“Look Up!” (Acts 1:9-11)

S-1496 AS/3B 5/17/2015 Hymns: (O)#213; (S) # 381; L.S. #341 vv1-3; 473; (C) #341 vv4-5

Texts: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:16-23; Luke 24:44-53

Theme: “Look Up!” (Acts 1:9-11)

Question: “How often do you look up?” Observing Ascension Day

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for The Ascension celebration is from Acts: ^“And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “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 1:9-11).

People of the resurrection, how quickly life can change! In a flash that which was before you is no longer. That which is standing is tumbled down. That which is beautiful is destroyed. That which is anchored is moved from its foundation. That, which was a home, is rubble of debris. That which you have worked for all of your life, is wiped away. That which was normal has become unknown.

You, I, and the community of Delmont know that first hand. On Sunday morning a little after 10 a.m. the whistle blew and within just a few moments life, history, church, homes and property have been destroyed. That which we considered valuable is piled up as junk. That is life in a fallen world.

But this evening as we celebrate and observe the Ascension of our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, we can take to heart His Word of promise there is nothing in this world that will be able to separate us from His pierced and loving hands.

This evening we are told of the disciples last moments with their Savior. They have gone with Him through a lot of events. They have witnessed His power over demons and death. They saw His compassion and care for the needy. They witnessed His love and life that He gave freely to all. Even when they forsook Him on the night He was put to death—a cruel death on a cross for the sins of the world, He forgave them. He even appeared to them and gave them words that helped them be steadfast— “שלום עליך.” “Peace be with you.” This is what Christ came to give us and even more…to reconcile us to God.

His Ascension demonstrates that God has accepted His sacrifice. This crowning glory gives us hope beyond our wildest imagination. By His Ascension to the Father’s right hand He promises to intercede even now in our lives and keep us safe from every harm and evil.

Though He has ascended to heaven, He has not left us alone. We are not orphaned. We are still His baptized children. And He promised to give us the Holy Spirit to help us keep looking up.

But how often do we really focus on heaven and the life after? When we are young we think of building and amassing wealth and property. We dream big. However, most of the dreams don’t come to fruition. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to always look up and keep our eyes on Him because He has promised that He will be back soon! PAUSE.

Beloved in the Lord, our lives are like a farmer who desires to plant his crops in a straight rows. To do so, he doesn’t look down or back. He looks ahead, way ahead, at a fixed point. If the point is fixed you will reach it, but if it is a moving target you will never get it. That is why it is so important to look up to see what is ahead.

I am reminded of a long time ago when I was helping my father in-law plant some wheat. As you know I’m a city boy. Never been or worked on a farm until I married a farmer’s daughter.

One spring day, dad needed some help and he asked me to plant wheat. I asked: “How do I keep the rows straight?” He said, “Pick a spot and keep your eyes on it. Never look back!” (Emphasis on never look back) When I started out heading north there was no problems picking a spot for there were many to choose from. But when I turned around that’s when the problem began. There was nothing but open space. As I drove the tractor I couldn’t tell if I was going straight or not so I turned back (I didn’t listen to my father in-law’s advise), as I did my hand turned to one side. When I realized what I did, I attempted to straighten it up, but went too far the other direction. I tried again to straighten it out and went too far to the left and then to the right. Well, you know the rest of the story.

At first, what I had done wasn’t evident, until the wheat began to grow. You should have been in the coffee shop early in the morning when people began to say: “Ed must have had lots to drink when he planted that field!” PAUSE.

You who are baptized into the name of Jesus, isn’t that like us and the disciples? Jesus had told them to keep their eyes on Him but they forgot His Word and so do we. We turn back on what was, rather than what IS…Often we look down rather than up. We always think we know better. We always try to help God in matters of salvation. We even try to figure out a way without letting the Savior lead and guide us to His home above.

Tonight beloved, I remind you of the blessings of the Ascension. I remind you this is His crowning glory. This is the day He took back all of the power that belonged to Him before He took upon Him human flesh and blood to be like us, and die for us. But more importantly to rise on the third day and ascend into heaven to guarantee us a place with Him forever.

Remember precious children of the heavenly Father, though everything in this world will be taken away from us and or left behind when we depart from this world; may we not be consumed with worry of what we should amass and accumulate? We are exhorted to look up and put our hope and trust in Him alone. For He will supply all of our needs because He is faithful!

This would all be very worrisome if we didn’t know that God was in control, working out His plan for the nations and us His baptized.  Instead, He has told us that when these things begin to take place, to “lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” May we remain alert and firm in faith, always looking up for the Blessed Hope. PAUSE.

