Acts 1:1-11 Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke
The Ascension of Our Lord Sunday, May 16, 2021 “Still Connected”
How long does it take to say goodbye? Obviously, just saying the word itself doesn’t take all that long. But, perhaps your experience is something like mine, and saying goodbye to close friends or family members, especially those you don’t see often, seems to take a bit of time. We try to squeeze in all sorts of last-minute comments and conversations, hugs, and well-wishes before we actually depart. We acknowledge how nice it has been to see each other, sometimes even with some tears, and we eventually do say goodbye. The ascension of Jesus into heaven in front of his disciples is one of the most interesting goodbyes ever. It certainly is an unusual goodbye, a unique one. But what is most unique about the ascension of our Lord is that it was both a goodbye and at the same time not a goodbye at all. Just a little while ago we read in our verse of the Day how Jesus told his disciples that he would always be with them. He wasn’t lying about that. At the same time, he was taken up from them and hidden from their sight. It was a goodbye, even though Jesus was still with them. And that goodbye is a powerful reminder for us that Jesus is still with us, too. Or, to say it in the way that our recent worship services would suggest, we are still connected. We are still connected to the ascended Jesus. In fact, Jesus’ ascension tells us in a powerful way that we are connected to our successful Savior. Our verses this morning record for us how Jesus ascended into heaven forty days after his resurrection. Those forty days were much more than a long goodbye to his disciples. Jesus used those forty days to teach and instruct them. He told them how he had suffered and died to take away their sins. He told them how his resurrection assured them that they too would rise from the dead to live with him forever. And he gave many convincing proofs. He left no doubt in the minds of his disciples and followers that yes, the Savior who had died for their sins was alive again. He had done what he had come to do. Scripture records for us several of these convincing proofs that Jesus gave. We have discussed this Easter season how Jesus appeared to almost all of his disciples on the evening of the first Easter. He stood among them even though they had locked themselves inside a room out of fear. He talked to them. He ate with them. And he came back again one week later because one doubting disciple did not believe that Jesus was alive. But he was. He gave Thomas a convincing proof by letting him feel the nail marks and spear piercing. And having shown them that he had kept his word and risen from the dead, he taught them. Luke writes that Jesus, “told them things about the kingdom of God.” He instructed them about what they would do, and about what they should do. And after those forty days were done, after the instruction was completed, Jesus was taken up into the sky until a cloud took him out of sight. Jesus had come to earth as a little baby with one purpose to fulfil: to rescue a world of sinners. And his ascension means that his work was done. Salvation had been won. It was earned on the cross and guaranteed by the resurrection. And Jesus’ teaching his disciples set the stage for the good news to be preached to more and more people. That part of his work would continue to be carried out even as his people no longer saw him and spoke with him and ate with him. As we gather together today, there is a world around us that tries to tell us that we have to do something or be something. It tells us that we have to live up to certain expectations or accomplish certain things. That’s how we make something of ourselves. That’s how we prove our worth and our value. That’s how we earn our position or the admiration of others. But the ascension of Jesus tells us