And He Ascended into Heaven

Ascension Day (Observed)

Sunday, May 20, 2012

“And He ascended into Heaven”

Luke 24:44-53

Grace mercy and peace to you from our risen and ascended Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The feast of the Ascension is one of the most important yet seriously neglected feasts of the church year. It is right up there with Christmas and Easter in its importance.  I have chosen to break a little with tradition this year and observe it on the 7^th Sunday of Easter since the Feast actually occurred on Thursday. 

The church year places it on a Thursday because Jesus ascended forty days after he had risen from the dead.  Unlike Christmas and Christmas Eve it is much more difficult to take the time off to celebrate Ascension Day when it falls mid-week.  But in every way it is just as important as Christmas if we are observing the church year. And why do we Lutheran Christians observe the church year?  Simple because it keeps us focused on the life and work of Christ.

Is that relevant?  I mean does it matter and help me in my day to day life?  Very much so if you understand that in your baptism , many years ago you died, and now your life is in Christ.  You are the body as St. Paul writes to the baptized Ephesians and Jesus is the head.  Where ever the head goes the body goes.  If Jesus has risen from the dead, and he has, so will you.  If Jesus ascends into heaven and sits at the right hand of God so will you.  You see it matters and the ascension of Christ to the throne of God is a feast to celebrate.

So let’s get into the text.  Jesus before he ascends teaches and then commissions his Apostles.  The text says he opened up their minds to understand the scriptures. The twelve men as we read in the Gospels to be his Apostles seem to have had a hard time understanding what Jesus meant.  Time and time again even at the Ascension, as recorded in Acts, they were looking for Jesus to establish his political kingdom. Prior to Jesus suffering death and resurrection the twelve seemed to even ignore Jesus notices that he was going to Jerusalem to suffer and die and be raised on the third day.

You see human nature is so naturally corrupted that it only wants to hear what it wants to hear and it denies reality. We need our minds opened by Christ to understand otherwise we get the scriptures all wrong. We interpret it through a theology of Glory as instead of through the lens of Jesus Crucifixion.

Jesus opens their minds so that they see that His suffering death and resurrection were prophesied in the books of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets.  In fact the whole of Old Testament Scripture is about and points too Christ in some places more obviously than others.  Such as in the story of Abraham and Isaac where our Lord provides a substitutionary  sacrifice, a Ram stuck in a thicket.  And in all the Levitical ceremonial sacrificial Laws for Temple worship, they point to our need for cleansing forgiveness and Christ’s one time atonement.

In the Psalm 22 we have practically a full account of Jesus suffering on the cross and at the end we hear the words, “Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”  Isaiah the prophet in chapter 53 also speaks of the coming Christ as the suffering servant.  This is what Ethiopian eunuch was reading when he encountered Phillip and was then baptized. This is why the Old Testament Scriptures are still read in the church today they continue to point too and are also about Christ.

So be open ears, be open mind, for what you hear of Christ is relevant, is pertinent to you. This Old Testament prophesy is fulfilled. Jesus suffered and on the third day rose from the dead and in addition to that repentance for forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus will be proclaimed to all nations.

This is Jesus commission to his Apostles, his established office of the ministry, to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.  The office of the Ministry is also a means of grace. It is the preaching of the Law that accuses you of our sin and the preaching of the gospel that shows us where and causes us to repent or turn to receive forgiveness, that is the purpose of this sermon and every sermon preached.

Notice the purpose of the Sermon or proclamation is not to help you live a better life, to make you healthier, wealthier or wiser or to extract worldly rewards. 

My dialysis clinic recently moved to a new location where we now have a new HD flat screen TVs to watch. The trouble is I noticed the programming has changed.  We do not have the same channels we once had. Between 5:00am and 7:00am there are is a lot of prepaid programming. In particular there is a lot of so-called televangelism .  Without exception every preacher did not preach repentance for forgiveness, some of them barely mentioned Christ and if they did it was as an example and not as Savior. Instead they preached prosperity. They preached about accessing rewards on Earth through saying the right prayers to a Santa Claus like God.

They called them heavenly but they are really worldly. The real gifts, the means of Grace, were not mentioned. I did not hear about the promises of baptism, absolution, or the Lord’s Supper.  No, if the Ethiopian had come across one of these preachers he would still be confused about Isaiah 53 and still be un-baptized. Plus he would have ignored the message for he was already living large under his Queen.   Good preaching leads it hearers to Christ’s gifts.   False preaching leads them away from Christ to focus on oneself. So do not be fooled, repentance is not your work but Christ’s work in you accomplished by the hearing of His word.

Jesus told His apostles that you not only have heard the prophesy from the scriptures but that you have witnessed it. You have seen with your own eyes the fulfillment.  You have witnessed my suffering, my death and my resurrection, and now you will proclaim what you have witnessed to all the world. But first I will send you to Jerusalem where you will receive the promise of my Father you will be clothed with power from on high.  In other words, Jesus will be sending to them the Holy Spirit. We will hear more about this next Sunday.

