Sunday after Ascension: Date: May 12, 2024
Bulletin: Read Bulletin
Sermon: Read Sermon
THEME: The Power of Christ as Our Ascended Lord.
PRESERVICE PRAYER: Oh Lord, who has caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our edification, grant us Your Holy Spirit that He might open our hearts to reverently hear Your Word, and hearing that we may be brought to a fuller knowledge of your glory revealed in our salvation in Jesus Christ. Grant that, having fed our souls upon the Bread of life, we may be invigorated to live our lives to the glory of our Savior’s name. It is in His name alone that we pray. Amen.
THE ORDER OF SERVICE: (p. 22 Worship Supplement 2000)
Hymn 212:1-2, 5-7: A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing
1 A hymn of glory let us sing;
New songs thro’out the world shall ring: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Christ, by a road before untrod. Ascendeth to the throne of God.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2 The holy apostolic band
Upon the Mount of Olives stand; Alleluia! Alleluia!
And with His followers they see Jesus’ resplendent majesty.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
5 Oh, grant us thitherward to tend
And with unwearied hearts ascend, Alleluia! Alleluia!
Unto Thy kingdom’s throne, where Thou, As is our faith, art seated now.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
6 Be Thou our Joy and strong Defense,
Who art our future Recompense: Alleluia! Alleluia!
So shall the light that springs from Thee Be ours through all eternity.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
7 O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
All praise to Thee let earth accord, Alleluia! Alleluia!
Who art, while endless ages run, With Father and with Spirit One.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
P: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
C: If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P: Together let us pray.
C: Almighty God, merciful Father, we are sinful by nature, and have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. But we are sorry for our transgressions and pray You, of Your bountiful mercy, to be gracious and merciful unto us. Forgive us for Jesus’ sake, renew us by Your Spirit, and lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.
P: Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. We are forgiven! With boldness and confidence we may approach the throne to find grace to help in time of need. In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
C: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
C: Amen.
THE FIRST LESSON: Acts 1:1-11
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (NKJV)
THE GOSPEL LESSON: Luke 24:44-53
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. (NKJV)
THE APOSTLES CREED (The Lutheran Hymnal p. 12)
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
Hymn 738 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus
1. Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;
Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like the mighty flood:
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood.”
2. Alleluia! Bread of heaven, Here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia! Here the sinful Flee to You from day to day.
Intercessor, Friend of sinners, Earth’s Redeemer, hear our plea
Where the songs of all the angels Sweep across the crystal sea.
3. Alleluia! Not as orphans Are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia! He is near us; Faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received Him When the forty days were o’er,
Never shall we lose His promise; “I am with you evermore!”
THE SERMON: Ephesians 1:16-23
Theme: The Power of Christ as Our Ascended Lord.
I. Jesus’ Power in Our hearts and Lives
II. Jesus’ Rule Over All for His Church
SERMON TEXT: Ephesians 1:16-23
(I) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (NKJV)
OFFERTORY: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen
PRAYER; THE LORD’S PRAYER
The offering of thankful hearts will now be received.
Hymn 213: Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise
1. Hail the day that sees Him rise To His throne above the skies!
Christ the Lamb for sinners giv’n, Re-ascends His native heav’n.
2. There the glorious triumph waits: Lift your heads eternal gates.
He hath conquered death and sin; Take the King of glory in!
3. See, the heav’n its Lord receives, Yet He loves the earth He leave;
Though returning to His throne, Still He calls mankind His own.
4. See, He lifts His hands above; See, He shows the prints of love.
Hark! His gracious lips bestow Blessings on His Church below.
5. Still for us He intercedes; His prevailing death He pleads,
Near Himself prepares our place, Harbinger of human race.
6. There we shall with Thee remain Partners of Thy endless reign,
There Thy face unclouded see, Find our heaven of heavens in Thee.
BENEDICTION:
C: Amen.
Hymn 409: 4: Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus
4 Let us gladly live with Jesus; Since He’s risen from the dead,
Death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head,
We are truly Thine own members; Where Thou livest, there live we.
