May 25-27, 2013 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: John 16:12-16

TRINITY

May 25-27, 2013

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: John 16:12-16

“SO MUCH MORE!”

1.     Than we can understand.

2.     To bless us with now.

3.     Is yet to come.

John 16:12-16 (NIV 1984)  “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.¹⁶ “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

          How many of you can remember the classic children’s movie, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” What a great movie. Loved it. It had it all. A kind poor boy with the chance to make it big. A sinister figure lurking in the shadows. Oompah Loompahs. Are you kidding me? A gigantic candy factory. Everlasting gobstoppers! Who wouldn’t want that? And then there is the fanciful ending that left every child’s mind imagination run wild as Willy Wonka lets Charlie know that there is so much more to come. Great movie. Not reality. God’s Word is reality. The portion we look at today finds its setting in the Upper Room on Maundy Thursday. Jesus has gathered there with His disciples to celebrate the Passover. Jesus takes the time to pray for His disciples and prepare them for what they would soon experience. In part of the preparation Jesus told them the words of our text. In a way that must have had their imaginations running wild Jesus told them he had so much more to say them. His words serve us well as the church gathers to observe Trinity Sunday. In the Church Year Trinity Sunday reminds us Christians to pause and stand in awe of our Triune God. Today God’s Word lets us see that with our Triune God there is so much more.

First there is so much more than we can understand. Jesus’ words here serve us well on Trinity Sunday because they show each of the three persons of the Triune God working together as the one God does. Three persons. One God. Do you have any idea how many words have been penned by different Bible scholars trying to explain how the one true God is three persons and yet only one God? Throughout its history the church has been troubled anytime someone went too far in trying to explain things. Open your hymnals to pages 132-133. There you will find the Athanasian Creed. Because of its length we rarely use it in church. Sometimes we do on Trinity Sunday. Read its history at the top. Look at how carefully the creed writers worked to proclaim clear Bible truth on the nature of God, saying enough, but not saying too much. All of these troubles come because man is trying to understand God, instead of realizing that the Triune God is so much more than we can understand. We can use pictures like the triangle, three angles but only one triangle. Take one away and the shape does not exist. Some have suggested the apple. It has the skin or peel of the apple, the flesh of the apple, the core or seeds of the apple but it’s all apple. And I guess maybe that helps but it really doesn’t explain how the Father is God and the Son is God and Holy Spirit is God and the Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is not the Father but they are all God and God is one. Trying to understand this is like trying to pour the ocean into a bucket. It does not fit. God is so much greater, so much more than we can understand. He is not a made up god that we can grasp. He is God almighty. Holy. Holy. Holy. On this Trinity Sunday let the magnificence of God help you so that you don’t become so familiar with God that you lose your awe of Him. Let’s not try to understand God. Instead let’s stand under Him and praise Him for who He is. So much more than we can understand.

          And having so much more to bless us with now. That’s what Jesus told His disciples. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”  Remember the context. Jesus is with His disciples in the Upper Room. They are simply not ready to handle everything Jesus wanted them to know until after He had completed His mission. After he died, rose and ascended. Before that He lets them know He has so much more to bless them with. The things that belong to the Father He gave to the Son and the Holy Spirit would make them known. The Triune God would work to bless. And He did.

          Later when the Holy Spirit came on the disciples in a special way at Pentecost He gave them understanding that they lacked. As you follow the early Church history through the book of Acts you see how Jesus blessed the disciples with freedom as the Holy Spirit revealed Old Testament food laws no longer apply. The Spirit made it clear that Gentiles or non Jews were full members of the Church through faith in Jesus without having to put themselves under Old Testament law. We think of the teaching of Election by grace that the Spirit made known so clearly in the New Testament, or the revelation that our Resurrection bodies or glorified bodies or the comforting visions of Revelation to give confidence that no matter what the Devil or the world throw at Jesus and His Church Jesus wins. And when Jesus wins, the Church wins too. So much more to bless those disciples.

          And they are blessing to us too. In the big picture it’s really small but are you grilling for Memorial Day? Barbeque pork ribs maybe, or bacon wrapped filets, or a bacon cheddar cheeseburger? That believers can eat any pork product is because the Holy Spirit revealed that Old Testament food laws no longer apply. But now let’s think of important things. Like justification by faith and how clear the Holy Spirit has made that truth in New Testament times. How blessed we are to keep living life in the freedom of the Gospel, knowing our many sins are already forgiven. Being able to obey God’s commands not out of fear and hoping we are doing enough to get to heaven but out of love and thankfulness. How blessed we are to live on this side of Good Friday and Easter so we get to have Resurrection faith and be optimistic always because we know now that in all things God is working for our good. All of these blessings we now know were these things that belonged to the Father who put them in the care of the Son and the Holy Spirit made them known and had them written down in the Bible. So much more to bless us with.

