The Festival of the Ascension of our Lord
Posted on May 29, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 24:44-53 (NKJV)
24:44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
50 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.
Devotion
“He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.”
That part of our Lord’s ministry in this world was completed, and He ascended into heaven. Before He visibly departs, He blesses His disciples. What did He say to them? Was it the Aaronic Benediction—“the Lord bless thee and keep thee”—that we hear at the end of every Divine Service? Was it something else? It does not say.
What it does say is that “He lifted up His hands.” Those uplifted hands would have displayed the nail prints, the glorious scars that procured our salvation; and that really says it all! They had the joy, and we have the joy, of knowing, as our Lord ascended, He has done everything that needed to be done. Those hands serve to declare that the biggest problem we ever had or ever could have—our separation from God—has been solved. Forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation are ours. Though they no longer see Him, the disciples worship Him, and they are filled with great joy. So are we. Thanks be to God for the completed work of Christ!
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into the heavens; so may we also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with Him continually dwell; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