Take and own us constantly, Faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren.
Jesus, here I live to Thee, Also there eternally.
CALENDAR
TODAY: Bible Class is scheduled to follow the service.
MONDAY: Pastor Study Club meeting in Eagle Lake from 9:00- 3:00
NEXT SUNDAY: Worship with Holy Communion at 9:30. Church Council and Ladies Aid following the service.
SERVING TODAY
Organist: Denise Barthels
Minister of the gospel: Pastor Ted Barthels
OUR RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL:
Attendance: May 5 worship –11, No Bible Class
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Weekly Offerings Needed |
$1,374.00 |
Other Offerings: |
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Offerings Received |
$ 405.00 |
Memorials: Lincoln Cole Prop Imprv. Fund $50.00 |
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Needed for Year: |
$24,732.00 | |
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Received for Year: |
$19,102.00 |
May Church Cleaning: Church Spring Cleaning: Many thanks to all who came and helped with the Spring cleaning. It’s wonderful to have church freshened up again. Ladies there are still some items to clean on the list. Men, there will still be a project list formulated to be taken on during the course of the summer months. Your volunteer labors are much appreciated by the Lord.
April/May Lawn Mowing: Leon.
“The Branches” is a Christian women’s magazine which is published quarterly by women of the CLC. Subscriptions are available for the 2024-2025 subscription year (July through June). The Branches staff prays that, through this publication, we serve:
- to encourage you in your personal and family Bible study
- to edify you in your daily walk with Christ
- to provide a means to use and share your God-given gifts
- to celebrate and reflect upon God’s gift of Christian sisters, near and far
Consider a subscription for yourself and/or gift subscriptions for women in your life! The cost is $16.00/year for 4 issues. Checks are payable to, “The Branches,” and should be sent to: Sandy Hulke, Subscription Manager, 29985 Norway Ave, Lindstrom, MN 55045. Online payments are also available via PayPal – you may contact Sandy Hulke at thebranchesmagazine@gmail.com.
HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY!
Thank God for mothers, young and old,
Who live today within Christ’s fold;
Who pattern, as in days of yore,
The godly mothers, gone before,
Whose hands repose – complete their task.
Thank God for these! Then Lord, we ask,
Bless mothers who for us still pray.
Thank God for them this Mother’s Day.
Proverbs 3:10-15 (NKJV)
“10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.”
( Pastor Theodore Barthels )
Sermon
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
2100 16th Street SW
Austin, MN 55912-1749
Pastor Ted Barthels
Sermon preached on
May 12, 2024
Sunday after Ascension
(Previously preached on May 13, 2018)
Scripture Lessons: Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:44-53
Hymns: 212; 738; 213; 409:4
Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sermon Text: Ephesians 1:16-23
16 “I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
(NKJV)
This is the Word of God.
Sanctify us, oh Lord, through Your truth. Your Word is truth. Amen.
In Christ Jesus, our risen and ascended Lord, dear fellow Redeemed:
INTRO: Ascension Day —
In the ancient church Ascension Day was treated as one of the three most significant days of the church year, on an equal footing with Christmas and Easter. Now most Christians didn’t give it a thought that last Thursday was Ascension Day. Can you imagine going through Christmas or Easter without giving a thought to the spiritual significance of the day? Maybe I shouldn’t go there. Maybe we should instead focus on the reason why the early church placed so much importance on observing the ascension of our Lord, as much as observing Jesus’ birth and resurrection.
In simple terms, the significance of the event points to the completion of a specific portion of Jesus’ mission of salvation. The Son of God was sent down to earth by God the Father, sent with a mission to save lost mankind. So He became our brother, taking on our flesh and blood that He might serve as our substitute. He did this both in fulfilling the law of God and taking upon Himself the curse of the law. This was Christ’s mission of redemption. He paid the price for our sin in His sufferings and death. His resurrection proclaimed the success of that act of love. We are justified. So then His ascension, in its most basic message, declared that Jesus, as both the Son of God and the Son of Man, returned to heaven with the mission of redemption accomplished.
