Ascension 2019. Holy Communion
7 PM Central Daylight Time, May 30th, 2019
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM, Central Daylight Time
The melody is linked under the name of the hymn.
The lyrics are linked under the number of the hymn.
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Acts 1:1-11
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Acts 1:1-11
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 #199 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #199 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
The Foundational Sin - Not Trusting in God
The Hymn #341 Crown Him with Many Crowns
The Hymn #341 Crown Him with Many Crowns
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 #294 O Word of God
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 #294 O Word of God
In Our Prayers
- Baby Andrea will have eye surgery in June.
- Glen Kotten is in the hospital.
- Those seeking work to support their families.
- Those being treated for cancer and continuing therapy.
- Our national leaders, the justice system
- Those suffering from the floods and tornadoes
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.]
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.
KJV 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.
Ascension
O Jesus Christ, Thou almighty Son of God, who art no longer in humiliation here on earth, but sittest at the right hand of Thy Father, Lord over all things: We beseech Thee, send us Thy Holy Spirit; give Thy Church pious pastors, preserve Thy word, control and restrain the devil and all who would oppress us: mightily uphold Thy kingdom, until all Thine enemies shall have been put under Thy feet, that we may hold the victory over sin, death, and the devil, through Thee, who livest and reignest with God the Father and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Background for the Gospel
In the 1950s, the new improved RSV made its appearance, backed by the National Council of Churches and the liberal scholars. It has been revising and going downhill ever since. One "improvement" was turning Isaiah 7:10 from the Virgin Birth to a young married woman having a little boy. The other "improvement" was ending Mark's Gospel at verse 8 and consigning the rest of Mark's Gospel to a footnote which denied in a subtle way its authenticity.
Liberal scholars did not like the ending's agreement with the other Gospels. They made their careers on inventing disharmony, so this was their chance, and they took it. Objections were few and the latest "improvements" are far more radical than most could have imagined.
The foundational sin was - not believing that
- God could preserve His Word,
- The Gospels agreed,
- Miracles happen.
The Foundational Sin - Not Trusting in God
KJV 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.
This is extremely important, for many reasons.
First of all, there is harmony in expressing the lack of belief in Jesus rising from death. Jesus predicted it many times, and they could not grasp the truth of the resurrection until many appearances and the climactic appearance here.
Secondly, Jesus attacked the foundational sin - lack of belief and hardness of heart. These two go together, and hardness is often combined with or parallel to spiritual blindness. In those cases, it goes beyond unbelief, when God provides all the evidence and the individual refuses to believe it even when it is seen.
In the example of the crowds who saw the miracles - they said immediately after - Now show us a miracle (a sign).
This hardness of heart - or blindness - is a persistent problem for all Christians. As Luther says, this is a comfort for Christians who despair over their own lack of faith. They can see the disciples had the same problem, and we all have that problem. One way to treat this lack of faith is to look at it directly and provide the right kind of treatment.
For example, something important and good can happen but there is no immediate reward or even an acknowledgement of how significant it is. This happens all the time when Christian believers help, finish a project, do something for others, and so forth. Parents can also feel unappreciated or alienated.
Someone asked me why so many pastors garden. I said, "It is because they see direct results from what they do, which never happens in a congregation, where it is impossible to measure results." Of course, the success merchants emptied many church budgets say, "We will show you how," but the ended up destroying more congregations than the Chicago Fire.
When people keep themselves from the miraculous in God's Word, which includes the Gospel and Sacraments, they begin to see everything in an evil light.
The Promises and blessings of God keep faith and hope alive, and the Means of Grace are His instruments in accomplishing this.
2. First, Christ upbraids his disciples with their unbelief and hardness of heart, and reproves them for it, and shows them their faults. He does not reject them, nor deal too severely with them, but reproves them; just as we would say to a person: Are you not ashamed that you dared to do such a thing? Meaning thereby to bring him to a knowledge of himself and make him blush with shame, that he may desist from his wicked intent or deed, though we do not reject him, nor turn our love from him.
3. However, it is not an insignificant matter here that the Lord rebuked the disciples; for unbelief is the greatest sin that can be named. Christ tells them the cause of their unbelief when he says that their hearts are hardened, yet he deals mildly and gently with them.
