Risen to Return Acts 1:1-11

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God, our Father, and our risen and ascended Lord, Jesus Christ.

Risen to Return, is our message today, taken from Luke’s account of our Lord’s Ascension in Acts 1:1-11.

In the first book, O Theophilus, (that would be the Gospel of Luke) I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (and that would happen on Pentecost).

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Jesus is risen to ascend and to return!

These opening verses of Acts, are a more detailed account of Jesus’ ascension than in Luke’s Gospel. In Luke 24:50-53, he writes…

And he (Jesus) led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. 

Matthew tells us about Jesus’ ascension in chapter 28:16-20. He focuses on the mission Jesus gave His disciples, rather than on His physical ascension, as Luke does.

Matthew writes: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 

And then Matthew tells us what the blessing was that Jesus gave to His disciples, which Luke alludes to. 

He promised them: And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Indeed, for certain, I will always be with you, until I return, and then you will see me again. 

For now, even though you can’t see me, you can be sure that I am always with you, loving and helping you.

And you can be sure that I will return to you, because that’s what I rose and ascended to do. 

Jesus died to forgive us, He rose to save us, He ascended to rule over heaven and earth for us, and He will return to bring us home, to where we belong.

And so as we sing in the hymn: I’m but a Stranger here, Heaven is My Home. 

Although, in a sense, we’re strangers here on earth, although Heaven is our true and eternal home…

… even so, Jesus gives us a task to complete here on earth, a purpose to have, and a mission to fulfill.

Yes, we are strangers here, but that doesn’t mean our life here has no purpose, or that we have nothing meaningful here to do.

If our life here had no godly purpose, if there was no way for us to serve God here on earth, then He would have taken us right up into Heaven when we were baptized.

But He didn’t. He didn’t because He wants us here. He wants us here, because He has ascended… and has delegated His ministry on earth to us. 

Now we’re His servants, His ambassadors representing Him, His witnesses to the world, and it’s an honor and joy to be so.

We’re His hands and feet to serve the world… we’re His voice to proclaim His truth and love, His salvation and abundant blessings to the world…

We’re His servants to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to believe and obey and put into practice all that Jesus teaches us in His Word.

As He said in today’s Gospel: Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth.

We’re here to love each other in truth, as Christ loves us, and to abide in His love, as we heard last Sunday, Easter Children Abide in God’s Love.

Jesus tells us John 15, If you keep My commandments, you will abide in my love… This is My commandment, that you love each other as I have loved you. 

As we live and serve Christ on earth until He returns, or takes our soul to be with Him in Heaven, whichever comes first, as we wait, He gives us commandments to keep, love to abide in, and family to be a part of…

… the family of His Church, our spiritual family, for us love and care and help and pray for.

And He gives us the love of our earthly family.

On this Mother’s Day, we thank God for that special love of a mother for her children, and the love and gratitude of children for their mother.

As we wait for our Lord’s glorious return, how much more blessed we are, to have this precious gift from God of family, family love...

… the love of a mother, and a father, and a son and a daughter, patterned after the love of Christ.

As Paul says in Ephesians 5, Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for her.

With such a deep and abiding love, may we love our dear family God has given us.

Our families aren’t perfect, and in weakness we sometimes sin against each other… children against parents, parents against children, spouse against spouse… sibling against sibling… 

… but we have a word from God, and a plea to repent and confess our sins against Him and others, to take responsibility for our wrong-doing…

… and receive His grace that restores our relationship with Him, and with our family, and friends, and neighbors, and co-workers, and others.

Jesus rose that we might be forgiven, saved and reconciled, to God and to each other.

And He ascended to bless us with abundant, godly love from above, the love of Christ to have and share and show until He returns, which He surely will, because that’s what He rose and ascended to do.

Until then He will be with us, always.

And so may we serve Him here on earth, in truth and love, until we serve Him in glory and joy forever. 

And as we abide and serve in His love, His peace, which passes understanding, will guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, our risen and ascended Lord, who loves us, will return for us, and is with us always. Amen.e has ascnhhhas