May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (Luke 24:50-53)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: In the Apostles' Creed we say, I believe... What does it mean to believe, to believe in God? Certainly you would agree that it is much more than to just know about God. The Bible tells us that even Satan believes in God in that way. To believe is to know about God but much, much more. To believe in God means to accept what he says of himself and his created world in Holy Scriptures. To believe means to trust what he says about his love for us and that he has saved us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Today one of the main truths of Scripture included in the Apostles' Creed is before us-that of Christ's Ascension. Among other things that God tells us in the Bible we believe-we know, accept and trust-in Jesus Christ who ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. Let us explore this truth and see how it affects us. I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST...ASCENDED.

He entered heaven. It was 40 days after Easter. For over a month Jesus had been appearing among his disciples giving overwhelming proof that he was truly alive. And then one day Jesus led his disciples out toward Bethany. This was a familiar place, full of memories for Jesus and the disciples. It was just a little cluster of homes, less than a mile outside Jerusalem. It was here that the crowds of Palm Sunday had started lining up stretching all the way into the city shouting, Hosanna! It was near here, in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Lord in agony had prayed 43 days earlier as his bloody sweat fell to the ground. Now he led his disciples out toward this familiar and memorable place this time for his glorious ascension.

The Bible tells us that there on the way out of Jerusalem going toward Bethany Jesus lifted up his hands to bless his believers. And as he was speaking that blessing his body began to rise up, off the ground. Luke tells us in this Gospel that Jesus was taken up into heaven. Later in Acts Luke provides this detail that a cloud or fog moved in and then Jesus was hidden from their sight. He had ascended.

Why? Why in this fashion? Jesus had come at the Father's command to save the world from sin. He left now, because his task demanding his visible presence was finished. He had been the world's High Priest, offering himself up as the atoning sacrifice for sin. He had been the world's great King, defeating Satan and sin and rescuing sinners from hell. He had been the great Prophet, God himself bringing the Good News of forgiveness of sins to the world. Now his work took on a new phase of activity that did not demand his visible presence. For this new phase of work he ascends in glory. No longer would the GodMan be confined by space and time as when he willingly came to earth born of woman, walking, talking, living, dying, rising. Now these earthly limitations are left behind. And his special mode of leaving-ascending visibly before the disciples-gave them this sense of victorious closer. No longer did they look for him or expect him to appear as he had over the last month. Now they waited only for his final return in the end. And as they waited his words hummed in their ears-I am with you always. Their eyes could not see him, but their hearts believed-knew, accepted and trusted-that Jesus, the GodMan, was truly with them.

We hear that the disciples were filled with joy at the ascension. That shows us that this was far different than when we say, See you soon, to a Christian friend at a funeral or grave. There was no pain of separation, for there was no separation, only loss of seeing Jesus. And the disciple knew this was not a sad day, but a happy day as when a long and difficult project has been completed and now the finished project is to be enjoyed. They did not say, Goodbye, but worshipped him who had been seated far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:20) And we join those early disciples today in joyfully worshipping Jesus Christ Ascended.

He sits at God's right hand for us. We join them today in worshipping the Ascended Lord because they and we benefit from his continuing service to us. We say in the Creed, I believe in Jesus Christ...ascended...seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. The right hand of God is not a place; it is a position, a job, an important task of power and responsibility. To be seated at God's right hand is, as the Epistle says, to have all things under his feet and [and to be] appointed [as] head over everything for the church (Ephesians 1:22).

Jesus' work at God's right hand is a continuation of his work as Priest, King and Prophet. At God's right hand Christ is our priest. No sacrifice is left after Calvary, but still the work of Mediator continues. He speaks to the Father in our defense and sanctifies us so that our prayers reach God's ears as the cries of a child reach a father's ear. There, Christ is our King. Satan and sin are defeated, but still Jesus rules defending us against temptation, ruling all the world for the good of his believers, and ruling the hearts and minds of Christians. There, Christ is Prophet. He sends the Holy Spirit who speaks through the Scriptures convicting and convincing, bringing to repentance and working faith in the forgiveness of Christ.

We join the disciples in joyful worship because Christ has ascended and still he is with you and me. How vain is all opposition to him! My enemies will continue to meet their downfall, because Christ is my ascended Lord. How glorious is his domain! There is no place outside his rule. If I am locked away, secluded, still my ascended Lord can easily reach me. If I am hurt by others or circumstances, he still rules all and I am safe since he is ruling for my good. If no one seems to hear me, still he does and intercedes for me at the Father's throne.