          And so much more is yet to come. Jesus told the disciples, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” Jesus’ disciples actually went through this twice. The next day Jesus was crucified and they didn’t see Him for a little while. Then Jesus rose again and they saw Him again. Then Jesus ascended into heaven and they didn’t see Him for a while. Then they died and went to heaven and see Him. There they see Him and so much more. They see each other and the prophets and souls Jesus had them minister to. They see the angels and the Lord face to face. All this and so much more.

          Brothers and sisters because of our Triune God this so much more is yet to come for us too. We have not yet gotten to see Jesus but in a “little while” we will. Because God the Father made us and took care of us and because God the Son redeemed us by His blood shed and the cross and because God the Holy Spirit brought us to faith and keeps us in faith when the end of the world comes or God ends our earthly life by beginning our heavenly one we will see the so much more that is yet to come. We will see Jesus’ disciples and the prophets. We will see the angels and join them in worshiping Jesus. We will see all of our loved ones who believed who died before us. We will see God. Will we finally understand the Trinity? I don’t know and we won’t care because we will be enjoying all the blessings I mentioned and so much more.

          Willy Wonka? Great movie amongst many movies. Triune God? Great and only God. Holy, holy, holy is His name. That and so much more. And we get His blessings. God is good! Amen.

CONFIRMATION May 18-20, 2012 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Psalm 119:73

CONFIRMATION

May 18-20, 2012

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Psalm 119:73

“A CONFIRMATION PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT”

1.     Thank you.

2.     Please.

Psalm 119:73 (NIV 1984) “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.”

          Mind your manners! Please and thank you. How many times have you heard that or said that? Manners are important and so parents spend quite a bit of time teaching their children manners and demanding their use. In Confirmation Class I reminded the students that one of the keys to success in the adult world is using manners. That was emphasized again by a recent news report showing college grads going to etiquette classes to try to give them a leg up in landing a job. Yes, manners are important. But not just in interactions with other people. They are important in our relationship with God. Today we observe, celebrate, two very important milestones that are connected. In the Church Year today is Pentecost. It reminds us of the essential work and blessing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the person of God who works through the Gospel message to create faith and to strengthen faith in Jesus as Savior. On the St. Jacobi church schedule today is Confirmation Day. It’s the day when a new batch of communicant members is hatched as our 2013 Confirmation Class makes their vows and all current confirmed members renew them. They fit together nicely because only the Holy Spirit can enable us to make and keep the promise to be faithful to Jesus even if it means dying. With the Holy Spirit it’s good to mind your manners—only with Him it’s thank you, then please. Psalm 119:73 then serves as our Confirmation Prayer to the Holy Spirit on the Day of  Pentecost.

          Our prayer starts with a “Thank You” to the Holy Spirit. What for? Psalm 119 verse 73 tells us. “Your hands made me and formed me.” First we thank the Holy Spirit for making us. He made us in our mother’s wombs. Only God can give life. We’ve heard some pretty horrific things in the news lately about the murder of babies in their mother’s wombs and outside of their mothers’ wombs. The horror is greater for believers than the rest of Americans who don’t acknowledge God because we see the Lord’s work being ruined. Scripture tells us that the Spirit made us. Think about that. When you were growing and developing in your mother’s womb the Holy Spirit was at work. There He was giving to you all your physical characteristics, what you would look like, the abilities and personality you would have. God was so interested in you that He didn’t just mass produce or clone you but made you individually.

          That’s neat and something to treasure. It reminds us to resist that nasty sinful nature habit we have of comparing ourselves to others. We wish we were as tall as that person, as thin as that person, as strong as that person. We wish we could sing like that person, play like that person, do the things that they can do. All of that robs us of joy and thankfulness to the one who made us. The Holy Spirit has all wisdom and He made you just how you are supposed to be. He put together the right physical and emotional make up and the right abilities. You are made by the hands of God so you have the right to be happy and thankful and feel good about yourself because of what the Holy Spirit has done. With me you can say, “I am right heighted, right sized and right gifted. Thank you Holy Spirit for making me.