The text says, Jesus blessed them and while he was blessing them he was carried up into heaven.  This is what we celebrate the Son of Man now ascended into Heaven. Jesus our brother, in so far as his incarnation, has been exulted to the right hand of God.  Jesus will always be our Savior and our God both in office and in essence. But He has also elevated mankind so that it once again has fellowship with God.  Jesus is the Man the Father intended  Man to be and yet He is the only begotten Son from all eternity. 

Some of you are familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia, a series written by C.S. Lewis.  In the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe, the son of Adam is redeemed through the sacrifice of the Lion, however the Lion due to His righteousness is resurrected and thus vindicated. He then peruses and defeats the evil white witch. Do you recall the result?  He places the Sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve on the throne in Narnia. In others words they rule with him.  This is what Christ the King of Kings does. He is the head and whatever the head receives the body, those baptized into his name receive.

This is glimpse into our future. Only first it is Jesus who will return to earth in the same way to carry us with him to heaven. The sign will be when we see Him again.

Jesus Ascension into heaven does not mean He is physically restricted.  Just because the senses cannot perceive Him does not mean He is not present.  Jesus now appears hidden under the means of grace. It is by hearing the word and believing when he says, “this is my body and blood” that he is really present but not seen. If we could see him then it would not be by faith but by our senses. We know he is there, and to assist our feeble faith he does provide something tangible, bread and wine, to accompany the promise of His Word.

So Jesus is present here as He as promised when we gather in His name. He did not leave us to run things as we see fit in the church. That would be a decapitated church.  And there are lots of those. No, he is here where his Word is preached and the means of grace that he instituted are administered.

The much neglected feast “The Ascension of our Lord” is the great coronation of Jesus Christ the Son of Man in Heaven.  The angels and the host of heaven marvel as a flesh and blood Man receives the crown and is given all authority in Heaven and on Earth. His rule is one now of grace and mercy where repentance for the forgiveness of sins is preached.

Perhaps our neglect betrays the fact that we are still under the cross that glory really goes no further then Jesus hanging on the cross. Even though he reigns in Heaven He still carries for you the marks of His crucifixion. He is the Lamb who was slain. Sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, behold your King!

     

His Choice

Sermon Easter 6

Sunday, May 13, 2012

“His choice”

John 15:9-17

The school playground is the last place you want to be if you’re the smallest, the weakest, or the least agile. Captains don’t think too much about a kid’s feelings when picking teams. They want the fastest, the strongest, and the most skilled. They want the players who are most likely to give them victory. The weak only get to play because you have to fill all the positions. As far as the athletic kids are concerned, it’s an unfortunate necessity.

Thanks be to God that the Lord’s Church doesn’t operate like a playground. Jesus doesn’t pick us because we’re wiser, stronger, richer, or smarter than others. Jesus chooses us because he loves us. That love has its origin in Jesus himself being loved. And its intention is that we whom he loves will love others. In short,

LOVED, IN LOVE, JESUS HAS CHOSEN US TO ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.

Before we go on, I want you to say that with me, okay? Say with me: “Loved (pause), in love (pause), Jesus has chosen us to abide in his love.” Say it again. (Repeat.) Three parts to that, and we’ll talk about each of them this morning. They’re precisely the same three things Jesus says in the first verse of our text: (Use fingers to indicate one, two, three while reading:) “As the Father has [one] loved me, so have I [two] loved you. [three] Abide in my love.” Okay? “(one) Loved (pause), (two) in love (pause), Jesus has (three) chosen us to abide in his love.”

Loved: From eternity, Jesus has been loved by the Father (“As the Father has loved me,” v 9a). This is really the foundation for all things. Love is the result of the Trinity. Before there were any created beings to love, the Father was always loving the Son. This is how John, in last week’s Epistle, could say, “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). It was the result of this love that God, created His precious ones to love.

This relationship, the Father loving the Son, continued throughout Jesus’ mission to earth. At both Jesus’ Baptism and transfiguration (Mt 3:17; 17:5), the Father called Jesus his beloved Son. So often we see Jesus speaking to his Father as the beloved Child (Jn 11:41–42; 12:28; 17:1). The Father even loved the Son when he had to abandon him on the cross (Mt 27:46). Yes we are here because of the love of God toward us. From eternity you as God’s creation were loved.

 

In love: Jesus has chosen us in love (“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you,” v 9). This is very important. We did not choose Jesus (v 16a). As conceived and born sinners, we do not have the will or the ability to choose Jesus. Our natural inclination is to flee from Jesus and all that he desires to accomplish with us. Our desire is to abide in our own word and will and not Jesus.