However, that is only the tip of the iceberg of the truth and power of the ascension, and its impact upon our salvation. May the Spirit enlighten our understanding of —
THEME: The Power of Christ as Our Ascended Lord.
Let us first consider —
I. His Power in our Hearts and Lives.
There are certain things that Paul prayed for the Ephesian Christians to receive which come to us also because of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Near the opening of our text, we read the words of Paul’s prayer for them, and so also for us. He prayed that “ the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.”
(Ephesians 1:17-18)
As our exalted Lord, Jesus grants us the spirit of wisdom and revelation. This is not saying that Jesus talks to us in an extra-biblical revelation as some enthusiasts might say as they exclaim: “I just received a word from the Lord!” No, what is laid out for us in our text is exactly what Luke was explaining in our gospel lesson. “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.”
(Luke 24:45-48)
As we read the Scriptures we understand the gospel. That is the blessing of the spirit of wisdom given us by the Lord. We understand that Christ Jesus came into the world to take our sins upon Himself, and to suffer and die for us. We rejoice in the wonder of the cross, and how the precious blood of Christ was poured out for the sins of the world, for the sins of the whole world. We don’t possess this understanding because we are so smart. It is because the Spirit of Christ has opened our understanding to the gospel. This gospel, which found its culmination in Jesus’ ascension to the right hand of God, is the message that saves souls.
Even as it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die and rise again, so it continues to be necessary for this gospel to be proclaimed to all the world. Jesus would have us, you and me, who have had our understanding of the Scriptures opened by the Lord, take on this task. What a glorious mission and purpose is set before us by our exalted and ascended Lord. You see, faith is not just knowing the life story of Jesus, but it is also comprehending the blessings of salvation that it brings to undeserving sinners like us. Paul references these blessings in these words: “That you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:18b)
Knowing the hope of His calling is significant in the life of the child of God. We live in a very material world that puts far too much emphasis on the things of this world. Accordingly, the hope that people have for life is often wrapped up in health and happiness, and security in terms of money and big houses, and secure relationships. We all hope for these things. What if you don’t have health? What if you don’t have a great deal of money? What if the relationship you’re in falls apart and you are hurt? What about facing the death of a loved one? These are all common occurrences in people’s lives! If our hope and happiness is fixed on the temporal and the material it is fragile, indeed it is vanity.
The hope of His calling directs our eyes upward, to the calling of God in heaven above. Our life is hidden with Christ in God, as Paul also wrote to the Colossians: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:2-4)
Now, you may ask, “How does this connects to Jesus’ ascension?” The answer is much in every way! Remember that Jesus ascended visibly into heaven. Jesus ascended physically into heaven. Jesus ascended not only as the Son of God returning to His native home, but also as the Son of Man, as our brother. He will return in glory visibly, physically, as He went up into heaven. His ascension was the first-fruits of many. First-fruits are not only the first but the best, and a taste of things to come.
The hope of our calling, the hope of the inheritance that we have in Jesus as our ascended Lord, is that we too shall ascend into heaven. Now, in this time, while we wait for the Lord’s appearing, we face the specter of death and the grave which seem so final and so hopeless. However, we know and believe that when we die our souls go to God who gave them, and our bodies rest in the ground in this hope of the resurrection to ascend to heaven. The hope of resurrection is as real as Jesus’ resurrection. The accompanying hope of ascension to glory is as real as Jesus’ ascension.
This is the inheritance which has been secured for us in Christ. This is the hope of our Christian life that is ours through faith in Jesus, our ascended Lord. We also read in the epistle to the Hebrews: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (Hebrews 3:2-3)
Yes, it is a challenge for any and every child of God to shun the sin of this world even as it appeals so strongly to our flesh. We look at the world and we see chaos, and the appearance of the wicked prospering, and one wonders if it wouldn’t just be easier to go along with the world. Without doubt it would be easier in a lot of ways, but not in the ways that really count. But what are we to make of the chaos and evil in the world? We need to understand that the chaos and evil of this world do NOT mean that the Lord has lost control of what’s going on in this world. It does reveal the vanity and the futility of life in this world. The truth regarding the majesty of Jesus’ ascension assurances us that our Redeemer Lord is always absolutely in charge.
