Memorial Sunday Air Force Core Values

Ascension Sunday

Hello, I'm pastor Greg of Calvary Reformed Church. And I will be bringing a teaching today on ascension Sunday. Hallmark has never done anything big with Ascension Day, and within the church there is a lot understanding of Ascension Day which has been lost.

I'm going to give a short teaching on a few ideas of Ascension Day but before we do pray with me. Father God has we come to you we seek your wisdom ---Oh Lord I seek your wisdom so I can

direct people to you O Lord, so that I can engage your people who are watching the video the learning the teaching and that they can learn this morning today from you through the video. Lord we ask this through your Grace and name amen.

Forty days after the resurrection is when the church celebrates as Ascension Day. In Luke chapter 24 we read Jesus led the disciples and others out to the vicinity of Bethany. He lifted his hands he blessed them, and while he was blessing

them he left them, and he was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him, and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. They stayed continually at the temple praising God.

Ascension Sunday is one of those Sundays that that the church in many respects has lost some

Of the meaning----while other churches still hold on to it but a lot of the Protestant churches, we've lost

some of the meaning of what ascension Sunday actually.

Well today I want to give just a very short

teaching on Ascension Sunday and some of the aspects of it.

The first three ideas that I am going to bring up are ancient ideas. Some of you may have heard of the Heidelberg catechism written 500 years ago. The catechism is a writing which deals with question and answer and it asked a question and that gives an answer. It asks the question about what Ascension Day is what is why the Ascension is important.

It gives three answers

the first one is the fact that that the Ascension had to take place. Christ's bodily aspect here on earth had to ascend. Number one ahead of our catechism and biblically it tells us that Christ is our advocate now and he is in the presence of God the Father he is our advocate.

I can recall growing up my biggest advocates were my mom and dad. I can recall even being a young adult and then an adult before my mom and dad passed away they were my biggest advocates. My mom spent hundreds of hours--thousands of hours I believe at football games, not just for me but for all of her grandsons went to college. Football games, she had no idea what was going on but she

was always cheering on her son or her grandsons in football, she was their advocate.

Friends you and I we needed Jesus to ascend into heaven so that he could be in the presence of his Father and my Father to be our advocate. Romans 8:34 says this to us who is he that condemns, Christ Jesus who died more than that who was raised to life and is seated at the right hand of God the Father and intercedes for us. Who better

to intercede for us than God the Father.

I can recall when I first came to Calvary and worship service has changed, and we went from more of a traditional style trying to do - to do the

contemporary we started doing a band with the drums and guitars. Betty D. bless your soul she's with the Lord, now but she was one of my biggest

advocates--- When John - here boyfriend would get upset over the change of worship styles she would always say no let's go with him let's go with Pastor Greg. We want to reach our grandchildren and

great-grandchildren she was an advocate.

How much greater is the advocate that we

have with Jesus Christ as he is interceding for us and we're told in John chapter 2 first John chapter 2 my dear children I write this to you so that you will not sin--- but if anyone does sin--- we have one who speaks to the Father and our defense Jesus Christ who is the righteous one----He is the atoning one for

our sins he is the atoning one not only for ours but also the sins of the whole world.

Friends, Christ had to have the ascension

take place so that it could be with the

Father to be our advocate.

But there is another aspect of why the Ascension is so important.

Number two is that we have our flesh in heaven as a pledged that he as the head of the church will take us his members up to himself, this is a hard concept for people the reality is when--- when Jesus Christ became incarnate he became one like you and I. He took on human flesh and yet