SERMON -- THE ASCENSION

THE LORD'S ASCENSION CESM SERMON Sunday May 17, 2020

WELCOME NOTES Hello everyone on this Lord's day. Thank-you for permitting this tiny ministry to bring the GLORY of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ to you as citizens of the SENIOR COMMUNITY. Before we begin our service today, here are a few admin notes pointing the direction we plan on taking as summer approaches. This is Ascension week and will be the topic of today's sermon. Next week, Lord Willing, we will do a special service for Memorial Day. Please don't miss this as we honor all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, coastguards men and Marines who paid the ultimate price in defense of this wonderful nation. The last sermon of May will be devoted to the Pentecost. Starting in June, if the Lord so blesses, we will begin a sixteen week study of the Attributes of God! That will take us to October unless the Lord directs us otherwise. SO! There you have the plan. Of course, it is the Lord's place to edit or change should He desire. Praise You Father, Praise You Jesus, Praise You Holy Spirit!

CALL TO WORSHIP On this Lord's day welcome all of those who have ears to hear our humble worship of the The Father of all creation, The Son of Salvation and the Holy Spirit of promise! We read in Pro 16:1-3  The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.  (2)  All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.  (3)  Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established. JOIN US NOW as we lift our voices in songs of PRAISE: [CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS and ROCK OF AGES]: {Q}

Thank-you Lord God for receiving our voices in Your praise and in Your glory. Search our hearts and find the deep love and Awe we have for the FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, Amen.

SERMON SYNOPSIS Out of sight, out of mind. This is sometimes a very problematic expression for Christians or those who wish to be Christians. As long as Jesus was visible and in the flesh and walked amongst us here on the earth, it was far easier to believe. Once the badly beaten and naked body of Jesus was removed from the cross, having died just as the two who hung with Him did, His body was buried and no longer seen. Humans were quick to forget. The Resurrection and the subsequent ascension into heaven 40 days later is a vital part of the continuing miracle of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Son of God. The Ascension is, dearly beloved, is....."The REST OF THE STORY"!

OPENING PRAYER Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, on this Lord's day, I pray thee to empty this vessel called my body. Empty me of me, and fill this vessel to the brim with Your TRUTH through YOUR WORD in Holy Scripture. Just as You spoke to Thomas when he doubted that You were truly alive, Your words comforted him, and blessings for others who believe WITHOUT SEEING YOU. Open our eyes and souls to knowing that You are actively interceding for us from Your throne at the Right had of the Father, and that soon, You will physically return to establish Your Kingdom on Earth. O Come quickly, Mighty Lord, Come quickly, Amen and AMEN!

SERMON The birth of Jesus was miraculous. So too was His ministry, fully man, fully GOD! Healing the blind, the deaf, raising the dead, all AWE inspiring. The ressurrection on that Sunday morning, the FIRST day of the week long ago, and His appearing to hundreds and hundreds over the next 40 days. Then came the ascension; being bodily raised up into the sky to the Kingdom of His father and our Father in Heaven, taking His seat on the throne to the right hand of God. All authority in heaven and on earth now resting in His power.

Act 1:6-12  So when they {the disciples} had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"  (7)  He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;  (8)  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  (9)  And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  (10)  And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.  (11)  They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."  (12)  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.

As the eleven walked along on their return, they recalled that Sunday evening when the RISEN Christ called on them behind locked and bolted doors:

Joh 20:19-22  So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, "Peace be with you."  (20)  And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  (21)  So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."  (22)  And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Thomas, called Didymus was not with the ten this night and was not witness to this first appearance to the group. He would later have opportunity to not only see the resurrected Jesus, but lay hands on Him Joh 20:27-28  Then He *said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."  (28)  Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" The Lord Jesus responded in Joh 20:29  ... "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

This remarkable exchange between Thomas and His savior would mirror similiar responses over the course of the next 2,000 PLUS years! Precious souls coming to the realization that JESUS IS --IN FACT--THE LORD, and despite not seeing Him in person, in the FLESH, they believe totally and completely in the Promise uttered by the very Son of GOD! Rom 10:9  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

In the moments before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples and He gathered on the mountain top. Mat 28:18-20  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  (19)  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

The ascension of Christ to the right hand of God in heaven places Jesus on His throne interceding for His church. We are His church. He is preparing for His return and to establish His kingdom and eventually to Judge those who will appear before the Great White Throne in the final judgement. His promise to those left behind on earth, to deliver to them the Holy Spirit, that Spirit to reside in them for the balance of their days would come to them at the Pentecost, now days away. He instructed them to return to Jerusalem, waiting on the Lord to fulfill this promise. We will likewise be prepared to share with you here gathered, the delivery of the Holy Spirit the last Sunday of this month, May 31st.

SUMMARY Through out the 66 books of the Holy Bible, the unmistakable cable of Jesus is ever present from the very first verse of Genesis to the last AMEN that ends the Revelation of Jesus Christ. That cable runs absolutely true, never drooping or listing to the left or the right, but traveling absolutey straight without deviation or compromise. This ascension into heaven is yet a stepping stone to our eternity in the presence of He who created us.

CLOSING PRAYER O Lord God, Almighty Sovereign, thank-You for blessing us with Your truth, Your encouragement in the promise of that which is unfolding right before our very eyes. We LOVE YOU, Jesus, the more we learn of You, the greater the hunger we have to know even more. Give us, O Father, the needed patience and stamina to weather all storms that may come our way, and to rest on You as we come through this Covid-19 pestilence. We LOVE You because You first loved us, and continue this very day. Praise You, AMEN

BENEDICTION AND CLOSE Eph 6:23-24  Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (24)  Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.

HAVE YOU READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY?

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