Luke 24:50-53 * Ascension Day * May 20, 2004 * Vicar Caauwe

Ascension Day services are not very popular these days. Many churches do not hold special festival services forty days after Easter to commemorate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. They may have noticed that the crowds were getting smaller, perhaps because it a time of year when the weather is getting nicer, it's a time that is probably full of activities that normally fill our weekday evening schedules. And so ascension may simply be celebrated or at least mentioned on the Sunday before or the Sunday after Ascension.

But you have gathered here on Ascension Day. And you're in good company. You have come to worship on Ascension Day, much like the apostles did on the first Ascension Day. Our text tells us that they worshipped there, and when they returned to Jerusalem, they worshipped again. As we hear the account of Jesus' Ascension into heaven again, we see

THE BLESSINGS OF ASCENSION DAY WORSHIP

I. Worshippers receive blessing from their ascended Lord

II. Worshippers respond in faith with joy and praise

The disciples of Jesus gathered for worship on a hill outside Jerusalem that Thursday, probably not as a scheduled event. This probably took place much like one of the many other times Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. When Jesus would appear, he would often share a meal with them, and often he would spend time explaining to them what the Scriptures meant. That's what he did with the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus. That's what he did in the first part of this lesson: First he "opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Then "he told them, 'This is what is written.'" (45,46) and then he went on to explain what the Scriptures said. This is the way Jesus dealt with them. This is how they worshipped in those days: they listened to Jesus explain Scripture.

This time was no different. "When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them."(50) Jesus brought his disciples together, gathered them that they might receive the blessing he would give.

In the companion volume to Luke's Gospel account, the book of Acts, he records something the disciples said at that time. They said, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"(Ac 1:6) They must have noticed that something was different this time, and wondered if now might be the time. Even though Jesus had repeatedly told his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world, and it wasn't about power and might here on earth, it seems that at least some of the disciples were still influenced by this idea. And along with the idea of Jesus ruling Israel probably came the idea that in Jesus' kingdom, his closest disciples would become powerful as well. They had followed him all this time, and maybe, just maybe, now it would pay off.

They said this, even after all his instruction, even after they had sat at Jesus' feet, listening to a Bible Class by the author of the Bible--even after Jesus had made it clear that Scripture is all about sin and grace, about how "the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name."(46) He had made it clear that it was about what God had done for them, not about the glory they would get.

Their preaching and their worship was to center on the work of salvation which God planned and carried out. Jesus demonstrated that "he lifted up his hands and blessed them."(50) Jesus blessed these repentant sinners. He blessed them with the good news of their forgiveness. He blessed them with the promise that he would be with them always, even to the very end of the age. He blessed them with the promise to return to bring them to be with him forever.

"While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven."(51) Jesus had disappeared before, but this time was different, this time they knew he wasn't going to reappear like he had done so many times in the last forty days. Jesus had left them and was taken up into heaven. Now what? The disciples knew that their worship was all about being blessed by Jesus, by listening to him and learning all about repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Now their teacher was gone. How could their worship continue? What would they do now?

Listen to what they did: "Then they worshipped him."(52) They did what the wise men did before the Christ child. They did what lepers did, what the centurion with the paralyzed servant did. They did the same thing they had done in the boat after Jesus walked on water. They worshipped him. They could continue to worship him even though he was gone, because they knew worship is about receiving blessing from Jesus, and Jesus had not stopped blessing them. Isn't that what we heard in the second lesson? "God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body" (Eph. 1:22,23) Isn't that what we confess when we say he "is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty"? Isn't that what we sing about when we sing "He lives to bless me with his love; he lives to plead for me above; he lives my hungry soul to feed; he lives to help in time of need"? or "He lives to silence all my fears; he lives to wipe away my tears. He lives to calm my troubled heart; he lives all blessings to impart."(CW 152)

Jesus has ascended to heaven. And we worship him. He lives and reigns on high so that he might shower us with his love and blessings. We worship him so that we might receive the gifts which he continues to give. Naturally, our worship centers on those gifts he gives.

Yet perhaps sometimes we forget that. Perhaps we think of all this as something we really should do or something we have to do. Perhaps we come out of obligation--because it's important to parents, or it's important to a spouse. Or maybe we wish this would be a little more exciting, a little more entertaining. Or maybe we come for the right reason but once we're here we begin to feel like we've done a pretty good thing by being here, as though these people should be glad I'm here, glad I contribute so much.

But that's not worship. That's sin. That's pride. And I would say that those things have no place here, but here is exactly where they belong, because here is where Jesus forgives sin. Here is where his Word changes hearts and changes minds. Here is where we hear how Jesus' perfect and selfless life are credited to selfish sinners like us. Here is where the ascended Lord blesses his people.

In the past weeks you have heard these words spoken here: I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the gift of faith in Holy Baptism. You have heard "I forgive you all your sins" -- Jesus gives the gift of forgiveness. You heard the announcement "This is the Gospel of the Lord!" Jesus gives good news: he lived, he died, he rose again, now he ascended. You have heard "take and eat, take and drink-- Jesus gives us the gift of his body and blood. You have heard "The Lord bless you and keep you" -- Jesus gives us his blessing. That's what we do here.

But we can't stay here. As much as we love to be in God's house, we can't stay here forever. We need to go home. The disciples did, too. Acts even tells us that an angel had to come and ask why they were looking into the sky. They had to go. But that didn't mean they had to stop worshipping.

"Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." (52) Jesus had blessed his disciples. Jesus promised to continue to bless his disciples. But now he was gone. They would no longer see him on this earth. Usually, the idea that we are never going to see someone again, never going to be able to talk and be with someone we loved dearly until we see them again in heaven--usually that is not a happy affair. Yes, there is joy because we will see them again, but usually just after we say goodbye the joy is hidden behind tears and sorrow.

The disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy. They were able to continue on with joy because they believed Jesus' promises. They really believed that even though they saw him depart--he was still with them. They really believed that he was now sitting at the right hand of the Father. They really believed that he was preparing a place for them and would come back.

The disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Why Jerusalem? Most of these men were from Galilee. If any city would have been dangerous for them to go back to, it was Jerusalem. Why did they go? Because they believed Jesus' promises--his promise to send the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. And because they believed Jesus Word, they obeyed Jesus' Word.

And they worshipped. The word that is used here for praising God is actually the same word that means bless. Jesus blessed his disciples, and his disciples blessed God. Our text doesn't say exactly how they did that. Perhaps they sang. They probably prayed.

We often talk about two aspects of worship. The first and primary aspect is that God gives to us. We talked about that before. Christians then naturally respond to what God has done. That is the other side. And most often we think of blessing or praising God in terms of words and music--and rightly so.

But if we follow the example of the apostles, we will also praise God by obeying his Word. What higher praise, what greater honor and glory can we give to God, than simply to take him at his Word, and live our lives accordingly?

So our worship may begin here, but it does not end here. Our worship continues as we return to be faithful spouses, obedient children. It continues as we show love to our neighbor. It continues as we do faithful work on the job and in the classroom.

But let us ever remember that this worship is only possible because of the worship in which Jesus gives to us. We can only bless God because he has blessed us. So let us surround ourselves with his blessings. Let us surround ourselves with the means by which he channels those blessings to us. Let us surround ourselves with his Word and his Sacraments. In other words, let us worship the Lord.

There are great blessings in Ascension Day worship. Jesus blesses us. We bless, or praise him. But the blessings remain every day of the year. Jesus reigns in heaven to bless us forever. May we ever receive blessing from, and bless our ascended Lord.