The LORD God is the Creator of the ends of the earth. He has established laws in nature which govern all the processes of life–planting, growth, cultivation and harvest. These principles give us insight on how to conduct our lives, families, churches, and societies (to continue reading this essay, click on image above).
The Ascension of the Lord (Feast Day): The Promise of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1.1-11
The Ascension of Jesus marks his exaltation to universal authority, to the position of triumph and victory at God’s right hand from which he pours out the Holy Spirit to empower his church for global witness. Jesus reorients our often narrow, self-focused expectations (like the disciples’ concern for Israel’s national restoration) toward God’s broader kingdom purposes that transcend political, ethnic, and geographical boundaries. The promised Holy Spirit transforms ordinary believers from passive observers into active witnesses, providing a new identity and supernatural power provided that we might represent him in our global redemptive mission. We must embrace our new identity as witnesses where we serve as ambassadors rather than spectators, allowing the Holy Spirit to empower us beyond our natural abilities, to expand our vision beyond personal or local concerns to participate in God’s global mission, and to live in anticipation of Christ’s return that provides both urgency and hope to our daily service.
Invocation
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who after Thy Resurrection from the dead didst gloriously ascend into heaven, grant us the aid of Thy loving-kindness, that, according to Thy promise, Thou mayest ever dwell with us on earth, and we with Thee in heaven, where with the Father and the Holy Ghost, Thou livest and reignest one God for ever and ever. Amen.
~ Gelasian Sacramentary, A.D. 494 (Fox, p. 230), Fox, Selina Fitzherbert. A Chain of Prayer Across the Ages: Forty Centuries of Prayer, 2000 B.C.-A.D. 1916. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1943.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.
Chronological Scripture Readings for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the entire Bible in one year in chronological order.
Thursday: Pss. 1-2; 10; 33; 71; 91
Lectionary Readings for Today
Our readings from the Psalms, the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary for this Feast Day.
Psalm: Psalm 47
Old Testament (or Acts [during Eastertide]): *Acts 1.1-11
Gospel: Luke 24.44-53
New Testament: Ephesians 1.15-23
Click here for all of this week’s Scripture readings
Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Thursday: Psalm 29, 59, 89, 119, 149 and Proverbs 29
The Promise of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1.1-11.
The Ascension of Christ establishes the foundation for the apostles’ worldwide mission by connecting Jesus’ earthly ministry to the coming of the Holy Spirit and launching the church’s witness through his ascension and promised return.
Reflection
Acts 1:1-11 serves as the pivotal bridge between Jesus’ earthly ministry and the birth of the church, providing both closure to Christ’s physical presence and the launching point for the apostles’ worldwide mission. When the disciples reveal their lingering nationalistic expectations about Israel’s restoration, Jesus redirects their focus from political timelines to spiritual empowerment, promising the imminent baptism of the Holy Spirit that will transform them into witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Luke provides witness to the ascension of Jesus, where he is visibly taken up and received by a cloud, symbolizing divine glory, while angels assure the awestruck disciples that this same Jesus will return in like manner. This opening scene thus establishes the theological framework for the entire book of Acts—Christ’s ascension and departure is not an end but a necessary transition that enables the Spirit’s coming, launching a new phase of salvation history where the apostles continue Jesus’ work through Spirit-empowered witness to all nations.
Engaging God’s Word Today
In what specific areas of your life are you still functioning in your own strength as a passive observer rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to empower you as an active witness to Christ’s resurrection power and coming Kingdom? What attitude must you adopt today to allow the Spirit to lead you to experience God’s power more directly?
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, The Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God,
Begotten of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God,
Begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father,
through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became human.
Who for us too, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried.
The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Who together with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified.
Who spoke by the prophets.
We believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin,
and we look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the age to come. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Benediction
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that according to his promise he abideth with his Church on earth, even unto the end of the world; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~ Scottish Prayer Book (Suter, p. 30), Suter, John Wallace, Jr. Ed. The Book of English Collects. New York, NY: Harper, 1940.
Scripture Memory for this season
Galatians 6.9-10 (ESV): Do Not Grow Weary in Doing Good
9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
Scripture Engagement
As disciples of Jesus, the Churches of Christ the King strongly seek to engage the Scriptures to discover the centrality of Christ and his Kingdom in the prophetic and apostolic writings. You will find a rich treasure of resources on engaging Scripture at the Center for Scripture Engagement of Taylor University.
Book Reading and Reflection
THE REAL REASON HABITS MATTER
“Identity change is the North Star of habit change. The remainder of this book will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to build better habits in yourself, your family, your team, your company, and anywhere else you wish. But the true question is: “Are you becoming the type of person you want to become?” The first step is not what or how, but who. You need to know who you want to be. Otherwise, your quest for change is like a boat without a rudder. And that’s why we are starting here.
You have the power to change your beliefs about yourself. Your identity is not set in stone. You have a choice in every moment. You can choose the identity you want to reinforce today with the habits you choose today. And this brings us to the deeper purpose of this book and the real reason habits matter.
Building better habits isn’t about littering your day with life hacks. It’s not about flossing one tooth each night or taking a cold shower each morning or wearing the same outfit each day. It’s not about achieving external measures of success like earning more money, losing weight, or reducing stress. Habits can help you achieve all of these things, but fundamentally they are not about having something. They are about becoming someone.
Ultimately, your habits matter because they help you become the type of person you wish to be. They are the channel through which you develop your deepest beliefs about yourself. Quite literally, you become your habits.”
~ Clear, James, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin Random House UK, 2018. Electronic Edition, Location 559-561.
Seedling Focus for the Season: Do Not Grow Weary in Doing Good
Description: The harvest of righteousness comes when we do not give up on doing good, even when it is difficult, Galatians 6.9-10.
On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
Ascension of the Lord: The Promise of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1.1-11.
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