4. This is given to us all for our comfort, lest we despair when, lacking in faith, we doubt, stumble and fall; it is to help us to rise again, to strengthen our faith and lift up our hearts to God, that we may grasp and hold fast the confidence of God, who does not deal with us severely, but can indeed bear with us and overlook much. And whoever believes him to be thus, shall find him so; if we hold him to be a merciful God, he allows himself to be found merciful, and shows himself thus to us; but a bad conscience and an unbelieving heart have no such trust in God, but flee from him, and deem him a harsh judge, which he, therefore, is found to be.
3. However, it is not an insignificant matter here that the Lord rebuked the disciples; for unbelief is the greatest sin that can be named. Christ tells them the cause of their unbelief when he says that their hearts are hardened, yet he deals mildly and gently with them.
4. This is given to us all for our comfort, lest we despair when, lacking in faith, we doubt, stumble and fall; it is to help us to rise again, to strengthen our faith and lift up our hearts to God, that we may grasp and hold fast the confidence of God, who does not deal with us severely, but can indeed bear with us and overlook much. And whoever believes him to be thus, shall find him so; if we hold him to be a merciful God, he allows himself to be found merciful, and shows himself thus to us; but a bad conscience and an unbelieving heart have no such trust in God, but flee from him, and deem him a harsh judge, which he, therefore, is found to be.
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 by itself is a wonderful summary of Christ's mission for the disciples - to preach the Gospel to the world, to everyone everywhere, so that those who believe will be saved.
What better medicine is available than to teach people their purpose in life, their blessed relationship with God? This is based upon faith in the Savior, first of all, but that has been sidelined to an option in many cases. Or primary faith in something else, whether it is a tradition, a denomination, a school, or some human authorities.
Practical reason is useful in many areas, but nothing that we can accomplish is equal to what God can do in an instant.
Since Lenski said something good about Monergism in his commentary (Mark 4), it is always good to recall that we have immediate contact with the miraculous through God's Word. God alone does the work, because His divine power is always at work in His Word. Monergism means - One alone works. The unique parable there the person who sows seed and goes to bed, rises, goes to bed, rises. Then the blade of the wheat rises through the soil, then more growth, the head of grain starts to form, then the wheat is formed. And all these developments begin with the seed. In the same way, the Word grows and increases in the complexity of its influence until people can hardly believe later that the results began with the Word alone.
but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Nor should it be forgotten that Jesus clearly condemned the notion that unbelievers are forgiven and saved because that is the definition of God's grace. That is the dogma of mainstream apostates, especially at the leadership level.
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.
The great and wise consider themselves in control of miracles. They declare what can and cannot be done, when and where it might have happened, how certain rules (which they made up) must be obeyed.
These two verses teach us about the continuing miraculous power enjoyed by Christ that was continued where necessary by the early Christians. Jesus said to the earliest crowds, "If you do not believe Me, believe the miracles." The miracles enhanced the crowd's initial thought that Jesus came from God. The apostles also had that power where needed. However, the emphasis was always upon the Word of God.
The great miracle is the one most rejected - forgiveness through faith alone and the power of the visible Word (the sacraments) to confer forgiveness.
The three individuals raised from the dead - the widow's son, the young girl, and Lazarus - died later. What Christ had to offer was the peace of forgiveness and eternal life.
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.
Rather than focus on categorizing miracles, we should look back, as if new at this, and see how Jesus first established believers in many communities and trained the disciples. Then He demonstrated God's love in His death on the cross, His resurrection from the grave, and His Ascension.
The combination of resurrection, resurrection appearances, and Ascension left a body of believers, at least 500, who knew and experienced the divine power of God in His Son. They were witnesses, a group smaller than many established congregations today, yet they were the bedrock of the Apostolic Church.
It is not what most people would say about their charter members.
The witnesses were the bedrock only because in teaching the Word of God, they conveyed Christ to their audiences. Jesus said to Peter, On this Rock I will build My Church.
The Rock was not Peter, the first alleged Pope.
The Rock was not the confession of Peter, which certainly wavered during the trial of Jesus.
The Rock was and is Christ the Rock. Those who witness to Him are using the Instruments of Grace, the Word bringing the Savior to people, to babies, to children, to adults, to those who have never heard the Name of Jesus.
When Jesus ascended to govern the Christian Church from His throne, He sent the Spirit and spiritual gifts to make this Faith a world-wide statement of forgiveness and salvation through faith alone.
