Well, greetings to the Lord congregation, and greetings as well to others that might join us here at Cornerstone URC for the evening worship service here on Sunday, May 24th. This is the Ascension Day. Ascension Day was actually this past Thursday, but we're going to acknowledge and remember our Lord's ascension into heaven for the sermon tonight, and also the song that follows our reading of Revelation chapter 1 and that is prior to the sermon itself from Psalm 24 also will be in connection with the ascension of Jesus Christ. We remember that always, but on days like this we keep that before us in a special sense. So greetings in the Lord and welcome to the worship of our God. And if you have a blue Psalter hymnal, Follow along, we have Jen Prince on the piano accompanying us with the music that way. And Corey and Holly Rosenboom and their family will be leading us in the singing. So if you have a Blue Songbook, all of the songs are in there and you can follow along or sing along at home. So here we are called to worship tonight with these words at the beginning of Psalm 118. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. So having heard that call to worship, let's bow together in silent prayer and ask for God's blessing. Well, beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Receive God's greeting. Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied to you in abundance from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. Well, let's turn for the opening song to number 259. That's taken from Psalm 121. Unto the hills I lift my eyes. All four stanzas, number 259. ♪ Unto the hills I lift my eyes ♪ ♪ It's coming home my age ♪ ♪ Thy keepers, some with none nor shall ♪ ♪ Because thy foot to fail ♪ ♪ Endangered doth thy sail ♪ ♪ O ye that keepeth Israel ♪ ♪ Doth neither sleep nor slumber ♪ ♪ Nor shall thy soul encumber ♪ ♪ No one is thy keeper but the shade on thy right hand ♪ ♪ Thy safety to command ♪ ♪ The moon by night, the sun by day ♪ ♪ Shall not off the dark sky be ♪ ♪ But with their radiance light be ♪ The Lord will preserve thee when the waves of trouble roll. He will preserve thy soul when going out or coming in. The Lord will thee deliver from henceforth and forever. We'll confess our faith tonight using those well-known words of the Apostles' Creed, and then we'll, immediately following that, turn to number 192 and sing from Psalm 98, unto God our Savior. So we confess even here in the Apostles' Creed the ascension of Jesus Christ, because that pertains to those four articles of our faith. And it says, as we confess in true faith, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitted at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe a holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Sing a joyful song. Honest are his doings, for his arm is strong. He has brought salvation. He has made it known. And before the nations, ♪ All ye people sing before the Lord ♪ ♪ Shout and sing his praises now in glad accord ♪ ♪ With the harp and trumpet joyful praises ring ♪ ♪ Come rejoice before him, God the Lord your King ♪ For he comes with justice, evil to redress, and to judge the nations in his righteousness. Well, amen and amen to that song. That's actually, boys and girls, maybe you know this already, but Psalm 98 is the basis for that well-known Christmas hymn, joy to the world, the Lord is come. That's a hymnized version of what we just heard and sang together there in Psalm 98. So let's turn then for the reading of God's word in terms of the cycle and rhythm that we have of that here in our second service on the Lord's Day at Cornerstone Church to Revelation chapter one. We just finished reading through the book of Proverbs, and the consistory decided it would be a good idea to read through the book of Revelation. So we'll start in chapter one, which serves basically as an introduction to the whole book. And it opens up in verse one of Revelation chapter one, and it says to us, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant, John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John, to the seven churches that are in Asia, grace to you and peace from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who were before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. to Him who loved us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so, amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, saying, write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands, one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars. From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, I am the first, and the last, and the living one. I die, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are, and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. So there it is, Revelation chapter one. Well, let's join together in our congregational prayer and seek the Lord together, shall we? Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we are thankful for another call to worship. We're thankful, oh God, even in these unique and unusual times, that the freedom to worship you is still a blessing that we enjoy and that you have given to us as a constant. We thank you, Father, that there is progress in things opening back up and us being able, not just as Christian people, but as a nation and as a world, looking for that time when we can get back to normal, so to speak, and yet, O Lord, acknowledge that you are the one who brings these things to pass, and give you thanks, even as that may happen slowly from our perspective and in stages, knowing, O Lord, that all things are in your hand, and that even if we don't know what the future holds, we know that you hold that future. We think tonight, Father, in our congregational prayers of matters that are near and dear to us, And yet, Father, these ultimately are only a token and portion of those matters that are in our hearts and in our minds. And so we pray that throughout the course of the week you would keep us as individuals and as families and couples to be people of prayer, that we might pray without ceasing as the scriptures direct us, and that we might take every