Witnesses!

Exaudi - Sunday after the Ascension - May 8, 2005

Acts 1:1-14

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

A father tells his son that the upcoming weekend will be spent with the two of them fishing. On Wednesday the father leaves unexpectedly on a business trip. Friday night the mother tells the boy to get the fishing gear ready for the following morning. Mom encourages him, "He promised to take you fishing,"she promises, "He’ll be here,"

As the boy goes to bed, he harbors doubts whether or not they will go fishing in the morning. Think about it, it’s a simple conclusion that he’s drawn: he saw his father leave, dad still isn’t home, they won’t be going fishing.

Similarly, in our lives we also often lack the faith that Christ is with us. We can’t see Him after all, and there are many times in our lives that it appears that He has forgotten us. It is easy for us to relate to the boy and his doubts.

Will Jesus come from heaven? How long has it been now, almost 2000 years? Sometimes doubt creeps in and it is easy to wonder if He will ever return. A bigger problem is that this uncertainty seals your mouths from sharing the Gospel.

Isn’t it true? I have had people comment to me, "Pastor, if only God would come down and speak to me like He did to the people in the Old Testament, or like Jesus appeared to the people in the New Testament - that’d remove all doubt."

Would it really? Even in the Old Testament, the people doubted - even after talking as it were, live and in person with God. What is more, look at what they did to Jesus. Certainly all who saw Him when He walked the earth believed Him to be God? In all honesty, would you and I believe any better than they did if God were to come to us in like manner?

For this reason, our doubts and sinfulness makes our daily lives poor examples and witnesses of the facts which we know to be true about God in Christ Jesus. Do we believe that God created all that is? Do we believe that Jesus lived a perfect life? That He suffered and died? That He was buried? That he rose again the third day? And that He did all this to purchase and seal forgiveness of sins for you and me? Then, after 40 days, He ascended into heaven to plead our cause before the Father and that He will return to judge the living and the dead?

If this is what you believe, then look for Jesus to come from heaven, expect it and act accordingly. Doing something however, is not just a physical activity, we are doing something when we look in faith to Jesus Christ as our Lord who will come again.(vs. 11) We do something when we confess the faith. We live expectantly hopeful, when you pray, Thy kingdom come, it is evidence that you want Him to fulfill His promise, and return.

And why do you believe? You believe He will come again because He has told us so. In numerous places, Jesus says that He must go to the Father, but that He will return to take us to be with Him. You can believe His promise because He died to forgive sins and rose from the dead, even as He had promised. Jesus has kept all His promises.

You believe Jesus will come again because God has given Him the task of final judgement, as He Himself testifies. (John 5:22 & ff.) As this is most certainly true, you also believe that no matter what happens in this world, Christ is the Lord to whom everyone will give an account. Thankfully, because Christ’s account is credited to you as righteousness, this is the day to which you all look forward to with eager hope and anticipation. You and I are awaiting the revealing of the glory we will share - the passing from this mortal life to life eternal in the mansions He has promised He is preparing.

What is more, you are not alone, Christ promises to be with us always, to the end of this age. (Matt. 28:20) Yeah, we might like to see Him face to face, but He is with us. Look to the promise, "wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." When we come together in His name, He speaks to us - He gives us Himself, to eat and to drink. In these blessed means of His grace, Jesus comes to us in a more personal way than He ever came to Moses, Elijah, or any of the others - He comes and dwells within us.

We look in faith to Christ to bring His kingdom in triumph. We pray it in the Lord’s prayer - They kingdom come. It is not an earthly kingdom, as the disciples thought, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel." Which is why He informed Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world.

Yes, He rules over all creation - His Kingdom of Power - supplying all that we need for this body and life. He also reigns over His church - His Kingdom of Grace - by which, through Word and Sacrament He makes and builds up believers in the one true faith. Finally, He also rules His Kingdom of Glory, the fullness of our salvation called heaven. Seated at the right hand of the throne of God, He intercedes for you and me with His Father - securing your place with Him for all eternity.

In the meantime, wait expectantly for everlasting life, and leave the exact time of the kingdom’s coming to the Father.

You and I are to live this life in faith. And our faith leads us to live a life of witness to Jesus here on earth. We are witnesses in all that we do.

How can we do this? We are active witnesses to Jesus Christ with both our actions and our mouth. With our words and actions we express your care and concern for people around you. How do you treat others? As you’d like to be treated? Do you treat others believing that you are a reflection of the love that Christ gives to you - that He displayed upon the cross? How you live and how you treat others is a dynamic example of what you believe about Christ and His love for you.

You are also witnesses as you speak about Christ’s death and resurrection and what Jesus means to you, just as the disciples did. I know what a sinner Iam, but I know the confident hope that is mine in the forgiveness Christ purchased for me with His life, death, and resurrection - that which He gives to me in Word and Sacrament. I live in this confidence and hope - not in the guilt, shame, or depression that seems to rule those who do not know this hope. It is a glorious message to give witness to the world around us.

You are witnesses to Christ’s ascension when you support the church’s mission program so that Jesus may be known to the ends of the earth. In the work we do through LCMS World Relief, we witness to the fact that we believe Christ is at work in and through us.

On your own, you could never be faithful witnesses. Your eyes would fail you, just like Thomas, "unless I see with my eyes and put my hands ... I will not believe." Jesus said to him, speaking about you, "blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed." You need some help, however, to believe. That is why Jesus proclaimed that He would send the Helper - your witnessing is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told His disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. (vs. 5) Jesus’ promise was fulfilled ten days later on Pentecost. (Acts 2) On Pentecost, and thereafter, the disciples were empowered and emboldened to proclaim the Good News of their risen Savior. So too, the Holy Spirit comes to you in Word and Sacrament, and you are blessed by God to be witnesses of Jesus Christ.

Dearly beloved of God, Christ’s ascension guaranteed the Spirit to the disciples and to you, that you might be faithful witnesses. Today, little Jakob is brought before us, his parents giving bold testimony and witness of their faith, that Christ can indeed work the miracle of faith - even in little children. They are a witness to the fact that they believe Jesus’ words of promise to forgive sin and send His Holy Spirit to this gift of life.

And, Christ gives them exactly what they expect, Jakob is forgiven all sin and Christ’s Spirit indwells Him to trust Christ’s purchased forgiveness.

As He promised to send His Holy Spirit, so He does. Christ Himself comes to you in Word and Sacrament, and His Spirit witnesses to you - changing your hearts and minds.

Yes, Jesus is no longer present on this earth as He was. Let us not stand around twiddling our thumbs, or looking into heaven. He will come again! He is with us now, His Spirit strengthening us in the true faith!

As the boy from the beginning of the sermon realized in the morning, that his father returned and kept his promise, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit with a strong faith that strengthens us to be bold witnesses to Christ. Let us believe and witness His resurrection till He comes. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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