The Ascension of our Lord, May 13
The festival of Ascension celebrates an important event in the life of Jesus Christ and should be held in very high regard, like Good Friday and Easter. According to old church custom, as the Holy Gospel from Mark 16 is read on Ascension Day, there is a pause after this verse is read: “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.” The acolyte extinguishes the Easter candle, symbolizing the withdrawal of Jesus’ visible presence at His Ascension. Then the last verse of Mark’s Gospel concludes.
When worshipers return to the Divine Service on Sunday, the candle is moved from its place by the lectern to its normal place by the baptismal font, and it is not lighted. This symbolizes that Christ is still present with us in the Divine Service, but invisibly. His ascension has not removed Him but rather has secured His presence with His Church until the end of time. Because Christ reigns at God’s right hand (i.e., has all authority in heaven and earth as both God and man), He can now be with us in the flesh in Word and water and bread and wine. He is not at a distance. He is with us more closely than ever. His presence is not visible, but we are talking about the true presence of the living Christ.
His ascension means that:
- The exalted God-man, Christ our Prophet, sends forth workers to proclaim the saving Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:10-12; John 16:7).
- The exalted God-man, Christ our Priest, pleads and prays for us before the Father (Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1).
- The exalted God-man, Christ our King, rules and protects His Church and governs all the world, especially for the benefit of His Church (Ps. 110:1).
As with His birth, crucifixion, and resurrection, this mighty act of our Savior deserves our attention and our praise. We will celebrate it at Emmaus Lutheran Church with the Divine Service on Thursday, May 13, at 7:00 p.m. The children from our Emmaus Classical Homeschool Co-op will enrich the worship service with handbells and singing. Please come and join your voice in praise of Christ for His glorious ascension.
He has raised our human nature
On the clouds to God’s right hand;
There we sit in heav’nly places,
There with Him in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels;
Man with God is on the throne.
By our mighty Lord’s ascension
We by faith behold our own.
(Lutheran Service Book #494, stanza 5)