Ascension 2024. Holy Communion
7 PM Central Time, May 9th, 2024
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The melody is linked to the name of the hymn.
The lyrics are linked to the Bethany Lutheran Hymnal page.
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
Hallelujah!
This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Psalm. Oh, clap your hands, all ye people: shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe Thine only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens,
so may we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and
with Him continually dwell; who liveth, etc.
Gradual
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. God is gone up with a shout:
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Hallelujah!
V. Thou hast ascended on high:
Thou hast led captivity captive. Hallelujah!
The Gospel Mark 16:14-20
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #413 I Walk in Danger
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #413 I Walk in Danger
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #409 Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #409 Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus
In Our Prayers
Randy Anderson has been in Emergency; Lori Howell is improving; Sarah Buck; Kermit Way; Pastor Jim Shrader and Christine.
Letha Drive will get their Mother's Day flowers on Sunday - David Austin roses and other selections.
The Seven Little Whiles Fulfilled
Mark 16: 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
People remember the seven little whiles, "A little while and you will not see Me." The scene from Mark's Gospel also reminded His disciples that events will happen that they do not understand, until they understood. They heard the predictions and yet they did not comprehend them. That is easy to understand, and it applies to us today. We cannot see into the future, although we try, and we know that God sees the future in advance.
Jesus addressed two problems. One was their unbelief. As much as they saw and experienced the miracles of Christ and His future, they did not comprehend the power and extent of His work and Word, even when witnesses told them. They suffered from hardness of heart. Surrounded by so much falsehood in their era, it was difficult to understand how great these miracles were in the future of the Gospel. They appear to have looked through pinholes instead of seeing the complete picture, so we are quite similar.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
This little group of men were supposed to go into all the world and preach the Good News to every creature. This must have been a shock to be parting from their Savior and sent on a much greater journey than they ever had with Him. But the resurrection of Christ and the time following gave many more people faith in Jesus, so a solid foundation was established, based on the Empty Tomb, the raising of Lazarus, and the appearances of Jesus. Persecutions also spread the Gospel, so the acts of eliminating the believers only made Christianity greater, stronger, and multi-lingual. The key factor is believing in Jesus Christ the Son of God.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Signs are miracles from God. Like Jesus, the apostles preached the Gospel and displayed divine miracles. That confirmed their message and spread the message as well. The apostles got rid of the demonic spirits that plagued people, and they protected people from danger and from illness.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Many unbelieving books and authors can be found in a seminary library. I looked up homiletic books and found things like this, paraphrased -
The minister left the impression that Jesus actually ascended into a cloud and disappeared. He should not have given that impression.
The faithless author wanted to eliminate the divine and mysterious and make fun of such notions. That is where social activism sets in. Everything is redefined (by opposing the Scriptures) and substituting works of some type. The Savior was departing the disciples so He could be the manager and they the senior leaders on earth. Before, walking around with them and taking them through the experiences meant the Christian Faith could be expanded through them and the work of the Holy Spirit, preaching and writing down according to God's will.
P.S. - The Gospels of Mark and Luke
Mark 16: 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
The Ending of Luke's Gospel
KJV Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
[The ending of Luke fits with the opening of Acts, which Luke also wrote. Luke's two contributions comprise 25% of the New Testament.]
KJV Acts 1:1 The former treatise have 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 that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
