Ascension Day – June 2^nd, 2011

What is it in life that makes you anxious? Now, before you go and answer that question, let’s make sure we know what that word anxious means. The dictionary definition goes like this: fearful of what may happen; worried. So, what is that makes you worry? For some of us here this evening, that list might be so long we don’t know where to start. For others, it may only contain three or four items. Nonetheless, we all have worried.

We worry about germs and our health – will we get cancer, have heart problems or catch the swine flu or mersa virus. We worry about our children and spouse. We worry about having enough money – to retire, pay the bills, or live a halfway comfortable lifestyle. We worry about someone breaking into our house. We worry about being alone. We worry about getting the crops in the ground. We worry about whether we will be able to stand the pain we are in right now. We worry about the way the world is going and what will happen. We worry about our jobs. We worry about what other people think about us. We worry about natural disasters – fires and tornadoes. In fact, if you hadn’t noticed, we live in an age of anxiety.

Now listen to what Jesus had to say, recorded for us in Matthew 6:

Matthew 6:31-33 - So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus says, “Do not worry.” In fact, in the verses of our text and those surrounding them, Jesus says do not worry, or some form of that, 5 times. And the reason for that is simple - worry is a sin. Now, that might be a hard pill to swallow at first, but it’s the truth. Let’s not sugar-coat it! It is what it is! Worry is a sin. By nature we want to control everything in our lives. So sometimes our worry is an expression of our unwillingness to let God be in charge. At other times it is a failure to trust that God cares for us and will provide us with everything we truly need in life. Worry is no less serious than adultery and murder. It is no less detrimental to faith than drunkenness and gossip. It is no less damning than despising God’s Word and breaking the law.

Jesus brings that across very clearly when he says worrying about what to wear, eat or drink is what the pagans do. It’s what people who have no religion and no God do. But you see…that’s not you and me. That isn’t who we are. By grace we have and believe in the one true God. By grace, we know him as our Father through faith in his Son Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have been given everything we need. So Jesus can say, do not worry, I am with you always in this age of anxiety.

You see, in Jesus God has met our greatest need. And that need, of course, isn’t health, family, or fun times – it is the forgiveness of our sins. It is pardon from the guilt of our sin. In his Son Jesus, the Lord has done absolutely everything for our salvation. We sinned, but it is Jesus who suffered. We rebelled against God, but it is Jesus who felt God’s wrath. We deserved to die for our sins, but Jesus died instead. On the cross of Calvary God did not spare his one and only Son, but instead offered him up as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus paid the penalty of death and hell as our substitute.

So now, when we are tempted to worry Jesus directs us to focus instead on our spiritual life, our relationship with God, our eternal treasure. When we do this, we are reminded again how he has done everything for us and we are reassured that he is with us always in this age of anxiety. Do you see how Jesus puts it? He says our heavenly Father knows what we need. Perhaps some of you may remember watching the television show M*A*S*H. If so, you might remember Corporal “Radar” O’Reilly. In many of the episodes, Radar was given an order by his commanding officer, but even before the words were out of the Colonel’s mouth, Rader had completed the task. Time and time again, before the Colonel knew what he needed, Radar had already delivered.

Of course, the characters on television are fictitious and the script is already written. But the trait displayed by Radar calls to mind a trait that Jesus ascribes to our heavenly Father – only on a much larger and better scale. God knows what we need even before we ask for it. He knew we needed the forgiveness of sins – and in mercy he provided it even though we didn’t ask. He knew we needed a Savior – and in his Son he provided one. Since he has done this, we can be sure he will continue to be with us providing what we need in this age of anxiety.

If we are worried about being forgiven – don’t be. Our Savior, who died and rose for you has ascended to his Father’s side and still intercedes for you. He is constantly repeating to his Father that his blood has washed your guilt away. If you are worried about the direction of our world, your financial security, or the future in general – don’t be. Our Savior, who won the victory for you, has ascended to the right hand of God, a position of power and authority, and he rules all things for the benefit of his believers. If you are worried about your health or the health of a loved one – don’t be. Jesus is the Great Physician, he has promised to be with you, and he has already healed us from the disease of sin. He is not oblivious to what we need or where we hurt or how we struggle. He cares about each of you personally, and there’s no reason to doubt that. Just look at his cross and listen to him say – I love you.

