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 St. Luke 24:44-53 - Ascension Day (Observed), Confirmation 2010
St. Mark Lutheran Church - May 16, 2010
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In the name of Jesus, our risen and ascended Lord. Amen. “See, the Lord ascends in triumph; conquering King in royal state. Riding on the clouds, His chariot, to His heavenly palace gate. Hark! The choirs of angels voices joyful alleluias sing. And the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly King.” (LSB 494, 1)
Yes, He’s there. Jesus, is at the right hand of Almighty God. He’s the most High - no one is higher. And there, at the right hand of all power and glory, He sits, a man, in solidarity with us - one of us. A man is at the right hand of God. What utter good news!
And at the right hand, He is the doer of God’s good giving. What God does, He does through His right hand, Jesus. Which means that everything that God does, He does for your good in Christ. He’s always working to save you, always making things turn out for your good, always being your good and gracious God.
And when the Devil accuses you, the One who ascended beyond the clouds covers the ears of the Father. “That sin is forgiven, God. You can’t hold that against him, I died for that sin. I died for that one too. Don’t listen to that filthy animal devil, Dad. I have taken all their evil upon Myself.”
Every moment, every second, for all eternity, never sleeping, never stopping, He prays and intercedes for you. He’s your High Priest always on duty, ever proclaiming to the Father His bloody sacrifice which won your salvation.
“Hey look over here, Dad! All that was written about Me in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, I fulfilled for them.”
“Take a look at My hands, my feet, my side! You sent Me to die for them, remember? They don’t deserve mercy, I know, Dad. But, you show them mercy solely because you love Me. I lived for them. I died for them. I rose for them. And I’m here at your right hand - for them.”
“Who is this that comes in glory, with the trump of jubilee? Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory. He who on the cross did suffer, He who from the grave arose, He has vanquished sin and Satan; He by death has crushed His foes.” (494, v. 2)
You have learned, dear confirmands, this faith: Salvation is from Jesus to us - won by His fulfilling the Scriptures and by His bitter death in our place. Real salvation, real rescue, real redemption.
And this isn’t some myth, dear Saints of God. The Lord’s Ascension isn’t some moral story. “You better be good, Confirmands, Jesus is watching.” Yes, your parents want you to be good, but that’s not why you learned about Jesus.
Today, we rejoice in the ascension of Jesus up beyond the clouds because Jesus actually ascended just as St. Luke recorded. A real Jesus, who is true God, died for you on a real Cross. That same Jesus, who is also true man, rose again on the third day. Then the Son of God really ascended to the right hand of God.
Faith believes Jesus to be there at the right hand of God for us. Faith trusts that Jesus is actually there even in spite our unbelief. It’s a fact, an objective reality, the truth of God and the universe.
“While He lifts His hands in blessings, He is parted from His friends; While their eager eyes behold he upon the clouds ascends. He who walked with God and pleased Him, preaching truth and doom to come, He our Enoch, is translated to His everlasting throne.” (LSB 494, v. 3)
Now, there’s certainty. And today, Confirmation Day. Such certainty that we are all reminded of how it feels to be young and to know without doubt what Jesus did for us.
But, it’s tough in the world. The world out there is filled with mocking, condescension, and derision. And the battle is going on with young people - who are losing their faith in record numbers - especially in college.
It’s not that the world is anti-religious. The world is all for religion. The problem is Jesus - the One who died, rose again on the third day and ascended into heaven. To the world, your faith in Him is nothing but a superstition. =
“Believe in God if you need the crutch,” says the world. “Just understand that it’s a myth, an opinion, something of the heart as opposed to facts - you know, science, medicine, and education.
We’re in the 21st century. There’s no room for blind faith, opinion, and fairy tales. We live, we die, and we stay dead. It’s part of the cycle of life. Nothing mystic about it.”
“Now our heavenly Aaron enters with His blood in the veil; Joshua now is come to Canaan and the kings before Him quail. Now He plans the tribes of Israel in their promised resting place; Now our great Elijah offers double portion of His grace.” (494, 2)
Today you sing that, today you confess Jesus to a world that has moved on from Christianity. And we confess Jesus with you and remember that we will suffer all - even death - rather than deny Him.
For the facts are simple: Jesus was an actual man who lived His life for you and died the death you deserve. Eyewitnesses saw Him and recorded what He said and did.
Yes, the earth rotates around the sun, gravity exists, and science rocks. Yes, people get sick, and dead people usually stay dead - except this Jesus. He called His shot - He said He it was necessary for Him to die and rise again to save us and that is exactly what He did.
Witnesses, that’s the way of facts, facts have people to verify them, witnesses saw Him do it. Tell that to the friend who mocks you, tell that to the professor who looks down on you for believing in something ancient like Jesus’ ascension.
Witnesses heard Jesus call His shot, then saw Him die, then saw Him risen from the dead three days later. Then, witnesses saw Him ascend into the clouds. People don’t normally do that, but this Jesus, who died and rose again did it all. And the witnesses who testify to these facts were willing to give up their lives for it. Many did.
Like you are promising to give up your life today. You’ll suffer all - even death itself - rather than deny this Jesus.
That sounds scary, being ready to die rather than deny. But don’t worry, because even death has been conquered by Him. Real life, true life, happens alone in Him. He gives this world meaning, He gives this world purpose.
We are not just atoms, randomly bouncing around. We’re not accidents of some big bang or something. There is a God in Heaven. He cares for us in the giving up of His Son. There’s no need to doubt, despair, or contemplate any other reality. For the realest thing in this world is Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God.
Repent of your sins. Turn away from your doubts. Cling to the Word of God, the God-breathed witness of the Apostles, who testified that this Jesus lived His life to fulfill all that was written in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms, was crucified, died and rose again from the dead.
Then, receive Jesus in His Supper. The One who ascended to the right hand of all majesty and glory serves you today - His Body to eat and His blood to drink. Be forgiven.
For our Lord has ascended to the right hand of God. Where He is, we shall be also. He is at the right hand of God. By faith, we are too. After all, all that He had done, He has done for us - even ascended to highest heaven!
“He has raised our human nature on the cloud’s to God’s right hand; There we sit in heav’nly places, there with Him in glory stand. Jesus reigns, adored by angels; Man with God is on the throne. By our mighty Lord’s ascension we by faith behold our own.” (494, 5)
Edited on: May 17th, 2010 10:26 pm
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