Saints in Christ, Jesus often looked up to His heavenly Father. He looked up and prayed when He blessed the 2 fish and 5 loaves. He looked up and gave thanks when He instituted the Sacrament of the Altar. He looked up from the cross and prayed to His Father to take the cup of sorrow away from Him. And even now, He looks up to see you and me and comes to our aid—since He is interceding for us from the right hand of the Father in the glories of heaven.

Likewise, we too, are called upon to look up. The Psalmist even encourages us to do so saying: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps. 121:1-2). Yes, indeed, our help comes as we look up to the Hill of Calvary—from there flows grace, kindness, compassion and everlasting life.

This evening by the Spirit’s power we are moved to look up and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Only Jesus enables us to truly look up, because He is coming back soon. Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

Theme: “He is NOT in Retirement!” (Ephesians 1:18-20)

S-1434 AD/3A 5/29/2014 Hymns: (O) #341 vs. 1-3; (S) #381; L.S.#213; (C) #341 vs. 4-6

Texts: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:16-23; Luke 24:44-53

Theme: “He is NOT in Retirement!” (Ephesians 1:18-20)

Question: “Are you counting the day to retire?” Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! Alleluia! The text is for our Ascension observance and celebration is from the Epistle Lesson: “…Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:18-20).

Beloved children of the heavenly Father, as we grow older many of us (myself included) look forward to the day we retire. We look forward to and sometimes even long for the day when we no longer have to wake up to the sound of the alarm clock. We don’t have to dress for work, and we don’t have to face the drudgery of the day. When we retire we will have the pleasure to sleep as long as we want, do what we want—Travel, go fishing, golfing and just have a leisure life. The time of work is done and the time of relaxation has begun. Retirement is a wonderful period in someone’s life to enjoy. And they should.

However, let us be clear that the Savior of mankind didn’t go into retirement as He ascended into heaven. He is not sleeping or snoozing. On the contrary, He is working even now just as He did when He walked the dusty roads of earth. The Apostle Paul teaches us in the text for this evening, though God raised Him [Jesus] from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places” He is still involved in our lives.

Paul, in the book of Roman speaks of Christ’s State of Exaltation saying: “…Christ Jesus is the One who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (8:34). Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ in His Ascension continues to care for His little lambs. As He seated at the right of God, pleads with His heavenly Father to always look at us with mercy and fill us with His grace continually. He continually asks the Father in heaven to forgive us our sins for His sake. He is at work even now. PAUSE.

In the teaching of Catechism we speak of Jesus as being anointed for three different Offices: Prophet, Priest and King. These Offices were not only carried out and fulfilled while He was on earth, but even now He is still fully Man and God and uses all of His powers to continue fulfilling these offices for us.

As a Prophet He preached the Word and continues even today to preach the Word through His ministers. He is the Prophet who promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide and guard us on our way. As a Prophet He warns us of the danger ahead and grants us the wisdom to follow Him.

As a Priest, He fulfilled the demand of the Law by offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. And now as the exalted Priest He continues to bring our petitions and requests before God.

As a King, He, the Exalted Christ rules over the whole Universe by His mighty power. He governs and orders the whole world to live under Him. He protects us from every calamity and keeps us in His loving and gracious arms.

Certainly Christ is not in retirement; He is still at work for us and on our behalf. He is working in our behalf to do what we promised to do but don’t. We have said and confessed we are His witnesses, but don’t always give a good witness. We have promised to support the ministry of the Gospel with our gifts of time, talents and treasures; but more often than not we hoard everything. We have said we will pray to Him on behalf of others, but how quickly, we, out of fear that we won’t be given enough by God to make it through the day let alone through retirement become lazy, self-consumed and just plain forget; so often that we don’t fulfill these promises.

While this may be true of you and me, it is most certainly NOT true of Jesus! While He was on earth He fulfilled the requirements of the Law even to the point of death-death on a cross. Then on the third day He rose from the grave. 40 days later He left the disciples and commissioned them to go to the ends of the earth sharing His story of salvation so that others might be His followers.

Now as the Exalted Christ, He is crowned with glory and honor. Angels worship Him and jump at His every command. Now He always uses His Divine Power to meet our needs of body and soul. Though He is no longer living on earth in a way that is visible to the human eye, He is and always will be with us to grant us the joy of living for Him forever and ever.