          Thank you Holy Spirit for forming me. This makes us think about the Holy Spirit’s work during our lives so far. He formed us into believers at our Baptism. He’s been forming us and reforming throughout our lives and He has guided our steps and directed us through God’s Word. A recent devotion at the regular faculty devotion held every morning used a great picture to make a point. It told the story of a man who had found a cocoon. Seeing the moth inside struggle to get out the man thought to help by opening the cocoon. But when the moth came out its wings were too small and its body too large. It was not fully formed. It wasn’t strong enough. He should have left things to God’s timing who was using the moth’s struggles to strengthen it for its later life. The Holy Spirit does similar things in life with us. It’s easy to be thankful to the Lord for our successes and for when things go our way. We need to learn to be thankful also for our struggles and trials and realize that the all wise God knows what He is doing. When the door to something you desire closes in your face it might hurt at the time but it closes at God’s command as He forms us. Ill timed accidents or injuries are not ill timed at all. It just seems that way to us but the Holy Spirit is using those things to form us. We need to trust the Holy Spirit to form us or reform us through the struggles so that whether we have easy times or hard we say “Thank you” to the Holy Spirit for what He has done to form us.

          But now it’s time to go on with “Please.” You say please when you are asking for something. What would it be good for us to ask the Holy Spirit for on Confirmation and Pentecost? The Psalmist provides us with a good prayer, “Give me understanding to learn your commands.” First we ask the Lord to please give us understanding of His word. Scripture plainly tells us that the man without the Holy Spirit cannot understand the things that come from the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned. Without the Holy Spirit all of the Bible’s teachings appear as foolishness. It’s like reading someone else’s love letter. You can see what it says but there’s no meaning to it. On this Confirmation/Pentecost Day we admit our spiritual helplessness apart from the Holy Spirit. We pray for Him to give us understanding when we read God’s Word.

          And to give us the ability to learn His commands. Confirmation is a special day. Think back to your own. The opportunity to publicly confess faith in Jesus, to promise to be faithful to Him. That’s awesome! The white robes we use picture the white robes described in the book of Revelation. People who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. It’s great to have this special ceremony day. But what is actually more important than Confirmation Day is all the learning that took place to get here. You spent years in the Holy Spirit’s workshop before you get to Confirmation Day. You need to continue to spend years in the Holy Spirit’s workshop. Pentecost reminds us that the need for the Holy Spirit is ongoing. He is not one and done. We pray to the Holy Spirit then to give us wisdom to keep learning God’s commands.

          But not just to learn them. We want to obey them. That’s also in our Confirmation/Pentecost prayer to the Holy Spirit. To learn without obeying is foolishness. This is how God put it in the book of James.  ^“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” Did you hear that? God wants to bless us. His perfect commands summarized by the Ten Commandments don’t enslave us but free us from serving self and sin. Once again we need the Holy Spirit. Only with Him working in our hearts will we have the ability to follow God’s commands. He reminds us of God’s great love for us in Jesus. He helps us appreciate the gift of forgiveness won by the blood of Jesus Christ so we want to thank God with holy living.

          I hope by now you’ve gotten the impression that the Holy Spirit is necessary. Think back to Pentecost. You had disciples of Jesus who were fearful for their future. You had disciples of Jesus who still had their minds on an earthly kingdom. Then the day of Pentecost comes. They become bold and courageous in their faithfulness to Jesus. They are fixated on the heavenly goal. The count trouble and trial as a joy they get to experience for Jesus. They have gifts and abilities they never had before. What gives? What changed? The presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Dear people that same Holy Spirit is there for you. He is present every time the holy word of God is proclaimed, heard, studied, read. On this day we proclaim our faithfulness to Jesus. Keeping that promise is only possible with the presence and help of the Holy Spirit. Seek Him daily and mind your manners. Please and thank you. Or in this case. Thank you and please. Amen.

May 12th, 2012

May 12^th, 2013

REVELATION 22:12-2112 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

GOD WRAPS UP HIS LOVE STORY

I.  He ties things together nicely.

II.  His ending is only the beginning.

In the name of Jesus, who is coming soon, dear fellow redeemed children of God;

     It is always a good idea to proofread your letters to your sweet heart.  It seems pretty easy for an a to sneak in for an e and you end up with a sweatie rather  than a  sweetie or an “I love you, Sweat heart” when you meant “sweet heart.”   Letters are not always so easy to wrap up anyway.  Sometime they end too abruptly with an “”I gotta run.”  Other time they might drone on and on a little or end with “Well I don’t have much else.”  Today in this part of God’s Word, we have the closing words of the Bible.  God wraps up His love story.  I.  He ties things up nicely.  II His ending is only the beginning.

      God gave the vision in the Book of Revelation to the Apostle John who was the leader of a group of people who were dealing with matters of life and death.  John was living in exile ore preaching about Jesus and Christians were being persecuted and would be put to death for refusing to renounce their faith.   Jesus  wanted to encourage the people to hang in there because Jesus always wins.  With matters as important as heaven and hell, you don’t want any loose ends.   He closes the Bible with a warning about not changing his book, the Bible.   “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:  If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  And if anyone takes away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book.”  As God wraps up his love story in His Word,  He ties things together nicely. 

