Sermon -- Ascension, transferred (May 21, 2023)

The Rite of Confirmation was also observed in the service today.

EPHESIANS 1:15-23

THE ASCENDED SAVIOR IS HEAD OVER ALL THINGS FOR THE CHRUCH.

In the name + of Jesus.

M:    Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C:    He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

     There is a story told in the Apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees about a family of faithful Jews.  Seven brothers were being pressured to violate God’s Law and threatened with death if they did not comply.  They all refused.  One by one, they were brutally tortured and then put to death.  And over what?  They refused to eat unclean foods.  What many would consider trivial, these brothers believed to be a sin.  They would not turn from God’s word even on a minor point. 

     The mother of these seven brothers had to watch each one being brutally tortured and martyred until only the youngest remained.  She said to him, “My son, have pity on me.  I carried you nine months in my womb and nursed you for three years and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life and have taken care of you.  I urge you, my child, … do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers.  Accept death, so that in God’s mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers” (2 Maccabees 7:27-29).  The mother urged her last son to remain faithful to the word of God at all costs.  Finally, to complete the cruelty, the mother was killed. 

     As horrible as it was for this family to be tortured and martyred, they all recognized that there are things worse than dying.  They willingly suffered death rather than deny their Lord.  No matter how much it grieved this mother to lose her sons in this life, she watched them die in the confidence that she would get them all back at the resurrection of the dead.  This is the confidence of the Christian faith, based on promises made by God and confirmed by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  And now, Jesus guarantees a place in the heavenly kingdom to all who are faithful to him even to the point of death.  The ascended Savior lives and reigns as head over all things for the church. 

     I doubt that this family had taken the same confirmation vow that you will make today, Peter, but they demonstrated the spirit of that vow.  Many here have been asked in the past, as you will be asked today: “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”  I suppose that question sounds a little dramatic, but the truth is that we will all suffer death at some time.  The point of the Christian faith is not to die comfortably, but to die in the faith.  There are things worse than dying, such as being without Jesus.  So, whether we die peacefully or violently, we yearn to remain steadfast in the Christian faith and to have Jesus as our refuge.

     The confirmation vow is relived to a certain extent every Sunday.  Every week God’s people confess the Christian faith, using one of the three ecumenical creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, or Athanasian).  We are taking a stand—both literally and figuratively—stating, “This is the truth.  This we believe.  We will live and die in this confession.”  We confess these truths confidently because Jesus Christ has taught these things to us in his word.  And his word will not be refuted.  It may be reviled.  It may be rejected.  But the word of the Lord endures forever because the ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.

     When St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians he mentioned how he constantly prayed for them.  It was a prayer for specific blessings.  We do well to have this prayer upon our lips so that we continue to grow in the faith and hope which rest upon Jesus Christ.  St. Paul’s prayer was for three blessings: “that you may know (1) what is the hope to which he has called you, (2) what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and (3) what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19). 

     The hope to which the Lord has called you is that when you depart from this world, you will enjoy the peace and glory of life everlasting with the Lord.  The Christian hope is not a wish.  We don’t call it a hope because it is in question, like, “I hope the party goes well this afternoon.”  Rather, it is called a hope only because we have not received it yet.  But our hope is based on a promise made by Jesus.  Jesus promised, “Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).  Now, those are big words.  There is not a doctor on earth who could boast, “Take these pills.  And if they kill you, don’t worry.  I will bring you back to life.”  We would never take that doctor seriously.  But Jesus does claim this.  Why?  Because the ascended Savior is head over all things, including death and the grave.  He has conquered death.  Jesus lives and reigns for the Church.  Since Jesus has authority over death, he will follow through with his promise, and he will raise you up to live with him.  This is the hope to which he has called you. 