Before He ascended into heaven, He promised to come back to take us to be with Him. The room He has promised His Disciples both then and now in the Upper Room are all ready for that grand day when He will come back in all His glory, majesty and honor to take us to be where He is! That will not be for a short time. It will be forever!

Therefore, know the truth and hold it dear. Ascension Day is the coronation celebration of the Lord as He is proclaimed to be King of the universe. Jesus’ ascension to the Father is His entrance to the greater existence beyond the confines of time and space, being no longer bound by the limitations of His state of humiliation. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, which Luther correctly taught is everywhere, having again taken up the power and authority that was His since before time. Yet our Lord is present with us who remain bound by time and space. He is with us as true God and true man, exercising His Lordship in the Church through the Means of Grace that He established, His Word and His Sacraments. We mortals in these Means of Grace can taste and see the King of the universe and receive a foretaste of the feast to come.

This evening as we observe the Ascension, we give thanks to the One who suffered, died, rose on the third day and intercedes in heaven for us; and will soon return to take us home. What joy awaits all of those who bow the knee before Him who rules the Universe and cares for her as a Prophet, Priest and King forever in the order of Melchizedek. Amen.

Now the peace of God…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Beautiful Scars” (Luke 24:50-53)

S-1188 Ascension Sunday/3C 5/13/10 Hymns (O) #239; S #219; L.S. #216; 221; (C) #213

Texts: Acts 1:1-11; 1 Peter 2:18-25; Luke 24:44-53

Theme: “Beautiful Scars” (Luke 24:50-53)

Question: “What do you when you someone scarred or disfigured?

SOLI DEO GLORIA, Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! The text for The Ascension of our Lord is from the Gospel lesson: “Then He [Jesus] led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:50-53).

Introduction: In Nomine IESU

People of God, chosen and beloved the other day I was watching National Geographic program called Taboo. In this episode, called “Scarred Faces” The ritual of the tribe is to scar their children’s faces. A special witch doctor with a sharp tool begins to design the cuts on the child’s face. Each cut is done with precision and symmetrical to the other cuts. By the time the cutting is done there are at least 360 scars across the face. These rituals are done only in the summer when the temperature is over 110 degrees. This hinders any infection on their faces. When the cuts heal, they have beautifully ornate and elaborate designs. Some of these designs are even marked on their mud homes. The reason for the scaring is to show that they belong to a very special group of people.

The people who were filming this episode had a hard time looking at these children being scarred like that especially as the blood began to run all over. At times they would hide their faces as the blade would make another slice across the face. They considered it a taboo. However a question was asked of the tribe: “What would happen if you don’t cut your children’s faces?” The answer was, “They will not fit, and they will not belong. The scars identify them as part of our tribe.” To the tribe, these are beautiful scars that they wear with honor.

Indeed, to us who live in the West we don’t consider scars beautiful. Perhaps you have seen someone who has a scar on his or her face. What is the first thing you do? You stare at that scar. Sometimes you can’t even take your eyes of these scars and you feel embarrassed. I remember the first time I saw my best friend Rod Bogh whose arm was cut off at the shoulder due to a terrible car accident. I gawked at him and I couldn’t move my eyes. PAUSE.

My beloved and His beloved, we in the West don’t consider scars beautiful. We even go so far to cover them up. We use make up, wear long sleeves or seek the aid of Plastic surgeon to hide the scars. I’ve found that scars can be invisible yet run deep into the heart and soul of a person. Everyone and I mean everyone has these scars. Even the prettiest girl, the most handsome boy, the most self-confident people have scars that harm and hurt, anger and annoy, shame or condemn—emotional scars. As a pastor, these are very often what I’m required to stare at, figuratively, sometimes more intently than I want to.

Now, consider this: you’ve seen portraits of Jesus—portraits, of course, from the artist’s imagination of what he or she felt Jesus should look like. These portraits usually show a handsome man, with long black wavy hair and soft beautiful hazel eyes; it gives the impression of scar-less, tall stature, an appearance of authority. Jesus’ face, eyes and hair are painted smooth and soft-toned—there’s a gentle back lighting that glows to lend peace and serenity to the portrait. And when, in my mind, I picture the ascension, this is the Jesus I see. He’s standing on top of a high place, the Mt. of Olives the picture of confident authority and divine glory are real and vivid. Then St. Luke writes that “lifting up His hands [Jesus] blessed them” (v 50).