     Remember that the angels on Ascension Day told the disciples that Jesus would come back “in the same way they had seen him go into heaven.”  One of the things God ties together is the question of Jesus not returning yet .  In Peter’s day people were struggling with this too.  Sometimes we get a little bit impatient as we wait for Jesus’ return.  God gives us an insight through the Apostle Peter, who could sometimes be very impatient, into why Jesus has not returned yet.  “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

      In the last few weeks, the most commonly asked question in our part of the country has been “when will the warm weather get here?”  All we can say is “soon.”  But the warm weather will come at exactly the time when God knows it is best for it to come.  We are getting sort of tired of winter.  Sometimes when we look around at the world we live in, we get tired out.  We see the outbreaks of violence and the anger all around us and even sometimes in our own families and we ask the question, “When is Jesus going to get here?”  Jesus assures us in his word that this world is not going to last forever.  He is coming back soon.  “Behold I am coming soon.” 

     Some might scoff and say that  Jesus has left some loose ends.  They might think that he has forgotten about us or that he is unable to return.  Jesus answers that concern when he says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”    The comforting thing about Jesus is that he never changes.  If Jesus were giving examples from the english alphabet, he would be saying, ”I am the A and the Z.”  Our Savior is eternal.  Time does not change him or his promises.  The Bible tells us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”  In other words when he says he is coming back, He is coming back. 

     “My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”  Jesus tells us what the reward is that he is bringing with him earlier in the Book of Revelation when he says, “Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you a crown of life.”  At first Jesus’ words of giving to everyone according to what they have done might be frightening for sinful people like me and you.  Think back upon your life, even this last week.  If your life has been anything like mine, it has been a week where we botched things up with one sin upon another.  And last week was no better than the week before that and the week before that.  The thought of Jesus coming soon and giving me exactly what I deserve for my sins is terrifying.  But Jesus comforts us by explaining what he means, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.”  All of us should be excluded from heaven because of our sins.  But our Savior Jesus washed all of our sins away along with the sins of the world when he died on the cross.  By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit has brought us to cling to the Savior Jesus in faith.  The Holy Spirit has brought us to look for Jesus who is coming soon to take us home to heaven.

     I ran across a passage in the Psalms this week that fits so well the world we live in.  “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”  In this world where evil people seem to be getting ahead and winning all the time, Jesus ties things up for us   “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters  and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”  Those who push Jesus aside to grab onto and hold tight to and glory in the wickedness will not have the last word. 

     Right before that passage in Psalm 12 that mentions the wicked strutting about, it tells about how God will keep His people safe.  Yes on the day when Jesus returns, the heavens and earth will pass away.  The world as we know it will be destroyed.  But because of Jesus that end will really be just the beginning for us. 

        Jesus put his stamp of approval or his guarantee on the Book of Revelation and the whole Bible when he says, “I Jesus have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.”  Then Jesus goes on to describe himself.  “I am the Root and the Offspring of David and the Bright Morning Star.”  Jesus identifies himself as the Savior who has won salvation for us and as the Bright morning star will soon return to take us home to heaven.

     Jesus’ promise that he is coming soon draws a wonderful response.  “The Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”  Whoever is thirsty, let him come and whoever wishes let him take from the free gift of the water of life.”  No matter what happens in your lives ahead, don’t forget Jesus invitation for our thirsty souls, Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy ladened and I will give you rest.  When the devil tries to drive you into the ground of despair remember that Jesus’ water of  forgiveness  flows for you and it is free. 

      This week one of the Milwaukee TV stations did a follow up story about a group of nuns who participated in a study on aging.  One of the things learned in that study was that a person’s outlook on life can have a lot to do with a healthy brain later in life.  In other words it is good to be an optimistic person.  Jesus makes clear that as his followers we can be optimistic about the future.  Christ has died, Christ has risen Christ will come again. 

     Do you feel like a “sweatie” some days?  God loves you.  Take a look at His love story.  Jesus is coming soon.  Jesus assures us of that fact, “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes I am coming soon.”  John responds like all of us respond, “Amen.  Come Lord Jesus.”  

May 9, 2013 ASCENSION Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Psalm 47

May 9, 2013

ASCENSION

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Psalm 47

“JESUS’ ASCENSION IS PSALM-THING TO CELEBRATE!”

1.     We celebrates what He has done.

2.     We celebrate what He is doing.

Psalm 47 “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. ² How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth. ³ He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. ⁴ He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. ⁵ God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.⁸ God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. ⁹ The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.”