In our text we are told of —
II. His Rule Over All for His Church.
Let us consider this point by point, for this is truly amazing and yet so easy for us to overlook or forget. We are to know –“What is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” (Ephesians 1:19)
“The exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,” (v.19) might bring His miracles to mind, but this is something greater. When we are struggling in life and worry or grief or tribulation or persecution seem to overwhelm us, it is hard to remember that Jesus is in charge, with great power toward us who believe! It is hard for us to endure sickness and distress and loss without wondering if the Lord has lost control of what’s going on in our individual lives. It is hard to comprehend the promise “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Our flesh cries out, “If this is the Lord working for my good, I don’t want to know what bad would be!” We forget that all is according to His purpose, His eternal purpose for us in heaven, and not our purpose, which is often our shallow short-sighted purposes centered in this life.
Yes, it is with great power that Jesus as our ascended Lord directs all things in our lives to bring us closer to Him, and closer to the glory that He has reserved for us in heaven. Yes, it is with great power that Jesus watches over us and cares for us and indeed does deliver us from every evil, so that throughout this life we actually remain His children and heirs of eternal life.
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has our good in mind and heart all through our lives, and He has positioned Jesus our brother in the place of majesty and power to watch over and care for us. This was incorporated in God’s gospel plan for our salvation.
Our text teaches us: “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet.” (Ephesians 1:20-22a)
In Philippians chapter two we are told of how Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the Father’s will, obedient to the point of death, even the shameful, painful death of the cross. It was according to His Father’s will for our salvation. As a result of this sacrifice, we are saved. In response to this great sacrifice God the Father exalted Jesus and gave Him the name which is above every name. Yes, the name “Jesus” is the name that is above every name. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. This isn’t vanity. This isn’t an empty gesture that doesn’t mean anything in the end. This is entrusting to Jesus, also according to His human nature, divine power and majesty. That is what Jesus possesses right now as He has been placed at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
We know God is spirit, and so as a spirit He doesn’t literally have a right hand as we do, as Jesus does. This is an expression that we earthbound humans understand, informing us of the power entrusted to Jesus. God has placed all things under His feet. We may not understand that expression quite as well. It doesn’t only mean that all things are lower than Jesus; it indicates that Jesus is triumphant over all things on this earth. Jesus owns the victory and has brought this world into subjection.
And so our text concludes: (God) gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22b-23)
We are not so good at seeing the big picture, and exactly how all things come together. Jesus sees the big picture. He knows the end of all things. He understands how things will turn out, and that they will turn out for the advancement of His kingdom on earth, that is for the salvation of souls. Jesus is in control of all things for the good of His Church. We are His Church, along with all those who believe wherever they may be. Jesus is in control of all things for the good of His Church, the assembly of all believers. For Jesus that is not a small thing for which He has little time or concern. No, this is the focus of Jesus’ love and attention. There is a connection between us and our ascended Lord Jesus Christ. He is the head, and we are His body. Anything that would hurt us hurts Him. Anything that would harm His Church would harm Him and would also diminish the working of His will for salvation, and the advancement of the cause of His kingdom. That can’t happen. Jesus won’t allow it to happen.
Knowing Jesus’ ascension was and is the assumption of the throne of power to rule the world for the good of His Church, we are emboldened to advance the gospel in this world. We are confident that as the Lord opens doors of opportunity, He will accompany us as He promised in the great commission: He is and will be with us always, even to the end of the age! (Matthew 28:20)
Jesus is our ascended and exalted Lord. Indeed, this is cause for joy and rejoicing. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
AMEN.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. (Romans15:13)
St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church Austin Minnesota 