It’s why we believe “in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.” Our faith concerning Jesus Christ rests on the foundation of the Apostles.” It is the witness of the apostles, their preaching, their teaching, and their practice that acts as a standard or measuring stick against which to measure our own witness, our own preaching, our own teaching, and our own practice. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24.46-48) Just before His Ascension, Jesus called his apostles and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise again from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. But this story belies an important issue, and that is the credibility of the Church’s witness and leadership. We might tempted to dismiss this story as a rather boring institutional footnote in the life of the early Church, much like our own annual meetings where we elect men and women to serve as Churchwardens and on the Vestry. “(Acts 1.11) And with that the meeting, perhaps one of the shortest in the history of the Church was adjourned, and everybody went to lunch. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place,” they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. Rather having prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Modern democratic ideas of holding an election with everyone casting a vote, was not yet part of the church’s practice. The name of the one was Joseph, called Barsabbas, and the other, was Matthias. From among the 120 believers who came to the meeting, two men were put forward who met the requirements as outlined by Peter: they must have been a follower from the very beginning, from the day of Jesus’ baptism by John in the River Jordan, 2) and they must have continued in faithfulness, through all the many ups and the many downs, up to and including Jesus’ Ascension. There was but one item on the agenda: to find someone to replace Judas, to join the other 11 apostles in bearing witness to the Resurrection. It was during this in-between time that Peter, the rock upon which Jesus said he would build His Church, exercised his leadership role by calling a congregational meeting. It’s our Ascension to be with Christ in the heavenly places. This precisely what is given to us to experience in the Holy Communion.

When the Holy Ghost exalts us, lifts us UP, we find ourselves, reigning and ruling over the chaos and madness of our world, it’s sin and its sadness. But this lifting up is not an emotional boost, but a spiritual one. I think we could use a little bit of lifting up. We are praying today for God send his Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and lift us up.

Our Collect for today is doubly appropriate.” We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us thine Holy Ghost, to comfort us and exalt us to same place where our Savior Christ is gone before.” That word comfort means to strengthen. It’s a time of patient waiting and of praying. It’s an odd moment for us, because we really aren’t going anywhere, or moving forward on anything, or have anything particularly to celebrate. So today we have come to The Sunday after Ascension in our church calendar where we are remembering the time in-between Ascension, which we celebrated on Thursday, and Pentecost, which we will celebrate next Sunday.

Mary’s Anglican Church, Sunday after Ascension, Canon Claude Schroeder Recorded sermon audio (Modified : Added recorded sermon audio) St.

Happy ascension day 2021