Today is the fortieth day of the Great Fifty Days of the Resurrection (i.e., Easter) Season. It is the day that Christians refer to as Ascension Day. Many Churches will celebrate this day on this coming Sunday, Ascension Sunday.
As the name indicates, it is the celebration of the risen Christ's ascension into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
In celebration of Ascension Day, I offer the following Scriptures, hymn and prayer:
Christ's Ascension
After Jesus' suffering, he showed himself to the disciples and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Remember Jesus' words: "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
(Acts 1:3-11; Matthew 28:20b, from "Sing to the Lord")
Crown Him with Many Crowns
1. Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! how the heav'nly anthem drowns
All music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Thro' all eternity.
2. Crown Him the Lord of Love!
Behold His hands and side
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But down-ward bends his wond'ring eyes
At mysteries so bright.
3. Crown Him the Lord of Life!
Who triumphed o'er the grave;
Who rose victorious to the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring,
And lives that death may die.
4. Crown Him the Lord of Heav'n!
One with the Father known,
One with the Spirit thro' Him giv'n
From yonder glorious throne.
To Thee be endless praise,
For Thou for us hast died.
Be Thou,O Lord, thro' endless days
Adored and magnified!
(Stanzas 1,2,4, Matthew Bridges, 1854; stanza 3, Godfrey Thring, 1874)
Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
Posted by Todd Stepp at 10:51 AM
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