They Ascension of our Lord

»Afterward Jesus appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. ¹⁵And He said to them: „Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.“ ¹⁹So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.« (Mark 16,14-20) 

Forty days ago our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave. Over the course of those several weeks He appeared to His disciples, taught them and opened up the Scriptures further. Today that drew to a close as Jesus ascended into heaven. 

But Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit who would be with and guide His apostles and the Church. Through the working of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the apostles and the testimony of the disciples, the Church grew. The same is true in the 21st century as it was in the 1st century. 

Christ has promised to be with us throughout time. He now rules from on high at the right hand of God the Father. He watches over us. He hears our prayers. He directs the Holy Spirit and the hosts of angels to guide and protect us. 

The Son of God is now the ruling Prince. All of creation bows to Him. We confess and praise Him to be the risen Lord. The Lord works through us, our words and our actions, to spread the gospel that sin has been forgiven on account of Christ. May we always remember that gracious promise and declaration.  Amen. 

Let us pray. O Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.