Ascension of our Lord (June 1, 2025)

Because He Lives: Ascended in Power, Reigning Victorious

Text: Revelation 19:11–16

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our ascended Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear fellow redeemed,

What image comes to mind when you picture Jesus?

Perhaps it’s Jesus welcoming the little children, or calming the storm, or maybe carrying the cross on the way to Calvary. For many, the most enduring image is of Jesus risen from the tomb—gentle, scarred, and yet victorious.

We confess in the creeds, "He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." But what does that really mean? Is Ascension merely an epilogue to Easter—an afterthought before Pentecost?

Not at all. The Ascension is Christ’s coronation. It is the moment He publicly assumes His position of power.

Jesus is not resting; He is reigning.

He is not absent; He is active.

The question we ask today is: Where is Jesus now, and what is He doing for us?

To answer that, we turn to a powerful vision given to the Apostle John, one that pulls back the curtain of heaven and shows us the truth of Christ’s glorious reign.

I. Revelation’s Vision of the Ascended Christ (vv. 11–13)

The Apostle John, imprisoned on the Greek island of Patmos, is given a vision—a window into heaven itself. He sees the ascended Christ, not as a gentle shepherd holding a lamb, but as a Warrior riding along on a white horse.

He is called “Faithful and True,” and with justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are described as like blazing fire, His head adorned with many crowns. He wears a robe dipped in blood and is called “The Word of God.”

This is not a tame or timid Christ. This is the risen Lord, who now rides in power and majesty. It is a vision meant to comfort us, the Church.

This striking imagery confronts any shallow or sentimental notion of Jesus. He is not merely a meek teacher or a martyred prophet. He is the divine Warrior-King, mounted for battle against all that opposes His Word and His people.

John uses Old Testament allusions—the blazing eyes of the Ancient of Days, tying it back to Daniel 10; John also speaks of the robe dipped in blood, which point to Isaiah 63; and finally the title “The Word of God”, which he addresses in chapter 1 of his Gospel. All this is to show the unity of the Scriptures in presenting Jesus as the center of God’s saving plan.

This vision answers the question, "Where is Jesus now?" He is enthroned in glory. He is actively engaged in the battle for your soul and for the advance of His kingdom.

This is more than dramatic imagery—it is theological bedrock. The Ascended Christ is not merely a symbol of hope but the living reality of divine authority today. And it is precisely this reality that brings comfort to those facing suffering.

(Transition) John’s readers were facing ferocious persecution. Some were scatter, while others were imprisoned. And families were mourning loved ones martyred for confessing Christ. So John brings great comfort to his readers.

II. Comfort for a Persecuted Church

Revelation 19 was not meant to scare them, or us, but to reassure them: Christ has not abandoned His Church. He is not idle. He rides even now, conquering and defending.

Christ Jesus—depicted as The Rider—wages war not with a physical sword, but with the sword from His mouth—His very Word. It is this Word that silences falsehood, strengthens the faithful, and tears down the strongholds of Satan. It is the Word preached at this hour.

John continues to comfort his readers as he writes about the robe is dipped in blood—not the blood of His enemies or saints, but Jesus very own. By this blood, He has won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil.

And those who follow Him—those who confess Him by faith—are clothed in white. Their robes are unstained because He has done the fighting, and their garments are washed in the blood of the Lamb. As a result, they are secure because He is their shield.

This vision answers the cry of the martyrs: “How long, O Lord?” (Revelation 6:10). It reminds them—and us—that though the Church may appear weak and surrounded, but her Lord is strong and advancing.

The Lamb who was slain is now the Rider who reigns. As He wages war through His Word, He exposes lies, brings down idols, He calls us to repentance, and preserves His people.

To a Church surrounded by cultural pressure, hostility, or subtle compromise, Revelation 19 is a clarion call: Lift up your eyes. Your Redeemer is not defeated—He is enthroned. He is not anxious—He is victorious. And He fights not against us, but for us.

Unfortunately, the Ascension of our Lord is misunderstood when people think His power and presence is diminished, because He has ascended to the right hand of God. For example, some Christians think Jesus cannot be present in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Sacrament, and in heaven at the same time. This falsehood undermines Jesus’ own promise when He said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” But the clarion call of Revelation 19 is, “Lift up your eyes. Your Redeemer is enthroned, and is with us always despite what others may say or think.

This vision of Christ, then, isn’t just hope for the end of time. It’s fuel for faith now.

(Transition) And this faith compels us to live differently—to find comfort, confidence, and courage in the present, as we now consider how Christ's ascension matters for today.

III. Present Comfort for Today’s Church

The persecution of the early Church may feel distant, but the opposition to Christ and His people continues in many forms today.

