A sermon on Acts 1:1-11 for the Ascension of Our Lord. Delivered by Pastor Caleb Strutz.

A few minutes ago, we recited in the words of the Nicene Creed, “And ascended into heaven.” When we use the Apostles’ Creed, we say, “He ascended into heaven.” It’s there in the Athanasian Creed too, which we say on Trinity Sunday, “He ascended into heaven.” Every Sunday we confess the Ascension. But what does the Ascension actually mean? It’s one of those things that often gets overlooked in the life of Christ. My preschooler can tell you that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, died on the cross, and rose from the dead… but what happened after that? The Ascension is a bit more complicated. Jesus left. He’s gone. That’s a bit harder to swallow. But while the Ascension does mean earthly disappointment, we see it as a festival of joy because of the spiritual fulfillment it brings.

I. Earthly Disappointment

One thing that’s really interesting that’s recorded in the fullest account of Jesus’ ascension, here at the beginning of the book of Acts, is that the disciples don’t get it, even after the resurrection.

I can see how they didn’t see Jesus’ crucifixion coming. If the person coming to rescue you dies, that kinda seems like a failure. But after the resurrection, they should get it, right? Jesus’ work is done! He’s saved us from our sins! Defeated death! But what do they ask him? “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” “Yeah, that whole resurrection thing was cool, but now we can really get started. Now we’re gonna have the kingdom we’ve been waiting for.”

Jesus explains why they still have these misconceptions: they have not yet received the power of the Holy Spirit (which we’ll see next week with Pentecost). When they do receive the Holy Spirit, then they get it, then things make sense, but for now, they still can’t see past earthly ambition.

We ought to be better off than the disciples. We have the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we live in a post-Pentecost world. We should understand what’s going on here. But how often do we, too, look for the kingdom in the wrong places?

Are you disappointed with the way the world’s going? Are you discouraged by the statistical decline of Christianity? By the continually shrinking influence that Christians have on society? It’s hard not to be. But is the kingdom really in decline? Were we really better off back then? If you want to turn back the clock to when things were better, that means that the kingdom is on the retreat. That means that you’re doubting the reign and the plan of the king.

After Jesus ascended, the disciples were left dumbfounded, stuck looking at the sky, probably wondering, “What now? What’s next?” When we’re disappointed with the state of the world, do we, too, find ourselves stuck looking at the sky, questioning the plan? Jesus is gone. He left. Why? What now?

Wouldn’t it be better if He stayed? Think about how many people would believe if they could just see the risen Jesus! Wouldn’t that be proof beyond all doubt? Wouldn’t that be the best way to do things? It’s hard to tell other people about Jesus, but if they could just see Him, that would be a lot easier. These ways of thinking reveal that we’re doubting the plan. That we think that we know better than God. That we don’t understand the Ascension.

II. Spiritual Fulfillment

Every Christian funeral is an interesting mix of sadness and joy. And the ratio between these two will change, depending on the circumstances. My great grandmother lived to be 102 and, at her funeral, there was very little sadness. We knew that she was ready, that that was what she was waiting for, that she was with her Savior. Lots of joy. I’ve also been at the funeral of a stillborn baby. Very little joy there. The parents knew that their son was in the hands of a gracious, loving God, that they had prayed for this child, that he had heard God’s Word in the womb, there was that little spark, but the grief, the sadness was palpable. How do we approach the ascension? Are we sad because Jesus is gone? Happy that He’s in a better place now? What’s the ratio? But the Ascension has no sadness. We rejoice that Jesus has ascended because of what that means for us.

The Ascension means that Jesus’ work on this earth is over. Luke highlights this: “He also presented Himself alive after His suffering…” The plan of salvation is complete. That’s a reason to rejoice! He has suffered the punishment for our sins. He has defeated death for us by his resurrection. And now He is restored to the fullness of His glory.

It’s not that Jesus has left us or abandoned us. Rather, by His Ascension, He exalts us, lifts us up, along with Him. If you’re looking for victory and triumph and glory, look no further than the Ascension. Jesus is exalted to the right hand of God, He assumes the crown of heaven, He gains “All authority … in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). Of course, as God, He has always reigned, He has always had absolute authority, but now this is given also to His humanity.

We rejoice at the Ascension because Jesus, the man, has been glorified. Our Brother sits on the throne of God. Our humanity has been exalted in Him. And we, the members of His body, are also lifted up. We are divine nobility as the sons of the king and brothers of the prince. We share in His triumph and His victory.

Paul explains the significance of the Ascension in Ephesians 1: God “put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (v22-3). So the Ascension also means that Jesus’ work has just begun. His work on earth has ended, the plan of salvation is complete, so now He assumes a new role.

Jesus didn’t ascend to enter retirement. He’s not just done now. But He actively reigns as the head of the church. He’s not far off and disinterested in what happens here, but intimately involved and still present among us.

If Jesus established an earthly kingdom in Jerusalem, you’d have to go to Jerusalem to see Him. But now, Jesus “fills all in all.” Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:20). Jesus isn’t far away, but always with us everywhere. The Ascension is for our benefit.

And while Jesus is always with us in a certain sense, He especially wants to make His gracious presence known through His means of grace. When the Scriptures are read or preached, there Jesus is present for us. He comes to dwell with us and in us through His word.

In Baptism, we are united with Christ and His presence. And we return to our Baptism in Absolution, publicly or privately, as the old Adam is drowned and the new man rises again.

And He is present in an even more special way in the Lord’s Supper. As Jesus said, “This is my body… This is my blood,” so we believe that His body and blood are present. If you want to meet the risen Jesus physically, He gives you that opportunity. There are so many ways that we get to enjoy Jesus’ presence because of the Ascension.

And this plan, Christ’s plan for the church, to reach people with His presence through the means of grace, involves us more personally than the plan of salvation did. When it came to salvation, Jesus did everything. There’s no space for us there, and that’s a good thing, and a comforting thing. But now, as Jesus said to His disciples, “you shall be witnesses to Me.”

Now, there’s some very important differences between us and the apostles. They were eyewitnesses of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Some of them were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the words of Scripture. We certainly can’t claim either of those things. But we do have the same Holy Spirit. We, by faith, have come to know the same Christ they did. And we can carry their testimony to others.

We, too, are witnesses to Christ in the same set of expanding circles. For them, it was Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. For us, that starts in the home, expands to our neighbors and communities, and, through the work of our Synod, even to the ends of the earth. Look for ways to share that witness in those various circles. First at home, then to those around you, then for ways to support our home and foreign missions. You can be a witness, too.

The Ascension is important and recited in all the Creeds, not because Jesus has left, but because He is ruling His church. So don’t be caught “gazing up into heaven” like the disciples. There’s work to do. And when His plan for the church on earth is complete He “will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” to raise us up and take us there to be with him. Amen.