Jesus was not the first man to ascend into heaven. As we heard in our office hymn this evening, a man named Enoch was translated into heaven. As Genesis tells us, after walking with God for 365 years this great-grandfather of Noah then was not, for God took him. Elijah also, as we heard in the Old Testament lesson, was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire. This greatest of the Old Testament prophets by the works God did through him was allowed to enter into heavenly glory without dying. So ascending into heaven is not new with Jesus. It’s definitely rare, but it had happened before. What makes Jesus’ Ascension different? Why do we celebrate it?

In our gospel lesson, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us very clear and precious promises concerning prayer. While the Gospel of St. John does not contain the Lord’s Prayer, as do Matthew and Luke, Jesus speaks in detail about the work of the Holy Spirit in prayer after His own resurrection and ascension. Think of these words of Jesus along with the Lord’s Prayer, that prayer He gave to us, the perfect prayer which asks for all things that we will need from God.

The Christian life means a life lived in dependence on Christ, who gives us the Helper, the Holy Spirit. This is what our epistle lesson from James teaches us today. This is good to know not only for those new to the church, as Dan, who will be confirmed today, or those who return like Penny, who will be received by confession of faith. This work of the Holy Spirit is begun at the baptism of all Christians. It is strengthened and fed as the Holy Spirit works through the Word of the Gospel and the Lord’s Supper.

Something you may have wondered now in the Easter season is why we so quickly in our gospel readings move from the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection to words that He spoke before the resurrection. The women at the tomb make sense, the appearance to the twelve and Thomas make sense, but what does this teaching from before Jesus’ death have to do with Easter? Remember, the gospels are not a documentary or someone taking play-by-play notes of Jesus’ life. The Gospel of John and the other gospels were written after the resurrection. All of these gospels speak of the empty tomb, but tell us not to linger there. For the empty tomb is just the sign. The power of the resurrection comes to us in the forgiveness of sins through the Word of God.

Five hundred years ago today, April 18, 1521, also Misericordias Domini, the Third Sunday of Easter, Martin Luther made his “here I stand” statement. At the Diet of Worms, Luther confessed before the bishops, princes, and emperor that he would not take back any of his writings or teaching about justification by grace alone through faith alone unless he was shown his error by clear scripture. He heroically stood firm with the confession of scripture, God’s Word, even when many powerful men were against him and his life was on the line. As a result of this, the true gospel of Christ’s work alone for our salvation continued to be preached even to this day.

Alleluia. Christ is risen!

John always has a theological point he is trying to make in his gospel. One of John’s trademarks that the other gospel writers don’t do is to jump in and “take the mic” so to speak in order to explain the significance of what he is describing. Jesus will say “destroy this temple and I will build it in three days” and John will jump in and explain: he means the temple of His body. He does the same in this lesson. Here the sum of what Easter means, your salvation, is expressed in the words “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

Hear the words of David from Psalm 30: “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:4-5). This is most true on this morning, Easter morning.

King David, from his palace in Jerusalem, heard that his eldest son, Absalom, had betrayed him. Angry with his father, Absalom had raised up many supporters for his own kingship and the people of Israel turned from David. Hearing reports of Absalom coming to Jerusalem, David had no choice but to leave. Leaving the city, David crossed the brook Kidron with his household and loyal foreign troops, and his loyal people wept as he left. He went up the mount of Olives and prayed that the Lord would restore him and turn the counsel of those who betrayed him for Absalom to foolishness. The Lord would vindicate David and return his kingdom to him, at the cost of his son.

Passion of Our Lord according to Saint John, read at noon Good Friday service, April 2, 2021. From the English Standard Version.

Memorials are an important part of our lives. It is not an exaggeration to say that the practice of gathering to remember, to memorialize things has been devastated in the past year. Perhaps this has helped you to realize how important these gatherings are in your life. These range from the common and personal, like birthdays, to one-time and personal, like funerals, to the community-wide events, like Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. Without these remembrances you can feel disconnected from time and history, the rhythm is life is lost and becomes a little more dull. Memorials focus you on something outside of yourself. Even a birthday remembers an act that was completely performed without your input.