The bottom line is this: God has taken care of our greatest need. We therefore can be sure he’ll provide for all our other needs as well. We can be sure he is with us always in this age of anxiety. Dear Christian friend, rejoice and relax in that truth. Amen.

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John 14:6,7 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

What can we do to get right with God? What can we say to defend our actions, to defend our lies, the hurt and the pain that we’ve caused? What can we say to excuse the stench of our sin? What can we do to cleanse the blackened hearts with which we were born? What can we do to make sure that when we die we’ll go to heaven and not to hell? What can we say or do? Not a thing. The only chance we have at being saved is through faith in Christ’s righteousness.

But in the age of deception in which we live, that often isn’t what we hear.

You now, I’ve often wondered what went through the minds of the disciples after Jesus death. Did they ask, “Was it all for nothing?” “Was he a fraud? Was it all just a sham?” No doubt there were those who ridiculed them, “Where is your Messiah now! A lot of good he can do for you from the grave!” We, like the disciples, face a society of skeptics and doubters. Today through science, reason, and logic, people continue to scatter stones that try to get us to stumble in our faith. The high school and college student has their faith challenged and ridiculed in class. False teachers promote any number of ways to soothe a guilty conscience – with lies sweet as candy but as deadly as poison. On top of that, we still have a sinful nature that Satan has a field day with as he attempts to get us to trust ourselves or despair.

It is in this age of deception that Jesus’ words come to us as a reassuring breath of fresh air. He is, was, and always has been the one truth life. He is, was, and has always been the only way to the Father. And to dispel the darkness of doubt from our hearts; to give us the ammo and strength to face deception head on, the Risen Lord appeared to his frightened followers three days after his death. He came to them where they had locked themselves away, frozen in fear. He allowed them to touch his pierced hands and feet and side. He ate before them. His presence toppled any possibility that he was a sham. ‘I did it,’ Jesus said to them. I did everything I said I would do. I did everything that needed to be done. I did everything you couldn’t. ‘Remember how the LORD had said to the serpent in Eden, “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel (Genesis 3:15)”? I did it! I defeated Satan on the cross.

Do you remember how Isaiah had prophesied concerning the LORD’s suffering servant, He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5). I am he. I’ve paid for your sin in full.

Do you remember how David said, “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay (16:9-10)? Here I am. Not even the cold hand of death could keep me down. I did it. I’ve defeated sin and I’ve conquered death just as it is written in the Scriptures and I’ve done it all for you!

They would look back on that Easter day and say – he did it! 40 days later he would give them something else – his ascension. He was going to heaven to prepare a place for them, and if he went to prepare that place he would certainly come back to take them there too. It wasn’t a trick. He wasn’t a fraud. All those appearances of Christ after his resurrection were to assure them that their salvation had been secured. He appeared to them to show them that he had taken all their sins away, their sins which testified to their guilt before God. Christ appeared to them to assure them that he was God’s promised Messiah – the way to the Father.

Like the disciples, we haven’t wasted our lives following Jesus. In this age of deception we know he wasn’t a hoax or a phony. He is God’s promised Messiah and our true Savior. He did it! He took all of our guilt into the grave and walked out of his tomb with Easter glory. He didn’t just die and rise for Peter, James and John. He died and rose for Joel, Frank, and Brent. He didn’t just pay for their sins. He paid for yours too! He didn’t just ascend into heaven to prepare a place for Matthew, Andrew and Bartholomew. He went to prepare a place for you! And you know how to get there – through him and by faith in him alone.

He did it! He fulfilled the Scriptures! He did what was necessary! His death has paid for your sins in full. His resurrection proves it! His ascension does too! He is with you in this age of deception to assure you that he is the way the truth and the life. Amen.