opportunity as those thoughts and concerns come into our minds to offer them up to you and to ask for your blessing. Father, we pray tonight, particularly for the opportunity that we have to give you thanks that men have been nominated and elected into the office of Elder and Deacon. We pray, Father, for Doug Elgersma and Kurt Hartog and Mike Alons, as they take up that work of the Undershepherd and fulfill the office of the Elder among us. And we pray for Shawn Andringa and Jesse Eitenbogart as they take up that labor of a minister of mercy and fulfill the office of deacon in our midst. Give them wisdom, give them each encouragement in this work. And Father, when they are installed and ordained to that work, as they work alongside the other elders and deacons, may our congregation know that they are faithfully led, that they are well loved, and that they are served in the name and in the spirit and for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord. And may all things, Father, in those offices lead to your praise. We pray tonight as well for our friends and family outside of our congregation that we know and love and remember in this way. Father, you know those names and those needs better than we do. And so we pray that you would bless them, Lord, not just according to their needs, but according to your loving kindness and tender mercies. That you would be with them in their trials and in their afflictions. that you would grant them, O Lord, patience along the way, and that if it be your will, you would provide healing as well. So Father, in all things, we ask, perhaps most of all, that you would encourage and comfort their hearts and their souls with that gospel promise. And even though the things of this world fade away, ourselves included, each of those who face trial might remember that the inheritance that you provide through Jesus Christ according to that gospel promise is eternal, it is undefiled, and it is unfading. So may that be a great source of refreshment and encouragement. We pray as well, Lord, for the missionaries that our federation supports and those others as well that labor on the mission field around this world and even as church planters in our country and in other nations. And we remember as well the chaplains who serve in our armed forces and in other ways to minister that word to those first responders and military. And so we pray tonight, Lord, for Reverend Mark Van Essendelph, and we ask that you would bless his work in Uganda We pray that you would bless him and that congregation with wisdom in light of the coronavirus, even as it makes its way over there and causes upheaval. And chaos, we pray, Lord, that the locals who live in poverty and who in some fashion have insult added to injury with this virus would have all of the food and resources they need and that you would use our brothers and sisters over there to come to them not only with provisions for body but with that word of life in the gospel as well. We pray also as he asks us for peace in the culture but also in the church And we ask, O Lord, that their son, Josh, might have a blessing of patience as he was looking forward to coming home and their travel has been hindered. So in the meantime, Lord, encourage him and uphold that family and those that worship with them and grant each to be salt and light in the midst of their community. We pray also, Father, for churches and Christian people more broadly in this time, not only locally, but all over the world. Give us, Lord, patience in this time of tribulation. Help us to be constant in our prayers. Bless us to be humble and allow us, Lord, to carry out a proper submission to the governing officials who are over us in light of that fifth commandment. But answer us, O Lord, in our prayers to bring relief at the appointed time. To bless your word as it still goes forth and is unbound in this time, as it goes forth in some places in person and in many places online. Bless that word, O Lord, to be a word of life, to be a call to salvation, and to be something that you use to fulfill your purpose and that through Jesus Christ we can see that our ascended King still is busy gathering, defending, and preserving to himself a church chosen to everlasting life. And we pray as well tonight, Lord, for those who choose to stay away and ask that you would prick their heart and create a desire for them to be found in your house and among your people. We pray for any who might be going through the motions and ask for the blessing of an earnest and ardent fervor to serve you and to strive for your praise. We pray, Lord, for those who are facing frustrations which might seem insurmountable, and ask that you would give them a peace of mind. We pray for those who might be prone to grumble, especially in times like this, and ask that you would lead them to seek and to find real contentment. And we pray, Lord, for those who are aloof. and ask that you would lead them to use their gifts to be active and involved in the life of the congregation, in the life of the community, and to do so that men might see those deeds and in turn give glory and praise to our Father in Heaven. So as we close things in our prayer, we ask for your blessing upon the offering. We pray, Father, you would be with RMS and the work that you have called them to carry out. We thank you we can partner financially and prayerfully with them, and we pray simply for your blessing to establish the labor of their hands, not only now, but in the years and generations, if it be your will, that yet lie ahead. So encourage them with our gifts and through our prayers, and may they, together with us, acknowledge you as a faithful father, the giver of every good and perfect gift, even as Christ has taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on 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 forever. Amen. Well, I mentioned number 42 from Psalm 24 earlier before we started the service, so we'll turn to that song now, an Old Testament song that gives us a chance to sing of our Lord's ascension. So number 42, all three stanzas, ye gates, lift your heads. ♪ Ye gates lift your