Sermons 2025

Text: Luke 24:44-53

Theme: WHEN WILL WE MEET HIM AGAIN?

Outline: 
1.    Jesus with Disciples
2.    Jesus with us today

Grace, mercy, and peace, be to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
 

My dear beloved flock, the text for our mediation today is the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke the twenty-fourth chapter verses forty-four to fifty-three.

Boys and girls, I pray that you are doing well today. Have you ever had an important meeting? I am sure that mom and dad have had important meetings with your principal and teachers as you begin the school year. Meeting new friends for the first time is certainly important. As you get older there are meetings that have great impact. That moment when you met your spouse, or that person who gave you a new insight, or maybe that one person who by their witness moved you to change the direction you were going in life.  After these meetings, we are often wondering when you will meet that person again. In our text for today, we see a similar event. Jesus is ascending into heaven and the disciples are left wondering when they will see Jesus again. When, how, do we see Jesus today? Ponder that question as you hear the rest of the sermon. You may go back to your seats and those who love you.

1.    Jesus with Disciples

In the Gospel reading for this day, we are at the scene of the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Think of what has happened here. Forty plus days earlier the Lord was on the cross. He was suffering and dying. He had cried out in anguish, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” The Father forsakes the Only-Begotten Son. 

Jesus hangs His face toward the ground, so great is the weight of what He was bearing, the agony and horribleness of the whipping, beatings, and crucifixion. The strain it put upon His body. Even more so than all of these was the wrath vented upon Him by His Father in heaven over sin which was not His own. Jesus in the midst of deep agony breathlessly states, “It is finished,” then as the Gospel of John records, “and He bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” It is then Jesus’ side is pierced by the spear, blood and water pour forth signifying fully and completely the Lord Jesus Christ had died. God had died. Jesus’ body then is taken down from the cross, hurriedly wrapped with linen and spices and laid lifeless in a tomb that was not His own. He was buried with a rich man in his death as the Psalmist prophecies. 

Jesus’ followers must have wondered when they would meet with Him ever again. But then, praise be to God three days later, the first day of the week, the first Easter Sunday occurs as Jesus steps forth from the tomb alive! Jesus had conquered death and the grave. He had risen victorious! Jesus had defeated death not only for Himself but for you the believer.

Then, in the time between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension, Jesus meets with His followers opening to them the Scriptures, They see plainly with their own eyes that Jesus is alive! He is resurrected! Jesus had conquered the grave, stating for believers, stating for you who believe today, it’s a reality, it is truth, you shall not die but you shall live with Christ eternally! Then we come to this day, the day of the Ascension. Those forty days before this event must have been wondrous and inspiring, meeting with the Lord. Those there that day though must have left wondering, “Where will Jesus meet us next? What joy awaits us! This is great!”

2. Jesus Today

Jesus brought teaching and blessings when He made those appearances, and people rejoiced at His meeting with them. Then this day. Jesus now ascends into the heavens, “He parted from them.” Now, they may have thought, “Well, that was a little different than His other times of leaving, but He has always come again. I wonder though where we will meet Him next?’
You through Scripture’s witness have read that Jesus didn’t appear to them again bodily on earth. But, as you know, Jesus didn’t leave them without His presence; He didn’t leave them without Him being a part of their lives. It is as Jesus promised, “I will not leave you as orphans” (John 14:18a).

At His ascension, Jesus had given the disciples an assignment to carry out, one which would occupy their time, their talent, and their treasure for the rest of their lives. The assignment which Jesus gave them has effects down to this very day. For you are the recipients of their work, you are those who have heard the proclamation, “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his [Christ’s] name to all nations.” 

Just as the disciples wondered, when they would see the Lord Jesus again, so too have we. In the midst of sickness, the death of loved ones, the loss of income and work, the constant changes of life, we often wondered just where the Lord Jesus is for you.  You question how God could love you, if God will meet with you, care for you. Where is this Jesus of promise? Where will Christ meet me, come to my aid? You are called to repent and recognize there is much over which you need to repent and know the reconciling peace with God. For of your own efforts and your own ways there is no ability in you to reconcile with God Almighty. By your works there can be no peace with God. That is why this proclamation of repentance and forgiveness in the name of Jesus is so vitally important.

This very proclamation of repentance and forgiveness has been given to the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ. You, hear the forgiveness of your sins in the blessed words of Holy Absolution as I, as the called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, forgive you all of your sins. As the body of Christ, as His church, you have the responsibility to proclaim the message of Christ, to be that body which proclaims repentance and forgiveness, which shows forth the merciful Christ in what you do and say.

This merciful heart is what Christ wants people to hear and know, that they may know and live in His gracious hand, just as you and I do.

After our Lord’s Ascension, the disciples did not mourn or weep. Rather, they returned to Jerusalem with joy. They met together, gathered around, and, recalling the glorious gifts which this Lord Jesus had given them! Jesus came to them in the breaking of bread. He joined with them through the waters of Baptism. He came to them through the Word. Jesus was present with them for He came to them in the Means of Grace. Dear believer, the same is true today. You do not have to wonder where the Lord Jesus is, you don’t ever have to search for Him. You don’t ever need to wonder if He is present here with you in this life to lead and guide you, to comfort you.

Why?

Because the Lord Jesus comes to you as He has promised! He comes to you in His body and blood in the Holy Supper. Yes, Jesus meets with you! He meets you in the waters of Holy Baptism, the Lord Jesus comes to you in this sacred act as He places His name upon you. In the blessed waters, you are baptized into the Lord’s death and raised into the Lord’s life, there you are granted a new life. (Romans 6:3–4) Yes, the Lord Jesus meets with you. For even through the Word of God the Lord Jesus meets you as He who is the Word made flesh, gives to you Himself in and through that Word. Your life is tied to Christ, for He gives to you the words of eternal life.

As the Lord meets with you, He brings to you all of His gifts. He gives to you His life. He gives to You forgiveness. He gives to you His peace. He gives to you His promises. He gives to you freedom! Freedom to live and express Him in the world. He meets you here in this world that you may know this God and Lord, now and today and to do so with great joy.

But as you know dear people of God there are many who do not meet with this Lord to know Him as their loving and gracious Savior. You are those who are blessed to know the forgiveness of sins. You are blessed to know this Jesus Christ who has done all things necessary for your salvation. You are blessed to know you have a glorious home to which you look forward, where you know you will meet with the Lord for an eternity. 

It is a monumental but vitally necessary task that the Lord has given to His Church. You as believers are not alone. The whole Synod, but especially the ladies of the LWML works to carry the Gospel to those very people who need to meet our Lord Jesus Christ. They are involved in so many ways the world over, gather blankets to take to those who are going through tragedy, putting meals into the mouths of those who have gone through disasters as they aid relief efforts, gathering mites on behalf of people in Africa and around the world, granting them access to the Word of God. They are the ones who become for you, in numerous places, the very heart and hands of the compassionate, merciful Lord who saves, who meets people where they are and grants them life eternal.

Where is our Lord? He is here, in the heart, hands, and voice of His people. He is there in the LWML that as they in their efforts may reach others with the message of repentance and forgiveness in His name.
The Lord is where His Word is preached, and His Sacraments are rightly administered in His name. 

Yes, you are blessed, for the Lord continues to meet with His people, to meet with you, and you have forgiveness and life in His name. How blessed and enriched you are! 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard, and keep, your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry 
of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public 
by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. 
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