Ascension

Rev. Thomas Van Hemert

2 Kings 2:5-15; Acts 1:1-11

Ascension

May 13, 2021

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit.

With the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, comes the end of His earthly ministry. The Apostles knew this event marked the end of His time on earth because of the manner in which He departed from them and disappeared from their sight.

Jesus died on Good Friday. He gave up His Spirit and His soul separated from His body. But after His three-day rest in the tomb, He rose again from the dead. Jesus is the firstfruits of them that sleep. He is always before us. He goes before us. He paved the way for Christians out of death and out of the grave. All who have died in Christ will also be raised from the dead on the last day.  

A few weeks have gone by since Jesus was raised from the dead. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been celebrating the highest festival day of the Church: Easter. Jesus then first appeared to His disciples in the upper room in the evening of that first Easter Day. But the manner He appeared to them was supernatural. He appeared in the midst of them though the doors were locked. In this act, He exercised His divine authority. No longer does He humble Himself to the form of a servant.

Throughout these last 40 days, Jesus appeared to the disciples many times, all in this same fashion—miraculously. He performed miracles, He showed them the marks of His cross. And we can also assume that He would disappear from their sight in miraculous fashion. He would vanish. But the way He disappeared from their sight, this time, was different. The disciples knew it. This time, Jesus didn’t simply vanish into thin air. He spoke peace to them and was lifted from their sight in a visible display, and then a cloud hid Him from their sight. This time, it was different.

This departure of Jesus is also distinct from the other times during the last 40 days because of the appearance of two men, standing by them, in white robes. These men are no ordinary men. They’re angels. The appearance of angels marks this event as crucial and important. That’s why we have a separate Divine Service remembering this specific Biblical event. Angels have appeared at important events throughout the life of Jesus on earth. First, the angel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would bear a son and that she was to call His name Jesus. For He was to save His people from their sins. The angels and all the heavenly host then announced the birth of this Savior to shepherd in the fields. And finally, the angels pushed away the stone that sought to keep Jesus in and announced the Easter proclamation, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen, He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”

The angels are God’s messengers. Part of their job is to explain the significance of these events. That’s why they appear here in this place and at this time. It doesn’t seem as if the disciples understand what’s happening. That’s why the two angels say to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?” That is, “Why do you stand there idly, gawking into heaven?” Why are the disciples looking for Jesus in the wrong places? Certainly, Jesus is in heaven. Now He reigns over all creation. He sustains creation. All His enemies are now His footstool. But the angels point out an incredible fact. They ask, “Why are you men staring aimlessly into the sky? Don’t you realize that Jesus has not left you? He has promised that He will be with you even to the end of the age.” What the disciples don’t realize is that Jesus has never actually left them. So also, He has never left us.

To be sure, He is in heaven and He is still a man. He is still fully God and fully man. But now, in the life of the Church, Jesus is with us in a greater, more personal way than when He physically walked the earth. Because during His earthly ministry, He chose not to display His divine authority and power. He allowed men to beat Him and bruise Him. He allowed men to spit upon Him and kill Him. But He has been raised from the dead. He has ascended into heaven. He has laid down the form of a servant and exercises His authority and power and dominion at all times. And lo, He is with us always, even unto the end of the age.

His throne is in heaven. But He is truly present with us in our worship. The very body that was torn and pierced with nails and a spear, the very blood that was spilled on the cross is the same body and blood that we receive in the Lord’s Supper. The very forgiveness spoken by the pastor, is the very absolution spoken by Christ, our Lord Himself. He comes to us through means. Don’t stare into heaven, wondering where He is or when He will return. Come and seek out where He has promised to be. He isn’t like Elijah, who also was bodily assumed into heaven. Elijah is confined to heaven. He is only a man. But Jesus is the Godman. He isn’t confined to heaven. He promised that He is with us and He makes Himself present through means, where He has promised to be. Don’t stare blankly into heaven with the disciples. Hear the angels’ words. Instead, hear Him speak to you through His Word. Hear the voice of your shepherd in the Absolution. Taste His presence in the Sacrament and know that He loves you. He loves you and will never leave you.

Jesus is with us in a greater, more personal way than during His time on earth. During His time on earth, he chose not always to use His divine authority. But now He does at all times. We receive the fullness of Jesus through the means of grace. Jesus needed to go away. It was necessary that the disciples witness Him ascend into heave. It was necessary that He take up His heavenly throne so that He might come to us in the preached word and in the sacraments. So also, it was necessary that He return to His heavenly throne so that He might come again on the last day. This Jesus, who was taken up from us into heaven, will return in the same way as the disciples saw Him go into heaven. Amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. 

In +Jesus’ name.