But still Jesus loves us in the same way the Father loves him, unconditionally. Just as the Father has loved Jesus, so has he eternally loved us. He makes that love visible when he “lays down his life for his friends” (v 13). In laying down his life on the cross, Jesus has won our salvation. There he took our sin into himself, forgave it, and emptied it of its power.

Jesus’ love led him to choose us to be his friends (vv 14–16b). Captains on the playground may pick their friends, but usually only if they can hit or throw or catch. They don’t pick teammates who aren’t already their friends unless they bring speed or skills to the table.

Jesus chose us who were by nature his enemies and declared us to be his friends—and at the cost of his own life. That was a choosing in love!

Jesus has chosen us to abide in his love: Jesus has chosen us to abide in his love by loving others (“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love,” v 9). Jesus says that abiding in his love means keeping his commandments, and the result will be that we love one an-other (vv 10, 12, 17).

The old Adam in us thinks that Jesus commandments are met to be kept that Jesus is giving us something to do in telling us to love. But this is impossible for the old Adam within us, in keeping Jesus words abiding in his words means something we all can do die, die to self and Christ will raise you.  The words that you are to keep to enliven you are his words that Jesus is the true vine and you are connected to that vine.  Jesus has bought you with a price and you are his.

In this way of the cross, in this way of baptism into Jesus in means of self justification are utterly destroyed. So if the command is to love, then all it does is accuse us.

 Because unlike the Father’s love for Jesus and Jesus’ love for us, our love for others falls short. We’re naturally more like the typical playground captain—looking at people for what they can do for us. The women’s rights movement is now saying that a women has the right to abort a baby after it is born if they feel it will ruin their lives.  Our President who has now evolved beyond humanity says that a man and a man and women and a woman can be married, even though a synonym for marriage, matrimony denotes motherhood.  In same sex unions true motherhood and fatherhood are destroyed.

Still we do not have to go outside the church for examples of how we as parents show a lack of love for our children. We say we love them but how do we treat them. Do we help them when they ask for help to solve problems? Do we endeavor to feed them nutritious foods?  Do we care that they learn the right things about our Lord? When we discipline do we discipline them in anger?  So, are we truly being self sacrificing in our love for them. Lord have mercy on us.

But in Christ’s love, we receive the things the loving Father knows to be good for us. Jesus, by his death and resurrection, has made us part of his Father’s household. We will live in the Father’s love forever. Abide and keep dear those words.

LOVED, IN LOVE, JESUS HAS CHOSEN US
TO ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.

That is because when we receive such love—forgiveness of sins, eternal life—love for our neighbor flows freely. True love for neighbor always has its origin in Good Friday. And having been chosen in love by the beloved Son of the Father, we do abide in his love by loving our neighbor though our vocations by dong our duty.

Say it all with me again: “Loved (pause), in love (pause), Jesus has chosen us to abide in his love.” Before the foundations of the world, the Son of God was loved by the Father. And so loved, also before the foundations of the world, the Son loved us—so much that he chose us to be his own and to abide in his Father’s love. That meant giving his life for us. That’s love! And so loved, we love our spouses, our children, our friends, our enemies, the folks we’ve never met. We abide in Jesus’ love![1]

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[1] Edited sermon of Rev. Charles R. Lehmann, pastor, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Accident, Maryland by Rev. Jeff Springer

"I am the Vine

Sermon Easter 5

“I am the Vine”

John 15:1-8

Today’s Easter text takes us back to the night of his betrayal. The night Jesus was teaching his disciples during the Passover meal the meal he would fulfill by offering his very body and blood as the Lamb of God. The Passover finds its fulfillment in the New Testament in Jesus. 

Jesus here speaks of himself as the grape Vine and as His apostles and followers as the branches. He also speaks of the Heavenly Father as the English translation has it vine dresser. A more literal translation of the original Greek renders to the word (geo-ergos) Earth worker or farmer.

Certainly the Heavenly Father both created the earth and still forms the earth make things from the dirt. Just as he made you and I and He makes all living things including grape vines.  In this case the vine is the incarnate Jesus he is made of flesh from the earth as we are.  But Jesus is now essential to our life our very being for we are not independent autonomous vines but we are branches off that vine.  We are dependent on that vine for our very lives.

Just as in any vineyard on any vine there those branches that bear fruit and there are those that do not.  In order for the plant to thrive and bear much fruit for that is its purpose those branches that are not bearing fruit are trimmed off.  Sometimes we call it dead wood.  The dead wood saps energy from the rest of the plant it may even get diseased and cause other branches to fail so it must be removed.  But we hear from Jesus that is the heavenly Father the earth worker that does the removing. And what is removed is fodder for the fire, for judgment.