What would you suppose my eyes (and perhaps even your eyes) would have stared at when Jesus lifted up His hands? I would have stared and gawked at those gaping holes, those nail-hewn wounds in Jesus’ feet and hands. Humanly speaking, those scarred hands marred an otherwise perfect picture. But Jesus didn’t try to hide them. In fact, He raised those hands for all to see and used those scarred hands to bestow His blessing.

Too often, many Christians revel in the glory of Jesus Christ, proclaiming Him King of kings, and Lord of Lords; the Savior of the World and avenger of evil—but they rarely mention the scars. But let us not hide from looking at these scars—for they are indeed beautiful because of what they accomplished. These scars show the mission of the Savior to rescue lost man from sin and death and hell. These scars show clearly the suffering He endured for the world and us on the cross of Calvary. These scars show the extent and enormity of His love for you and me. These scars show that we belong to the family of faith.

Sadly, many believers’ even preachers of the Gospel don’t mention Christ’s suffering, death or His cross? Are we perhaps ashamed of the cross, of suffering, ashamed of the scars and try covering them up as we do with our own scars using every imaginable means to hide them? Yet Jesus, at the glorious ascension, did not hesitate to raise pierced hands before His people. He raised those scarred hands on His first Ascension on the cross of Calvary. Why were those hands pierced? Why did He suffer and die? His obedient suffering and death is the power by which we are freed from our sins and delivered from the evils of this world. PAUSE.

It took scarred hands to save us. All mankind shares a common shame, a scar that disfigures our hearts and our bodies. That common scar, that shame, is SIN. Every emotional scar—the guilt we bear, the hurt done to us—every illness that weakens our bodies, every accident that disfigures or dismembers, even every genetic defect, is a result of sin, the world’s sin, our sin. Our healing for every such circumstance is purely and sincerely is the cross of our salvation. The cross—our crucified Lord—is where we find God directing His attention specifically to our scarred lives, focusing intently on delivering us from death and eternal disfigurement.

These beautiful scars were not ONLY for the world, but more emphatically to me the sinner. I know that My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ died in my place. It was for my sin-scarred life that holes were punched in my Savior’s hands. I need not get what I deserve, because Jesus already took what I deserve. He already took what you deserve.

And you know that person with whom you have the hardest time? Do you have that pain-in-the-neck person pictured in your mind? Jesus’ scarred hands are for him or her too. St. Peter writes, “[Jesus] Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree. . . . By His wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet 2:24). Again, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Pet 3:18). Healing is accomplished by Jesus’ death. Protection and deliverance are accomplished by Jesus’ death. Our glory is found in the nail-marked scarred hands of the Rabbi from Nazareth.

The very fact that Jesus lifted those hands tells us that the risen Lord has made an effective sacrifice. From the cross, Jesus loudly proclaimed, “It is finished.” His mission was completed; He died; God raised His Son from the dead—not because there was something missing, but because the sacrifice accomplished what it set out to do. The condemnation of anyone’s sin has been overcome. With those scarred hands, Jesus says, “I Am the One who died for you; I have completed your salvation.” PAUSE.

Today, we observe and celebrate Christ’s Ascension. In reality this is His second Ascension since His first was on the cross. His Ascension reminds us that our Lord’s ministry isn’t over. Even now, at God’s right hand, those nail-scarred hands are working on our behalf. They are interceding for us with the Father. They are working to provide for us and protect us. Even when He is gone from us, our Lord is still working with those beautiful scars.

In the book of Revelation we read these words: “saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’” (Rev. 5:12).Yes, this is our Victorious, Resurrected and Ascended Lamb who lifts His hands to show us those scarred hands of His—those beautiful scars that He wore as the badge of honor to deliver mankind from the destructive power of death and damnation.

Today, you and I as His beloved and redeemed children, remember the wonderful command He gave His disciples on the Mt. of Olives just before He left saying to them, “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8) and again “Repentance and forgiveness will be preached in my Name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem” (Luke 24:48). This is our mission too—to tell needy souls about the Savior’s Beautiful Scarred hands which earned our salvation and redemption. The ascending Savior exhorts us that as long as one soul still hasn’t heard, our mission is not done.

Beautiful people of God, you who are chosen before the foundation of the world; the young children of the Benin tribe had no say in getting the scars on their faces. It was done to show they belong to a special group of people. But our victorious and resurrected Lord, had a choice—His choice was to allow evil men to scars Him by nailing Him to the tree of the cross—so that we may not be disfigured. God grant us the grace and joy to speak of the Beautiful Scarred hands of the Savior to all people now and always. Amen.

Now the peace of God…

SDG