Ascension Day Service
And they worshipped him, . . . with great joy (Luke 24:52)
+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We read to ourselves verses 1 & 4 of ‘Our God reigns’
How Lovely On The Mountains Are The Feet Of Him
Who Brings Good News, Good News
Announcing Peace, Proclaiming News And Happiness
Our God Reigns, Our God Reigns
Ends Of The Earth, See The Salvation Of Your God
Jesus Is Lord, Is Lord
Before The Nations He Has Bared His Holy Arm
Your God Reigns, Your God Reigns
The Collect for Ascension Day
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens, so we in heart and mind may also ascend and with him continually dwell;
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of the Lord
Psalm 93
The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel; the Lord has put on his glory and girded himself with strength.
He has made the whole world so sure that it cannot be moved.
Your throne has been established from of old; you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of many waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mightier.
Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever.
Pause
Luke 24.44-end
You are witnesses
Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
The Ascension of Jesus
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Pause
All Heaven declares
The glory of the risen Lord
Who can compare
With the beauty of the Lord
(Tom Fettke / Noel Richards / Trisha Richards)
‘Why do you stand looking up towards heaven?’
Reading the words from Luke 24:50-54 we can be forgiven for lifting our eyes and viewing the sky and the clouds above us or at least look at the photograph and for a moment capture the vision of the vastness, magnificence and splendour of the sky. It seems so big, especially at sunrise or sunset. You can get caught up in what you are witnessing as if you are being lifted in your thoughts and are almost on another plane. Even if you are not prone to get so poetical such views can lead you to having a wider perspective on life, faith and your place in it.
The Ascension of Jesus is about more than Jesus defying gravity. To have such a narrow focus is to miss the point. Perhaps we need to hear the words from the angels, the messengers, in Acts 1:11 ‘why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ In other words, the messengers are calling us to be in the world, in our communities and among the people who are around us.
In a few minutes we will say the Lord’s Prayer and say these words, depending on which version you are drawn to use:
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
or
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
These words call us to move from gazing at the sky and our own self-interest and to reach out and embrace the well-being of the whole earth and all who live and share this earth with, including strangers, enemies, and non-humans. To carrying our faith out from looking up at heaven, so to speak, as the disciples did. Bringing to life the words ‘Your kingdom come’.
In ten days time we celebrate Pentecost the promised Spirit that embraces all creation. The Spirit reconciles rather than divides, the Spirit that empowered the Apostles on the first Pentecost is the same Spirit that will empower us today.
We are called to be instruments sharing in the adventure of the coming of the ‘Kingdom’, of the coming of the realm of Jesus.
We pray for the world, Church and those in need or distress.
Let us Pray
Let us join our prayers with those with all those who intercede this Ascension-tide in anticipation of the Father’s blessing and the gifts of the Spirit.
Jesus Christ, king of righteousness,
enthroned at the right hand of the majesty on high,
pray for the world, and make it subject to your just and gentle rule.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Son of Man, drawing humanity into the life of God,
pray for your brothers and sisters in need, distress or sorrow.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, pioneer of our salvation,
bringing us to glory through your death and resurrection,
surround with your saints and angels
those who have died trusting your promises.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Lord over all things,
ascended far above the heavens and filling the universe,
pray for us who bear witness to your glory and power.
Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.
Almighty God, your ascended Son has sent us into the world
to preach the good news of your kingdom: inspire us with your Spirit
and fill our hearts with the fire of your love that all who hear your Word
may be drawn to you,
And that your Kingdom may come on earth as in heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Lords Prayer
+ In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May Almighty God enlighten the eyes of our hearts to see that his blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above the heavens that he might fulfil all things. Amen.
May he who ascended into heaven prepare a place for us; that where he is we might also be, and reign with him in glory. Amen.
May we who believe that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, also may we in heart and mind so ascend, and with him continually dwell. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon us and remain with us forever. Amen
‘why do you stand looking up towards heaven?’
GO in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ.
Derek Akker
