Trinity Lutheran Jefferson, IA - LCMS
The Ascension of our Lord 5-17-26
Psalm 110:1, 4–5; antiphon: Psalm 47:5
God has gone up | with a shout,*
the Lord with the sound of a | trumpet.
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my | right hand,*
until I make your enemies your | footstool.”
The Lord has sworn and will not | change his mind,*
“You are a priest forever after the order of Mel- | chizedek.”
The Lord is at your | right hand;*
he will shatter kings on the day | of his wrath.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
God has gone up | with a shout,*
the Lord with the sound of a | trumpet.
Collect
Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
[Acts 1:1-11] Dear Theophilus: In my first book I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach
2 until the day He ascended to heaven after giving His chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after His crucifixion, He appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that He was actually alive. On these occasions He talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 In one of these meetings as He was eating a meal with them, He told them, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what He promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. 5 John baptized with1 water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6 When the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him, "Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?" 7 "The Father sets those dates," He replied, "and they are not for you to know. 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about Me everywhere -- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 It was not long after He said this that He was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and He disappeared into a cloud. 10 As they were straining their eyes to see Him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw Him go, He will return!"
[Ephesians 1:15-23] Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for Christians everywhere, 16 I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His people. 19 I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of His power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power
20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come. 22 And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and He gave Him this authority for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is His body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with His presence.
[Luke 24:44 – 53] Then He said, "When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true." 45 Then He opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. 46 And He said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. 47 With My authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: 'There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to Me.' 48 You are witnesses of all these things. 49 "And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven." 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up to heaven.1 52 They worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.