Dear Christian friends:

Last month the Russian cosmonaut Titov visited our country, and while visiting he mocked us about our faith in God, saying, "When I rode out around the earth in space I did not meet God or any angels. Where is your God in heaven?"

Well, we Christians know that we will not meet God riding through space ship or capsule. We meet God here in His Word and through Baptism and the Lord's Supper. And we accept Him by faith, not by seeing or understanding. He who waits to see God and understand God will not find Him. Jesus said, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

Also here in our text Jesus shows that faith and only faith is necessary. Seeing and understanding is not necessary. To Thomas Jesus said, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

Our text this morning tells us about a great event which we cannot understand with our mind and reason, Jesus' ascension into heaven. This we believe as we must believe all other events in Jesus' life: His birth from a Virgin, His resurrection from the dead and now His ascension into heaven.

Our text this morning says, "He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19) In these words we find great comfort, joy and victory, if we do not doubt, but believe. So let us cast our doubt and accept like children these wonderful words of our text:


These words we before said in the Apostles Creed:

“I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified,died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.”

What do these wonderful words mean, "He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty"? Jesus did not ride a rocket ship like John Glenn or Scott Carpenter. And He did not go two-hundred miles up above the earth. Jesus did not go far, far away where He cannot hear us or help us. Our text says He sat at the right hand of God.

Where is God? He Himself says that he is in every place. "Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jeremiah 23:24) "Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool" (Isaiah 66:1)

So Jesus sitting at God's right hand means God has given Him all power and glory because he obeyed the heavenly Father and came here on earth to suffer and die for our sins and not only our sins, but for the sins of the whole world. Paul says in Philippians 2:8-11:

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

What Jesus preached and did is true and everyone will one day know this and confess this, both His enemies and His friends, even Satan will be forced to say that Jesus is Lord. His enemies must confess with bitterness and hatred, but His friends with joy and gladness.

So Jesus commanded before He ascended: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:15-16)

The world is doomed under the curse of God because of Adam's sin and because in Adam all of us are born sinners, both rich and poor, those of good character and bad character, good worker and bad worker, all are sinners and are born under the wrath and curse of the holy God, condemned even before we are born or say one word.

But thank God in His mercy and grace in Christ Jesus. So, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16) This is very, very true. Jesus ascension and sitting at the right hand of God proves this.

So if you have already accepted Christ for your own Savior and have received baptism, rejoice and thank God. Don't be afraid. You are on the winning team. Although you may be small compared with the many unbelievers you cannot fail.

Your Brother Jesus, your Savior now sits at God's right hand. He is Lord and King and all the world is under His power, both His friends and His enemies. Glory, joy and comfort to His friends, but woe to His enemies, those who refuse His mercy and forgiveness and care not for baptism and the Lord's Supper.

If anyone of you here today still rebel against Jesus stop and think. You cannot help or save yourself no matter how hard you try. Your own good character, your own good works, your tears and sorrow cannot save you. Only Jesus can.

Jesus has lived and died for you. Confess your sin and accept His pardon. If you are not baptized arrange for it today. If you have been despising the Lord's Supper and preaching change now and you will have great joy and peace and hope in God.

And you who have believed in Jesus a long time, let us heed Jesus' command here like the first disciples here in our text. Let us not be tired about supporting missions and evangelism.

Jesus who sits at God's right-hand will also work with us and bless our preaching and teaching work in our church.

(Tell the story of "We Cannot Sleep")
We cannot sleep, for our Lord Jesus now sits at God's right hand.

Amen.