Ascension
Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. Luke 24:51
Every Sunday, you probably hear one of two blessings that are recorded in the Bible. One is an Old Testament blessing from God, prescribed to the priests to bless the children of Israel: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) In the New Testament, we hear the Apostolic blessing: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Blessings take on many forms. God blessed the first man and woman, telling them to “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:22) God blessed the patriarchs in many ways—with descendants, with land, with safety, and with other valuable gifts and resources. Jesus preached the beatitudes, each one beginning with Blessed are . . . (Matthew 5:3-10)
We are not told specifically what Jesus said in Luke 24, but we do have a number of His words from before His ascension. One of the most important was the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
What a wonderful blessing it is that God offers the sacrament of baptism, entrusted to His Church. How comforting too–to know that He is with us, even to the end of the age!
While He lifts His hands in blessing, He is parted from His friends;
While their eager eyes behold Him, He upon the clouds ascends.
He who walked with God and pleased Him, preaching truth and doom to come,
He, our Enoch, is translated to His everlasting Home.
The Lutheran Hymnal 218.3