Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

           Text: St. Luke 24:44-53, but especially these words –

 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus:

 Good-byes are often sad. When we say farewell to friends who are moving away, we usually think of all the things we meant to do for them and with them – things that were just never done. Many times the promises and plans to keep in touch or get together – are never kept. Even with the best of intentions, we don’t see them or hear from them as often as we’d like.

 However, the ascension of Jesus gives us a different picture – it’s indeed a farewell with a difference. St. Luke tells us about the ascension of our Lord very simply – “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” Our Lord left His disciples – they had become very close and dear friends. And yet, nothing is said of any sadness on the part of the disciples. Instead, the ascension of Jesus Christ filled them with great joy. For them and for us – happiness is found in our ascended Lord and King.

 When we confess our faith, we say – “He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” We do it with our heads held high. There is joy in our confession – and happiness in our hearts. For we remember that the risen Christ is now our living and ascended Lord. From His position of authority, in His eternal power and glory, the Lord guides and protects His Church. He sends forth messengers of His Word to teach us, enabling us to become wise for salvation through faith in Him as our Savior. He is the King of heaven and earth, ruling over all things for the good of the church and for the building up of His kingdom. And as the King of kings and Lord of lords, He will return in glory to take us to be with Him – in that place which will never come to an end.

 Just look at the reaction of the disciples to the ascension of Christ. After they had seen Him go – “they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” St. Luke tells us that they were happy to see their Lord and Master ascend into heaven. Why? Christ even had warned His disciples that the world was going to cause them to suffer. They would experience hard times, heartache, sorrow, and persecution. The disciples would be despised and thrown out of the synagogues. So then, why their joy? What was the reason for such happiness? It was this – the confidence and the certainty that Jesus was their Lord, the Messiah, and the Promised One of God. And the disciples were now ready to build upon the understanding He had given them. His resurrection, and now His ascension, proved to them that Jesus was indeed who He claimed to be. And so, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

  St. Luke tells us – “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Jesus told the disciples that He was indeed the fulfillment of the writings of Moses and the Prophets. They now understood and believed. Now their lives were filled with new purpose and meaning. For Jesus told them that they had a job to do in His name. He said – “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached…to all nations.” And the disciples were ready to take on the task. Our Lord told them – “You are witnesses of these things.” And the disciples waited for the power He promised – to help them carry out the work which He had given them to do.

 The ascension of Christ into heaven was a part of the whole joy of believing in the Savior. And the disciples showed their happiness. It is written – “And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” They spoke of their dependence on Him and His blessings. They declared their confidence that Jesus was everything He claimed to be. And even though they faced the difficult task of making disciples of all nations – they began to share their happiness in the victory Jesus had won for them and the blessings He had promised to them.

 The disciples were filled with joy. They knew the Christ. And they knew that His ascension was God’s declaration of His authority and lordship. In faith, we have the same relationship with the Lord that the disciples had. Through God’s Word, we have proof of His love. Christ ascended into heaven – but He isn’t far away from any of us with His everlasting, steadfast love. Times may come when we feel forgotten and alone – yet, it’s not because we’ve been abandoned and forsaken. We realize this when we remember what love compelled our Lord to do for us. Christ gave Himself for us. He died to free us from our sins. He rose again as living proof – that we’re the forgiven and redeemed people of God. And He ascended into heaven where He is given all power and authority – and where even now He is preparing a place for us.

 By faith, we’re joined to the Savior. We belong to Christ, and through Him we’re now member of God’s family. St. John reminds us of this, when he writes – “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” We can express our faith – “Jesus lived, died, and rose again for me! 

In Him, my sins are forgiven. And by His power, I’m God’s very own.” And with St. Paul, we can rejoice that no power anywhere can separate us from that certainty and that love.

 There is now great reason for our happiness. The ascended Lord lives and rules – and we belong to Him. He has called us by the Gospel. He sends the blessings and power of the Holy Spirit so that we can know, believe, and live in the truth. For one purpose – that we might be like Christ and see Him as He is, living with the Savior in eternal glory and happiness. But then I suppose that we have to be realistic about all of this too. We have to ask ourselves – “Are we really filled with ascension joy?” Do we live, act and think, work and play with the certain and joy-filled knowledge that where He is – there we will be also?

 There are all kinds of traps that try to rob us of our happiness. And we set many of them ourselves. We want a security that we can touch and hold onto. We want a happiness that we can feel and experience right now. So, I wonder what answers would be given to the question – “What would it take to make you really happy?” Popularity? Prosperity? Health? Peace?

 My guess is that there would be no end to the responses. However, many of the answers would demonstrate one thing – faith alone in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior just doesn’t seem to be enough for us. But look at the disciples again! Their Lord was gone. They were alone. They were promised persecution, hard times, and given an almost impossible task – for which I’m sure they felt ill-prepared. But what they had that made them happy, what sent them back to Jerusalem with great joy – was the certainty of their faith in Jesus Christ, their ascended Lord. They knew the forgiveness of sins. Their lives were given purpose and meaning. They were witnesses to what they knew to be true. And they depended on God’s promises.

 Too often, we’re not satisfied with that. We search for and depend on things that are limited and that will pass away. And because we do, we know what it means to live with sadness and disappointment. We know what it means to be unhappy and afraid. But St. John, one who shared the ascension joy, spoke about Christ, His Word, His promises, and fellowship with God, and then wrote – “We write this to make your joy complete.”

 The promises and the blessings of the ascended Lord enable us to be filled with joy. Build on Christ. Build your faith through His Word and Sacrament. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus – on whom your faith and life depend. For you see, there is no magic formula that will wipe away all of your troubles and worries. There’s no guarantee that you’ll never have pain or sadness. There’s no promise to remove all suffering. You will go out today and still experience the things that happen in a world filled with sin and

evil.

 But don’t forget where you’ve been, who you are, and to whom you belong. For you’ve been to see the Savior! You’ve heard His words of forgiveness and life! You are the sons and daughters of God! And He gives you the power and ability to accept each day with the certainty of victory. He knows, He cares, and He blesses. He isn’t unmoved by your weaknesses, fears, and doubts. He’s been there – and has overcome. He’s here, now, with His grace and love. And He says – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.”

 The only thing that ultimately matters – is our relationship with Jesus Christ. For He’s coming again, and we’ll see Him as He is – forever. We’ll be like Him, as surely as we belong to Him. And so, our happiness really is in Jesus Christ, our ascended Lord and King. Amen.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.