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The Ascension accounts in Luke-Acts (Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:1-11) and in Matthew 28:16-20 accomplish four major objectives. First, they provide an explanation of where the Risen Christ is. Second, they provide an explanation of why the Risen Christ was seen by many followers of Jesus during the first few weeks after his crucifixion and resurrection but is seen in the same way no longer. Third, they provide assurance that the Risen Christ is still with us and that he will return. They also give an indication of how he is expected to return. Finally, they establish more clearly the responsibilities of the followers of Jesus to be witnesses of the Risen Christ throughout the world. These are important objectives, and we miss an opportunity to follow through with a dramatic culmination of our forty-day Lenten Season and of our forty-day Easter Season if we do not have a meaningful and memorable worship service on Ascension Day.

Common:
Psalm 47
Roman Catholic: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9

Our use of this psalm on our Christian Ascension Day is another indication that we consider the Risen Christ to be our Lord and God in a way that is quite similar to the way the ancient Israelites considered Yahweh to be their Lord and God. They perceived Yahweh to be their conquering Lord who had won the victory for them over their enemies and was, as it is stated in the picturesque language of this psalm, "sitting on the holy throne of God" the "Most High King over all of the earth." As Christians, we perceive the Risen Christ in much the same way as Yahweh is perceived in Psalm 47.

Lutheran: Psalm 110

This Royal Psalm of ancient Israel fulfills the purposes of a psalm reading during an Ascension Day service much less adequately than does Psalm 47 used in the Common and the Roman Catholic congregations. Our use of Psalm 110 in Lutheran congregations suggests that we see the Risen Christ in relation to God in ways that are similar to the ways that ancient Israelites saw their king in relation to Yahweh, that is, as sitting at the right hand of Yahweh. Psalm 110 provides a "holy war" context of military action in which it is hoped that Yahweh will enable the Israelite king to motivate the Israelites to follow their king into battles that will be so successful that they will fill the nations of the earth with corpses. Is this the analogy that we wish to make on Ascension Day? It would be preferable for us to use Psalm 47 together with the congregations using the Common and the Roman Catholic texts on Ascension Day.

Acts 1:1-11

Since the principal literary antecedent of Acts 1:1-11 is the Septuagint text of 2 Kings 2:1-18, it would be helpful to review the 2 Kings text in preparation for a Christian Ascension Day service. Genesis 5:21-24 and Deuteronomy 34:1-7 should also be read to provide the Enoch and the Moses analogies.

We note that the inspired Lukan writer linked the Ascension account closely to the Lukan empty tomb account by having "two men clothed in white robes" interpreting the significance of the ascension of the Risen Christ in Acts 1:10-11 just as the Lukan writer had "two men in dazzling apparel" interpret the significance of the resurrection of Jesus in Luke 24:4-7. Perhaps we could benefit from the use of this Acts 1:1-11 drama best if we would begin the Ascension Day service outside the church building with the reading of this Acts 1:1-11 text. It would not be necessary to have anyone play the role of the Risen Christ, but it would help to dramatize the event to have two men of the congregation dressed in white robes to appear at the point of Acts 1:10 in the reading while the rest of those gathered for the worship service are standing "gazing up into the heavens," and to say, "Why are you all standing here, looking up into the heavens? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come again as you have seen him going into the heavens." The service could then continue with the people of the worshiping congregation entering the church building, singing an Ascension Day hymn, and using an Ascension Day liturgy.

Common:
Ephesians 1:15-23
Lutheran: Ephesians 1:16-23
Roman Catholic: Ephesians 1:17-23

At least once during our three-year cycle in the lectionaries that we are using, it would be effective to utilize this Ephesians reading as the primary text for the Ascension Day message. This text articulates what is desired for the People of God in the Church on Ascension Day. It refers specifically to the thought that the Risen Christ is sitting at the right hand of God in "the heavenly places." It uses the analogy of the ancient throne scene to depict how the early Church late in the first century perceived the Risen Christ. What is said here about the power of the Risen Christ over the Roman Emperor and all of the political authorities who were persecuting and threatening the early Christians should be emphasized as we consider this text.

Common:
Luke 24:46-53
Lutheran: Luke 24:44-53

The Lukan themes of understanding the Scriptures and of claiming that everything about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection written in the Israelite Scriptures has now been fulfilled are prominent in this text. What the Lukan writer did not say in this text about the expected return of the Risen Christ is supplied in the Acts 1:1-11 reading. What Luke 24:44-53 does stress is the great joy of the followers of Jesus and their constant worship and blessing of God. Let us continue this joy and this worship and blessing of God for the Risen Christ!

Roman Catholic: Matthew 28:16-20

As an Ascension account, this text is less fully developed than Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:1-11 taken together are. It accomplishes only the third and fourth of the four objectives listed at the beginning of this Ascension Day section. It does, however, provide an excellent assurance that the Risen Christ will always be with us and it establishes clearly the responsibilities of the followers of Jesus in all nations. We are those followers in this time and place!