          It seems to be one of the paradoxes of the Christian faith. We celebrate Jesus’ Ascension into heaven. We celebrate the fact that Jesus visibly leaves us. Shouldn’t that be something that makes us sad? Wouldn’t it have been better for Jesus to visibly stay here on earth? No, not from what God tells us in the Word. Think of Jesus’ Ascension like the gold winner at the Olympics ascending the podium to receive his reward. Think of Jesus’ Ascension like a small town’s favorite son leaving to become the ruler of the most powerful nation on earth. Jesus’ Ascension is something to celebrate. It was prophesied as something to celebrate in Psalm 47 so today we look at Jesus’ Ascension as Psalm-thing to celebrate.

          Psalm 47:1 says, “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” You heard the Lord. Let’s celebrate Jesus’ Ascension. Back then as now clapping and hooting and hollering were ways of celebrating. We do that when our teams win or we see a good play. Why did the Psalmist have us celebrating? “How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth. ³ He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. ⁴ He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.” First we celebrate what Jesus has done. He is the King over all the earth. He subdued nations. One job that Old Testament kings had was to protect their people from their enemies. Psalm 47 celebrated the nations or enemies being subdued.

          Jesus did that for us and His Ascension is proof. All the confirmands who are getting ready for Examination this Sunday know very well the enemies we have. Do you? The Devil, the world, our own sinful nature holding over us the control of sin, death and the power of the Devil. Jesus subdued or beat them for us. His perfect life, His death on the cross beat them and beat them bad. Now the Devil is a defeated enemy. Sure he is still around. He still tempts us but we can say No to him resist him and he has to flee. When he accuses us before God, he finds the evidence of our sin has disappeared, wiped away by the blood of Jesus. Yes, the unbelieving world is still there, it still pressures us to sin and conform to it. It still demonizes Christians who hold to Bible teaching as unloving and intolerant, but it won’t last. It will pass and on the last day all the unbelievers will have to acknowledge that we were right. They will hold on to our feet begging us to take them with them. Our sinful nature? That too is a part of us. But because Jesus has paid for our sins the weakness we have does not matter and we are renewed in Christ to fight it. Death become something to embrace and look forward to as our sinful nature gets removed from us for good and the gate to heaven  opens wide. That’s the inheritance Jesus has chosen for us and won for us. How do we know? Jesus ascended. Visible proof that His work is here is done. That makes Jesus’ Ascension is Psalm thing to celebrate. We celebrate what He has done.

          We celebrate what He is doing.  “God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. ⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.⁷ For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.⁸ God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. ⁹ The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.” Jesus’ Ascension is Psalm thing to celebrate because of what He is doing. Psalm 47 reminds us that Jesus is not just a king but the King. What is it that kings do but rule. Who is it that Jesus rules but the nations. We confess that truth every time we say the Apostles’ Creed. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. As you heard in the Ephesians readings Jesus seated at the right hand means He is ruling all things for the good of His church believers. Hold on to that truth, remember it when your trust is challenged. It was true for the Christians living in Rome as they saw their government and people become more and more morally corrupt. Jesus was ruling and had plans to spread His Gospel. It was true for Lutheran living in Germany at the time of the Prussian Union when their king tried to forcibly change religious beliefs with the result that many of those Bible believing Christians emigrated to America and brought confessional Lutheranism here. It’s still true as we watch our nation’s moral erosion and growing anti Christian sentiment. Jesus is ruling and the measure of our faith is that we believe this not when things look good for us but especially when they start looking bad.

          Before Jesus ascended He spoke the word we sang a short time ago. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid. Trust in God. Trust also in me.” A little later He told them, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled. Do not be afraid. Then He let the disciples see troubling things like His betrayal, His arrest, His death. They were troubled. They were afraid. But they didn’t need to be. Jesus was in control. He gave His life. He rose again. He ascended to rule all things and He is doing just that. What’s bothering you? What’s got you worried? Do not let your heart be troubled. Do not be afraid, says your ascended Lord Jesus. He is ruling all things. We celebrate what Jesus is doing.

          Jesus’ Ascension is Psalm thing to celebrate. Wouldn‘t it have been better for Him to visibly stay here? No. Would we believe then His promise in Communion that we receive His body and blood? Probably not. Would we believe His promise to be with us always if we knew He had a house in Bethlehem or Nazareth? I kind of doubt it. Would we trust ourselves to do the work He have us to do when we know He is so much better. I don’t think so. Thankfully none of that matters because Jesus did ascend and that is Psalm thing to celebrate. Amen.