March 11, 1942. Corregidor, in the Philippines. I’m sure most of the WWII veterans in the congregation today can tell you what happened that day. The Japanese forces were invading the Philippines, and on a day that marked the beginning of a dark chapter for the American and Filipino forces, General Douglas MacArthur prepared to leave, uttering what was to become probably his most famous statement: “I shall return.”

When he made the promise to return, many thought he was crazy. But his determination to free the Philippines from Japanese occupation would not be drowned by criticism and doubt. Roughly 2 _ years later, Gen. MacArthur landed once again on Philippine soil with the words, “People of the Philippines, I have returned!”

Sermon Central. Contributed by: Brian La Croix

Joseph Parker’s Tombstone Inscription:

Born April 9, 1830
Ascended, November 28, 1902

Howell, Bruce. Sermon “Lift Off”
www.sermoncentral.com

There was a farmer in southern Louisiana who captured a mallard duck and tied it with a cord to a stake at the edge of a pond. Through the winter the mallard swam around with the domestic ducks and even ate from the hand of the farmer. When Spring came, all of the other wild ducks that had wintered in that area began to fly toward the north. When those flocks arose, they saw the mallard duck down below on the pond. They called to him from the sky. All the other domesticated ducks did not hear or see, or raise their eyes to look. They just swam in complacency on the farmer’s pond. But when the mallard heard the call, he lifted up his head, and then his wings, and tried to fly. But he couldn’t. Again and again, he strained to move upward as the flocks flew overhead, calling to him. Finally, he broke lose and flew skyward, joining the journey home.

It’s the upward call, my friends. Don’t you hear it? Get your eyes off of the world and look up. Your Lord is calling you—calling you to a higher, better way of living. And someday, if you remain faithful to Him, your spirit will ascend to be with Him forever.

Howell, Bruce. Sermon “Lift Off”
www.sermoncentral.com

Note: The above illustration is not Gospel motivation; we are all called heavenward to where our Lord has gone and is preparing a place; It’s okay to look heavenward in hope, because we don’t want to remain grounded; but we have other ducks to help get loose; maybe we should do some honking!

Biblical Christianity simply makes no sense to (Episcopal) Bishop (John Shelby) Spong. “The biblical account of Jesus’ return to heaven was based upon the ancient idea that the sky was the abode of God and that it was ‘up.’ A literal ascension makes no sense to those of us who live on this side of Copernicus, Galileo, and the space age. Indeed, the very word up is a meaningless concept in our time.”

Mohler, R. Albert Jr. Heretical bishop lectures on sexuality at Stetson University
February 10, 2005. Crosswalk.com

Maybe it was more meaningful to the disciples than if he simply disappeared or warped out. Maybe God wanted to impress on man that mankind is the center of creation (even if Earth is not the center of the solar system). Maybe the Ascension reaffirms the view of the Psalms that the Earth is the footstool of God.

Are you afraid you might baptize a baby and it won’t take? Are you afraid you may speak the absolution and it won’t count? Are you afraid you may preach the gospel and it won’t work, afraid you may offer the Sacrament and it won’t forgive? Go and be Chicken Little and fear that the sky is falling down before you fear that Christ lacks the power to work through the gospel in Word and Sacrament.

…[L]ong ago a pastor I loved shared with me a saying from Augustine that I’ve never forgotten, and I share it with you today. In aeternum Christus regnabit in sanctis suis. Hoc Deus dixit. Hoc Deus promisit. Et si parum est, hoc Deus etiam iuravit. Frame it in your mind, hang it on your heart, nail it to your ministry, view it to the day you die. In eternity Christ will rule among his saints. This God has said. This God has promised. And if that is too small, this God has also sworn.

Tiefel, James P. Sermon – Ephesians 1:15-23:
The Ascended Christ Will Preserve His Church, May 5, 2005, pp. 248-250
Fall 2005. WLQ, Vol. 102, No. 4