Ascension Day. Thursday, May 14, Service times: 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm

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1 Ascension Day Thursday, May 14, 2015 Service times: 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm Messiah Lutheran Church & School 2015 N Hastings Way, Eau Claire, WI ~ Affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Confession Pre-service Devotion: Acts 1: And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 7 And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Opening Hymn 212:1-5 A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing From the red Lutheran Hymnal Order of Service p. 22 in the Worship Supplement Psalm of the Day p. 30 in the Worship Supplement Epistle Reading: Philippians 2: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name

2 which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Gospel Reading: Luke 24: And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. Confession of Faith (Based on Article VIII from the Formula of Concord) I believe that Jesus Christ true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true Man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. In this one Person, two natures, the divine and the human, are united

3 The human nature, after the resurrection from the dead, is exalted above all creatures in heaven and on earth. This is nothing other than that Jesus entirely laid aside the form of a servant. He did not lay aside His human nature, but retains it to eternity. He has the full possession and use of the divine majesty also according to His human nature. He had this majesty immediately at His conception, even in His mother s womb, but, He laid it aside. He kept it concealed in the state of His humiliation and did not always use it, but only when He wanted to use it. Now Jesus has ascended to heaven, not merely as any other saint, but, above all heavens. He also truly fills all things, being present everywhere, not only as God, but also as man. He rules from sea to sea and to the ends of the earth. This does not happen in an earthly way. This happens according to the way things are done at God s right hand. God s right hand is no set place in heaven. It is nothing other than God s almighty power, which fills heaven and earth. Christ is installed according to His human nature in deed and truth, without confusing the two natures in their essence. By this communicated divine power, according to the words of His testament, Jesus can be and is truly present with His body and blood in the Holy Supper. He has pointed this out for us by His Word. This is possible for no other man, because no man is united with the divine nature the way Jesus, the Son of Mary, is. No man is installed in such divine almighty majesty and power through and in the personal union of the two natures in Christ. For in Him the divine and the human natures are personally united with each other. So in Christ the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. In this personal union the two natures have such a grand, intimate, indescribable communion that even the angels are astonished by it and have their delight and joy in looking into it. Philippians 2:7-11 Philippians 2:7 Ephesians 4:10 Psalm 8:1, 6 Psalm 93:1-4 Zechariah 9:10 Mark 16:20 Colossians 2:9 I Peter 1:12 Hymn 213 Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise From the red Lutheran Hymnal - 3 -

4 Sermon Text: Revelations 1: Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Sermon Theme: How the Ascension of Jesus affects our Relationship to Him The Change The Same All His attributes as true God His Word reminds us of are on full display, His work as our Savior, The greatest sight producing fear The greatest event removing all fear And leading to death And leading to life Preaching today: Pastor Paul Tiefel The Offertory Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your free Spirit. Amen. Hymn 799 This is the Feast of Victory From the tan Worship Supplement The Offering Post Offering Hymn 212:6-7 Prayer The Lord s Prayer The Benediction C: A men, a men, a - men. Hymn 738 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus From the tan Worship Supplement Any hymns under copyright used by permission through Onelicense.net #A Reprinted with permission. Confession of Faith taken from Concordia the Lutheran Confessions, edited and adapted from the Formula of - 4 -

5 Concord, Article VIII, The Person of Christ 26-30b. Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.