Lift Up Your Hearts

Ascension

May 25, 2017

Luke 24:50-51

Lift Up Your Hearts

In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

There is something special about lifting up your hand over someone else’s head and speaking Jesus to them.

It happens during the ceremony of Baptism, when a sinner is saved by Jesus. The baptism itself is the pouring of water on the head as the eternal name of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Spirit—are spoken over the baby or adult. And then the pastor will place his hand on the head of the baptized and bless them some more.

It happens during the service of ordination and installation, when a man is placed into the office of holy ministry and over his congregation. This will happen soon in Freeport and Elizabeth and if you get to go, you’ll see the other pastors put their hands on the head of this new pastor and bless him with promises from Jesus.

For both the baptized and for pastors, the blessing is the same: God is with us. Jesus said,

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:20

CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE

Jesus says, “I am with you.” This is the promise that lifts us up when we are afraid, when we are worried. And we fear and worry about many things in this life, usually about losing things. Think of the disciples. They were doubtless worried about losing Jesus. What would happen when He left? How would they survive? What were they supposed to say and do?

For the forty days after leaving His tomb, Jesus had been answering their worries. He has been preparing them for the time when He would be lifted up into heaven and hidden from their eyes. He prepared them by showing them that His dying and rising was their life. He did it first and for us. And we follow Him by dying and rising in Baptism. And in the Lord’s Supper we confess His presence with us—His I-am-always-with-you-ness—by saying back and forth: “The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.” We could say like this: “Ascend your hearts. We ascend them up to the Lord.” This isn’t some mystical buzzing, but rather the confession of the reality that right now through the means of His Word Jesus is present with us. Right now.

This is why we are blessed. When Jesus stands with you, seen or unseen, the many losses of this life cannot harm you.

You lose your job; Jesus says, “I am with you.”

You lose your health; Jesus says, “I am with you.”

You lose your child, your spouse; Jesus says, “I am with you.”

Prepare your children, your grandchildren, for the many changes of life with the only blessing that lasts. The promise of our lifted-up Lord to never leave you or forsake you.

So tell your children how much you love them. That no matter where they go, you will always care for them. And that even better, there is One who loves them even more than you. He proved it by being lift up on the cross and He blessed them when they were lifted up to the baptismal font.

So go ahead, fathers. Bless your children. Speak Jesus to them and lift up your hands and bless them, saying, “The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.”

Then He led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.

LUKE 24:50-51

CHRISTIAN STANDARD BIBLE

Amen!