     The second part of our prayer is “that you may know … what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).  That’s not to say the world won’t entice you with claims that its treasures and pleasures are more desirable.  Let’s go back to that faithful Jewish family from the days of the Maccabees.  After his six older brothers were tortured and slaughtered, the Greek king thought he could break the youngest brother.  He tried sweet-talking him.  “Antiochus not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his fathers and that he would take him for his friend and entrust him with [a prestigious office]” (2 Maccabees 7:24).  Oh, yes, there were riches waiting for this young man, but the cost was his place in the kingdom of God. 

     The ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.  Jesus enriches you like no one else can.  You have a peace which the world does not know.  When you fall into sin, you know where to go to find forgiveness.  You know where to find strength to fight against temptations.  If you endure days of bitterness or loneliness and wonder if God has forsaken you, you have promises to cling to.  You know that God remains your good and merciful Father in heaven.  That does not change based on circumstances or feelings.  You can’t buy these riches, and the world cannot even offer them to you.  But Jesus guarantees them because he is head over all things.  He lives and reigns for you.

     The third part of the prayer is “that you may know … what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19).  The power of God is that he has delivered you out of the kingdom of the devil and that he preserves you from ever being taken captive again.  The devil will continue to hound you all your life.  He will try to seduce you out of the kingdom of God, and he makes his offers very attractive.  He will try to drive you to despair by tormenting you over your sins.  He will try to convince you that you don’t need God’s word, and that what you really need is more time for yourself, for entertainment, or for sleep. 

     Now, if your goal is a moment’s pleasure, the devil has great ideas.  But if your goal is eternal peace, joy, and glory, you need Jesus.  You will always need Jesus’ strength to preserve you in the true faith.  You will always need Jesus’ word to protect you from the devil’s lies and worldly wisdom.  You will always need Jesus’ body and blood to keep you in the true faith unto life everlasting.  You cannot stand against your enemies alone.  You and I are weak.  We still find temptations attractive.  Our sins prove that.  But Jesus is head over all things.  Nothing can overcome him.  The ascended Savior also sends you his Holy Spirit so that no unclean spirit will overtake you.  If you remain with Jesus Christ, if you cling to his word and sacraments, you are safe.  The ascended Savior is head over all things for you, for your good, and for your salvation.

     If there is a flaw in the Rite of Confirmation, it is that you may get the idea that you are done.  You’ve studied.  You have grown in the faith.  You memorized the Catechism.  You learned a lot about the Bible and its teachings.  And even if you have not gone through the Catechism in a long time, you still might think that you’ve mastered the Christian faith.  You know what happened at Christmas and Easter.  You might remember a lot of your Sunday School lessons.  It’s not like new chapters are being added to the Bible every year.

     But consider St. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians.  He wrote, “Because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Ephesians 1:15-17), and so on.  He did not say, “You know who Jesus is.  That’s good enough.  You’re set.”  He urged them to continue in what they learned and to grow in the faith.  He encouraged them to let the faith in their hearts and minds become evident in their words and actions.  If you keep reading through the letter to the Ephesians, you will see that St. Paul admonished them to fight against the very sins and temptations that affect us today.  To stand firm, you need Jesus.  And Jesus will not fail you; for, he is the ascended Savior who is the head over all things for the Church.

     Then who or what is there to fear?  The seven Jewish brothers and their mother did not fear the threats, the torture, or the martyrdom that came at the command of Antiochus Epiphanes—which is not to say they enjoyed it.  But their moments of torment were soon forgotten as they entered everlasting peace and joy.  Their bodies were mutilated and destroyed, but they would get them back in glorified perfection.  In the end, those faithful Jews lost nothing.  How could they?  For, Jesus Christ lives and reigns “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And (the Father) put all things under his feet” (Ephesians 1:21-22). 

     So also, we stand firm with Jesus, fearing neither threats nor loss nor shame nor death.  Our ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.  We long to be with him in glory.  Therefore, we long to be with him now.  Here, he confirms our hope of the resurrection, enriches us with his grace, and strengthens us to live and die in the one true faith.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.