Ascension

The Ascension of the Lord

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Ascension

The Ascension of the Lord – 5/29/2025

Mark 16:14-20

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion from God’s holy Word for consideration this evening is our reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark in the sixteenth chapter with special emphasis on verses nineteen and twenty which read as follows:

“So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction

                It is unfortunate that the Feast of the Ascension is seen as such a minor thing in the eyes of many Christians. This day commemorates the great, historical reality of our Lord’s return to the right hand of His Father, that is, to His being returned to the heavenly realm of His Father and seated therein with all power and authority of the Father. In other words, Jesus went back to that great heavenly realm and there is given all honor, authority, and power, both that which is rightfully His as God and that glory which is due Him for His great sacrifice on behalf of us sinners.

The Historical Nature of the Ascension

                A trend has emerged both in the lofty realms of the academics and in the halls of common churches: namely, that many things of the life of our Lord Jesus are pious legends, religious fables, or embellished accounts. This line of thinking has us ignore the historical reality of these things and the texts of Scripture which give them to us, instead, such thinking would have us root around in these to find some deep, hidden message from God. This is, for lack of a better description, the very problem that beset us in the whole “walk-out” fiasco back in 1973, and is the same way of reading the Bible that leads us today to a great many errors in practice, living, and confession.

                For our purposes tonight, suffice it to say that the Bible is not a mask covering up the truly spiritual things of God. In the same way, the history of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not a cover for some image or spiritual allegory. No, these things are ends in themselves. Yes, it is true that the historical reality that is the life of our Savior does not limit itself to only relating facts about Jesus’s life, nor do the pages of Scripture limit us to only repeat memorized portions of the Bible. But it is a grave mistake for us to think that we can really do theology, that is speak truly of God, but uncoupling ourselves from the historical reality of Christ recorded for us in Scripture. All true teaching concerning spiritual things is built on the solid foundation of Christ, His work, His promises, His commands, and His Word. Anything that proposed to move beyond this or depart from it is doomed to fail.

                All this is to say, we must take these things as the Holy Spirit has caused them to be presented to us in Scripture: Jesus did not allegorically or metaphorically ascend to the Father; this event is not some wordplay about coming to true knowledge of God. No, it is a record of what Christ has done.

                The Epistle to the Hebrews says that the Lord Jesus ascended to the Father in order to take up His station as the everlasting High Priest[2] and Mediator of the New Covenant,[3] that is, agreement that God has made with us men through the death of Christ. More still, Jesus says that He “goes to prepare a place” for us in Paradise,[4] showing that He has not only paved a path through death for us, but even has made a way into Heaven itself where we will await the resurrection of our bodies when the Lord returns.

The Miracles Promised by Christ

                As our Lord’s ascension is immanent, He, here in St. Mark’s Gospel, and make no mistake, this is indeed Scripture as our Lutheran Confessions and, in particular, the Small Catechism, confess, Jesus here is giving His final instructions to the Eleven. This is Mark’s parallel of the so-called “Great Commission” recorded in the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.

                The first thing our Lord does is rebuke the unbelief of the disciples. Indeed, this rebuke is not only for them but for us. They abandoned the Lord, ran off, and hid, even doubting the reports of His resurrection, as for example, Thomas did. So too must we bear this rebuke. Doubt is not only a cognitive, intellectual thing; it is a matter of faith. Doubt may take the form of questioning Scripture and the true doctrine given in it not in order to understand, but in order to destroy and take down, but it also takes the form of lacking in trust in the Lord and His promises. Our Lord grants daily bread, yet how often do we doubt that the Lord will provide, seeking instead to trust our own efforts? How often do we doubt the joy promised in Christ, and instead seek the decaying pleasures of this world instead of Christ as if Jesus were really trying to deprive us of the good in the hear and now?

                But after this rebuke, this correction from the Lord, He also gives them a command and promises. He tells them to preach the Gospel to all creation, that is, to every person of every tribe, tongue, and race. He promises that those who believe in Him and who receive the gift of Himself in holy Baptism will be saved. More still, great signs would accompany the Apostles in their ministry: the poison of this earth and its deadly prince, the devil, will not stop them. An ancient tradition of the Church records that St. John the Apostle was not killed by consuming poisoned wine. Healings certainly took place and are recorded for us in the Book of Acts. Pentecost brought the gift of tongues; demons were, and are, put to flight by the Word of Truth on the lips of the faithful.

                Some wonder why these miraculous things have seemed to pass away, but we need not fret about it. The greatest things in faith are not those flashy, miraculous sorts of things that the world seeks after, rather, it is the greater miracle that is shown whenever someone is brought to faith in Christ. The spiritually dead are raised to new life; water is given with the Word of God and therein effects a new birth in Christ. Faith, which cuts against our sinful nature, is created in spite of our desire for sin and hatred of God. These things are truly miracles; these other things are paltry in comparison. More still, these gifts were promised to the Apostles to show an unbelieving world that God is indeed powerful and that their testimony was true. But we have even greater things than these now.

The Greater Thing

                Jesus, as we have heard recently from St. John’s Gospel, must depart. Not only does He go to prepare us a place and to intercede and mediate for us, He also departs so that the Holy Spirit will come and grant us the blessings of His work in, among, and through the Christian Church. That is to say, He comes to give us Christ and the fruit of the saving death of Jesus. He comes to grant faith to those who hear the Word. And, more still, He creates and sustains the Christian Church where God grants forgiveness, life, and salvation through His Word.

Conclusion

                It is no cause for sorrow or alarm that our Lord departs. This real, historical event was done for our benefit, to ensure our place in paradise, to constantly present the atoning death of our Lord on our behalf to the Father, and to allow the Holy Spirit, the comforter, to dwell among us in the particular way that Jesus promised. It is good for us that He has departed, for now we have the greater things that come by faith: namely, life, salvation, and forgiveness earned by our Lord.

                Though He is absent from our eyes, He is not absent from us. We have Christ and, more importantly, through faith He has us.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

 The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] Mark 16:19-20 English Standard Version

[2] Hebrews 4:14-16

[3] Hebrews 9:15

[4] John 14:2