Beloved in the Lord,
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, alleluia!
This past Thursday, the Church marked the Ascension of our Lord, a moment that is often times overlooked, yet so rich with meaning.
The thing is it’s not a footnote in the life of Christ. It’s one of the most profound events in all of Scripture. And as we move through the days that follow, I don’t want us to treat it as just another day on the Church calendar, slipping past us. Because what happened on that mountaintop in Galilee was not the end of the story. It was the continuation of Christ’s mission, through His Church, through His Word, and through His presence.
Mark, Luke, and Acts all record the Ascension directly. Luke, in particular, paints the scene clearly: Christ lifting His hands in blessing, and as He blesses, He is carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:50–51; Acts 1:9–11)
Matthew, on the other hand, ends his Gospel differently. He doesn’t describe Christ rising into the clouds. Instead, he gives us the words of Jesus that are central to understanding what the Ascension means for us here and now: “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 behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” (Matt. 28:18–20)
And that’s why I want to focus on Matthew’s account. Because what he gives us is not so much the how of Christ’s Ascension, but the why. He shows us that the Ascension is not about Christ’s absence. It’s about His authority. It’s not about distance. It’s about presence. It’s about the risen Lord reigning over all things, and yet still with us, just as He promised.
This promise, those words of Christ: “I am with you always, to the end of the age”, they are just so beautiful. They are so precious. They are the very heart of our comfort and our calling.
The risen Christ, the Savior of the Nations who has conquered death and crushed the power of the grave, isn’t far off. He is present with His Church. He rules with all authority in heaven and on earth, and He exercises that authority not in some distant, detached way. He does it for us. He does it for you. He rules with all authority in heaven and on earth for His people, for His mission.
This means that we’re not alone. It means that your faith is not anchored in how you feel, or in the changing tides of the world, or the shifting sands of our culture, and the spirit of our age. It is anchored in the unshakable reality that Christ is alive, Christ is reigning, and Christ is with us. Even now.
It means that when His Word is opened, the voice of the Good Shepherd is still speaking. It means that in the water of Baptism, the risen Lord is still naming and claiming His own. It means that at the altar, He still feeds us with His very body and blood for the remission of sins. The Savior who ascended has not withdrawn. He is working through the very means He has given to strengthen your faith, forgive your sin, and draw you near.
And that means that this world, for all its uncertainty, is not spinning out of control.
The Ascension means that Christ is on the throne. Governments rise and fall, troubles come and go, but His authority remains. The Savior who gave His life for you is the King who now governs all things for the sake of His Church. (Eph. 1:20–23) Nothing escapes His rule. Nothing lies beyond His care. And because of that, we can live with a peace the world cannot give and a purpose the world cannot take.
It means that our lives matter. Every ordinary act of faithfulness, every quiet moment of prayer, every opportunity to love our neighbor, to speak His name, to stand firm in His Word, and to walk in His truth, every act of worship given in awe and reverence matter.
These things are not small. They are lived expressions of the mission Christ has given to His Church. You are part of something far greater than yourself, not because you’re strong or capable, but because our Lord who is with you has all authority in heaven and on earth.
This is why we gather. This is why we worship. This is why we teach and baptize and preach and go. Because the ascended Christ is not finished working. He is present, active, and ruling. And He is still gathering His people, still building His Church, still calling hearts to faith through the Gospel, and still holding fast all who belong to Him.
So let’s live in that confidence. Let’s walk in that hope. Let’s remember that the Church is not powerless. Christ reigns. And He reigns for us. Not just in eternity, but here, now, today.
Let us pray that we would be faithful in the calling He has given us. Let us trust that He is near. And let us rejoice that we belong to the King who ascended, not to leave us, but to fill all things with His presence, His power, and His peace.
Lord, grant this unto us all
Now may the peace of the Lord that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus even unto life everlasting.
In Him,
Pastor Wyatt
