War & Peace
JESUS RECEIVES POWER AND REIGNS - The Ascension of Our Lord: June 2, 2019
Over the years, TV shows named "Believe it or Not" and "That's Incredible" have cycled and recycled their way through the evening channel lineup. If you've never seen either show, you can probably guess what they're about. They feature strange and weird deeds by people and animals that you'd never believe unless you saw it with your own eyes.
Have you ever seen something so incredible or unbelievable that unless you saw it with your own eyes, you would have never believed it? Just about everything we call "incredible" is, upon reflection, easily explained. There is rarely any lasting value.
Contrast that with Jesus' ascension. Before his disciples’ very eyes, he gradually rose up into the air until he was lifted out of sight. They hadn't just seen something incredible, but miraculous! This on the heels of those same disciples seeing Jesus' crucifixion, the stone rolled away, the tomb empty, and the repeated bodily appearances of the resurrected Christ. No wonder why Jesus' parting words were, "You will be my witnesses." They had witnessed the incredible deeds of salvation.
Those words of Jesus continue to be the heartbeat of our faith and mission to this day. Through the witness of Scripture, the Holy Spirit has caused us to see with the eyes of faith those same incredible deeds of salvation. And those deeds have real, lasting value.
► Readings:
• Acts 1:1-11: Jesus ascends into heaven.
• Revelation 19:11-16: Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords.
• Luke 24:44-53: Ascension moves Jesus' disciples to joyful service.
• Psalm: 47
► Sermon theme: "War and Peace"