For those branches that produce fruit the Heavenly Father prunes or cleans.  These branches are not cut off but instead may be cut back. Extra branches and vegetation may be cut back even blooms so that the existing fruit may increase all the more.  This at times can seem like the vine dresser or the earth worker is doing violence to the branch but in fact the cleaning and the trimming makes what is left stronger.

So what is this fruit? What is the fruit Jesus speaks of? Some may think that it is love. And certainly Jesus and the apostle John speak quite a bit about love. But in this case Jesus is saying I am the Vine. And He says abide in me. Jesus here is speaking of faith.  Faith is the fruit Jesus is speaking of, because it is from faith that all other blessings come including love. 

The faith is Jesus gift it is His teaching that “he must suffer and die and on the third day rise.” Even on the night of his being handed over to be crucified Jesus disciples are still having trouble believing this would happen. Even after multiple notices on their way to Jerusalem the disciples still seem to ignore the truth that Jesus would be cursed for their sake and our sake hung on a tree.  This was the very thing the Apostles before being sent themselves was to witness. This is the word that Jesus would give them to abide in.

Yes, love was the motivation for Jesus and the Father’s actions. But even Jesus as our Savior trusted the heavenly Father to redeem Him to resurrect Him in the redemption for our sins.  Yes witness must come first. Because through this witness we confess we are sinners, dead branches in need of life, dependent on the vine, Jesus. And through this witness we hear that he provides what we need that is the words of forgiveness of absolution.

This is what Jesus means when he says that the Father cleans these branches and that Jesus Word has already cleansed his Apostles, his witnesses.  The word from the Greek for cleaning is catharoi. We get our English word catharsis from that word. Jesus speaking his words of forgiveness, speaking his washing through baptism is cathartic, it is healing.  His word forgives and heals as we saw so many examples of when Jesus walked the earth and even today through that same word He heals, washes and forgive us. This is the meaning of his life, death and resurrection.  This is the faith.

And this faith and word we are to abide is best summarized in our Apostles Creed where God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and even the church is rightly confessed.  Our Heavenly Father we confess is our maker and continues to sustain His creation by grace. The Son who we confess born of the Virgin Mary took flesh upon Himself, was born sinless and lived a sinless life. He for our sake suffered and died under Pontius Pilate and was raised on the third day from the dead as He prophesied over and over. He is ascended to the right hand of the Father where on the Last day he will raise all and will judge all some to eternal salvation and others to eternal damnation those branches that are detached will be thrown into the fire.

The Holy Spirit the helper, calls the church to faith through the word and sacrament. He brings to the Apostles a special recollection of those important words of Jesus and their own eyewitness accounts of Jesus life, death and resurrection.  The Holy Spirit enables us to keep Jesus word to abide in His word. 

Jesus word is the sum of all he spoke so we also not only keep his dear promises, those of forgiveness life and salvation but also the Law. The law that is summarized in the ten commandments that describe God’s intended relationship between God and man and between God and his neighbor. This is God’s word of love that we keep.  This cannot be kept without the gift of faith it cannot and will not be kept without belief that we are sinners and trust in Jesus forgiveness.

Many people many religions keep a form of these commandments mainly to win people over to their way of thinking or they think they are achieving some sort of justification before God. But what more can they do then what Jesus has already accomplished for us on the cross. What more can be added to Jesus’ words from the cross, “It is finished!”

When we do the commandments, when we love our neighbor, we are simply doing our duty.  We are acting as branches connected to the vine. We are doing what branches connected to the vine do. We are doing what comes unnaturally to the world but naturally to those regenerated by the Word and Spirit.  There is nothing for us to take credit for. There is nothing we can bring to God that He has not already given to us.

St. Paul in his letter to the Romans in chapter 11 warns the gentiles who he calls a wild shoot that has been grafted in not too quickly judge the unbelieving Jews the natural branches that have fallen of the root due to unbelief.  St. Paul tells them not to be arrogant toward those fallen branches and to remember it is not you who support the root but the root supports you. St. Paul also holds out the promise that if these fallen branches are quickened by faith that they will be grafted back into the root.

So there is always hope even for those branches that have fallen as long as the faith is preached and taught, as long  God’s Word is read and heard, as long as the sacraments are administered according to Christ Word. There will be fruit and broken branches can be restored anew.

In confessing the faith every week, in supporting this ministry in this place where Christ is confessed and proclaimed you are fruit bearers.  When you experience set backs, when you sin in your vocation, when you fail to bear fruit, then you have a place here to hear God’s word of forgiveness and cleaning. Pruned you will trust our Lord even more because He is faithful to forgive. You will bear the fruits of confessing the Jesus, forgiving others and showing mercy and love toward your neighbor.

Come to the Altar leave your sins with Jesus. He will exchange your sinful body and blood with His clean body and blood placed into your mouth. His touch cleans and forgives you.  This is communion with Jesus and all the saints. This is abiding in the Living Word. This is attachment to the Vine.

Now may the peace that passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.