best advice to the church in Thessalonica: “[16] Rejoice
always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1
Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)
In addition to interceding
on our behalf, Jesus also prepares for his return to “Judge the living and the
dead.” The thought of being judged is always unsettling. It should
be terrifying to those who have denied Jesus. But for those of us who
have received him into our lives and submitted to him as Lord and Savior, we
can absolutely rest secure in the fact that the Judge of our lives is the same
one who died for us. And so it is with confidence that we pray the
Collect for Ascension: “Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as
we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into
the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him
continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one
God, world without end.” AMEN!
I pray you all a truly
blessed Ascensiontide!
Catechism Questions 109 - 111
109. What signs
of the Holy Spirit’s work do you hope and pray to see as a result of your
baptism?
I hope and pray that the Holy
Spirit who indwells me will help me to be an active member of my Christian
community, participate in worship, continually repent and return to God,
proclaim the faith, love and serve my neighbor, and strive for justice and
peace. (Hebrews 10:25; 12:14; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 1:9; 2:1)
110. Why did
Christ institute the sacrament of Holy Communion?
He instituted it for the continued
remembrance of the sacrifice of his atoning death, and to convey the benefits
the faithful receive through that sacrifice. (Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians
10:16-17)
111. What is the
outward and visible sign in Holy Communion?
The visible sign is bread and
wine, which Christ commands us to receive. (1 Corinthians 11:23)
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