heads, the glad summons obey ♪ ♪ Ye joys everlasting, wide open obey ♪ ♪ The King of all glory, high honors await ♪ ♪ The King of all glorious, challenging still ♪ ♪ The whole glory is this that we sing ♪ ♪ The Lord's strong and mighty, the conquering King ♪ ♪ He makes lift your head to his troubled domain ♪ ♪ He dores everlasting, wide open the way ♪ ♪ The King of all glory high on earth awaits ♪ ♪ The King of all glory shall enter and sit ♪ ♪ The King of all glory is this that we see ♪ ♪ The hope of all those here of glory is clear ♪ Well, for the reading of God's word tonight, in connection with the preaching of that word, let's turn over to Mark chapter 16. So Mark 16, we'll read the last part of it, verses nine through 20, but our preaching passage will be just verses 19 and 20. So here we are, Mark chapter 16, beginning in verse nine. It opens up and says to us, now, when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After these things, He appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Afterward, He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them. They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover. So then, the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. So far then, the reading of God's word there at the end of Mark's gospel. Well, let's open with a word of prayer before we come to here, shall we? Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that it speaks with one voice wherever we might hear it speaking to us. And we thank you that Jesus Christ is at the center of that message, for he is the one, not only that you have appointed for us, but he is the one that we desperately need. So use this ministry of your word to draw our hearts to focus on him, to trust in him, to believe in him, to be encouraged by him. And as we walk here below, to remember that our Lord lives and reigns above. For we ask all of these things, looking for your blessing, in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you think of the ascension, what is it that comes to mind? Is it something mystical? Something wonderful? Maybe something hard to understand and therefore something elusive? Maybe something concrete? Maybe something that you think of only occasionally on a day like this when we give special attention to it. Maybe it's something that you keep with you always and you live in light of the ascended Christ each and every day. Maybe you think of something else. Maybe you think of none of what I mentioned. But think about things like this. We often think of Jesus as our savior, right? And we confess Him as well to be our Lord. Well, those two titles of Savior and Lord, when taken together, they can serve sort of as a summary of the work that Jesus has come to do and the work that Jesus is yet still doing. Because as the ascended King, He's not idle, right? He's not inactive. Because guess what? Both as Savior and as Lord, Jesus in his ascension has what we can see, as the sermon title says, an after effect, right? The ascension has an after effect. And in that connection, both the ascension and its after effect point out that there's past, there's present, and there's future work that Jesus has, is, and will yet be accomplishing in, by, and through that gospel message. Because two things, Two things are true. The ascension of Jesus Christ happened at some point in the past. It's part of the fabric of the history of the world. And secondly, the ascension of Jesus Christ, having happened in the past, now continues. to have relevance and significance and importance, not just for the church or Christian people, but for the whole world and for those who hear the gospel message wherever it might go forth. And what we have here in Mark 16, is essentially Mark's narrative, if we can use this language, of the Great Commission that maybe we're more familiar with over in the Gospel of Matthew. And just a quick apologetic opportunity, so to speak, if maybe people wonder or take issue with the fact that Matthew 28 and Mark 16 don't line up exactly if we want to use that category of the Great Commission, whether it's doubters or unbelievers or naysayers or whoever it might be, there's an easy answer to that. They're different occasions. Matthew's gospel was on the Mount of Olives. Mark is describing a different occasion here. Mark gives us, many commentators say, a summary of what Jesus had brought to his apostles during the entire 40-day period in which he was appearing to them and teaching them and training them and preparing them for their mission and for their work. And so we take Matthew 28 and Mark 16 together, and we have a fuller picture of what the early church was called to do, the apostles particularly, in this great commission. So they're not contradictory, but they're complementary. And what we have here at the end of Mark 16, if we want to use the language like this, it corroborates, it supports what Luke mentions over in Acts chapter 1, especially verses 2, 3, and 8. And of course, boys and girls, you might remember that Mark is the shortest. of all of the Gospels, right? And this longer ending of Mark has been the occasion of no small amount of debate and discussion. There's a footnote in our Pew Bible and in most Bibles or study Bibles might have longer explanations as to why we have the so-called longer ending of Mark in double brackets here in the Pew Bible from verses nine to 20. I'll let you look into that or read the footnote on your own. There are good men on both sides of the discussion. whether conservative on each end of the issue. It's been called everything from an addition to a later appendix to something that Mark either wrote directly or communicated to a secretary as an addendum to his gospel. But we're going to take it tonight as God's word to us here in verses nine to 20 and particularly as we focus on verses 19 and 20 together. So with all of that in view, Let's come to the passage here at the very end of Mark, chapter 16, verses 19 and 20, and we'll have the following theme and points. Here it is, very simple. Although Jesus was taken up into heaven, his work continues. And to see that this is so, let's look