The question lingers in our hearts: Where is Jesus when His people suffer? Where is He when truth is mocked, when churches shrink, when faithfulness feels costly?

He is where He has always been—reigning at the right hand of the Father, guiding and protecting His people. He is still the Rider on the white horse. Still Faithful and True. Still speaking through His Word. Still protecting His Church.

And when war breaks out—whether in Ukraine, the Middle East, or any place where Christians find themselves in the midst of conflict—we may ask, 'Where is Christ?'

Revelation 19 answers: He is riding forth, not indifferent, but active. His kingdom is not of this world, but it advances even amid conflict. His Church may even be displaced, but it is never defeated.

Christ rules over governments, movements, and moments. He governs history and guides His people. Even when the Church looks small or sidelined, and even looks like the well-planned VBS ministry is not gaining many souls, Jesus is not wringing His hands. He reigns.

And His Word still goes forth—unhindered, unchanging, undefeated. The Gospel does not need cultural approval to be effective. It carries its own power, because it is the power of God for salvation.

(Transition) So when you face discouragement in your own life—when you feel forgotten, defeated, or afraid—remember this: Your Lord is alive. He is not only risen; He is ascended and reigning. He sees you. He knows your name. And He leads the charge for your sake.

His presence is not symbolic. It is real. Through His Word and Sacraments, He is with you. In the struggles of life, in the work of the Church, in the face of the grave—He is present, active, victorious. And His presence is with us always, as He send us out with a purpose to be His witnesses.

IV. The Mission of the Church is Backed by Christ’s Power

And as Christians we are witnesses to this reigning Christ. Not to secure a victory, but to proclaim one that is already won.

His name is the Word of God. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. His robe is dipped in blood—His own, for the redemption of the world.

And He sends us forth with the promise: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me… and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18, 20).

When we bear witness to Christ, we are not going alone. When we are speaking with our neighbor, having coffee with a friend, we are not relying on our strength or eloquence or strategy. We are carried by the power of the One who rides ahead of us.

Our mission is not doomed to fail. It cannot fail—because it is founded on the living and reigning Christ.

And this reigning Christ is not a future king awaiting His coronation. He is already seated on the throne, crowned with many diadems, bearing the title "King of kings and Lord of lords." This is the same Jesus who will bring all human history to its rightful conclusion, before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess (Philippians 2:10–11). His judgment is perfect, His rule is just, and His victory is total. Even now, though we may appear to suffer defeat, the Lamb who was slain reigns as the Warrior who triumphs. He reigns not just in heaven, but for the sake of His Church on earth.

What a striking contrast we see in Revelation. During His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus rode a lowly donkey, fulfilling prophecy as the humble King bringing salvation (Zechariah 9:9). Now in this vision, He rides a white horse, the steed of a conquering monarch, coming to do battle against every anti-Christian power. The meek Messiah and the Mighty Warrior are one and the same—our ascended and reigning Lord.

And just as Jesus embodies both humility and strength, so He calls us to do the same.

What are the battles you face—within your heart, in your family, in your vocation, or in your witness to the world? Take heart: the Rider goes before you. You are not alone. His Spirit is in you. His Word is your weapon. His Church surrounds you. His blood has already won the war.

Conclusion: Why Ascension Matters

So why does Ascension matter? Because it answers our fear: Where is Jesus now?

He is not absent. He is not indifferent. He is alive, ascended, and reigning. He is with us to guide, to protect, and to bring His kingdom to its fulfillment.

Let me tell you about a woman named Maria. She lived under communist rule in Eastern Europe, where confessing Christ meant risking your livelihood—or even your life. She was a schoolteacher. Each morning before entering her classroom, she would pause at her desk, fold her hands, and silently pray for her students, for her nation, and for strength.

Eventually, her quiet witness was noticed. She was interrogated. Threatened. Told to stop. But she would not. Not because she sought conflict—but because she believed her King was already reigning. “You may not see Him,” she once said to her interrogators, “but I do. He’s with me every morning. He gives me courage.”

After the regime fell, her students—some now grown—spoke of the deep impact her faithful humility had on them. In a time of fear, she modeled peace. In a time of lies, she embodied truth. In a time of despair, she radiated the hope of a greater kingdom. She humbly prayed to the Lord, but when called upon to give an account, she spoke boldly, perhaps clinging to Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit will speak through us when called upon.

Take heart, dear saints. Because He lives, you are never alone. Your King is on the throne—and He rides forth for you.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Now may the ascended and reigning Christ—our mighty King and loving Savior—strengthen you with his Spirit, guard you with his truth, and keep you steadfast in the victory he has already won. Amen.”