at his kingly enthronement there in verse 19. And then we'll look in verse 20 at his ongoing earthly activity. So as things open up, we look at his kingly enthronement in verse 19, first of all. And notice at the very beginning, those words, so that the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, those words, they provide us with narrative context, don't they? So those words at the beginning of verse 19 force us to keep verses 14 to 18 in mind, because that's the up-and-coming mission that they're going to go out and that we read about in the book of Acts fulfilled. Jesus offers an admonition in verse 14 because of the unbelief and hardness of heart, and then in verses 15 to 18, Jesus provides instruction like unto the Great Commission, if you will. And so, in light of all of that, When verse 19 opens up, it continues the narrative. It's on with the show here in verse 19. And with that big picture in mind, maybe we can pause for a minute and think about things this way. The fact of our Lord's ascension into heaven, that's part of a larger picture, isn't it? The ascension is a continuation of Christ's work. On with the show is what Jesus does when he ascends into heaven. Because our Lord's life and ministry didn't come to an end when he ascended into heaven, did it? No, but we'll connect the dots this way. Just as our Lord's coming with his incarnation was unto his earthly ministry, so too the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven is unto the work of Christ that continues through his apostles and through his church until the end of the age. And so we keep verses 19 and 20 in their proper place, and in doing so, they point to the future, don't they? And guess what? That future, that future is right now. We are that future here in the present. Because the work of Christ that has been for 2,000 years now, up until our own day, is with us by way of that gospel ministry that has come down through the ages. Not just to our ancestors who maybe have passed that faith down to us with God's blessing, but it has come to us individually. As Christ has opened hearts just like he did open Lydia's heart in Acts chapter 16, that attention and hearing and faith might be given to those things that were spoken then by the Apostle Paul and now whenever the gospel goes forth. In God's providence, through the rule of Christ, all of those things have taken place. And that will continue into the future as others are brought to faith. as more come to repentance and as Jesus Christ continues to gather in God's elect and build his church a holy house composed of living and spiritual stones. So let me offer some pastoral counsel this way. Be encouraged in the present and be confident about the future. Be thankful in all things Look to Jesus who is the centerpiece of the gospel message and believe with all of your heart in Him who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. The one who governs all of human history as the sovereign ruler who's on high. And then live. Live in light of that confession of faith. Live in light of that comfort that comes from belonging to Him because That's where verse 19 directs the eyes of our heart, isn't it? To the Lord who is on high. After he had spoken to them, it says Jesus was taken up into heaven. And so maybe pause just for a minute so we're all on the same page. When it says, boys and girls, young people, that he was taken up into heaven, it's not telling us that Jesus went to a different place, as if he's in a different location, but it's telling us he went to a different plane of existence. He's in a new realm, there's a new reality. Heaven itself, up and above this earthly, creaturely realm. is where the Lord Jesus went when he ascended on high. So it's not as though he went so far up into the sky that he disappeared from the sight of the apostles, but he transcended this earthly bubble and is now exalted on high at the very right hand of God as we'll hear and see. In other words, think of it like this. In his ascension, I mean, this is profound, not that I'm saying it, but because it happened with Christ. In his ascension, Jesus has transcended this age because in his person, the age to come has dawned. The new heavens and the new earth will come because Christ embodies that new realm and that new reality by way of his resurrection and ascension into heaven. And now, the majesty and glory of that realm contains the throne of dominion from which he rules. And so the ascension into heaven, it is high and lofty in its theology, but it's not abstract. It's concrete and practical, because Christ is in heaven for many, many reasons, and for those reasons which pertain to us in particular. We have our advocate. in heaven, one who sits at the right hand of God, who gives us access and acceptance with our heavenly Father because He is there, listen, to plead our case. He's there to defend us, to plead our cause, to open God's ear, if I can say it like that. He is there above the fray of earthly life. so that when our life comes to an end, he is there ready to receive us and welcome us into heaven itself. From heaven, Christ sends forth his spirit, like we read about in Acts chapter two. And from heaven, Christ continues to send his spirit to accomplish his work as he works through the word by that Holy Spirit. Christ is there so that we might live for him by the same power that he provides for us. so that we might have the assurance of adoption into God's family, the certainty that we who have started this race will indeed come to its completion and finish that race according to His amazing grace. And so your ascended King, Jesus Christ, who is Savior and Lord, is the one who is there for you. To Him belongs all dominion. And here's the payoff. Here's the payoff in recognizing that. That means you can trust Him to take care of you. That means you can believe, just like we sang there from Psalm 121, that he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. That means that you can live here on earth below without any fear, knowing that your Savior not only watches over you from heaven, but that He protects you along the way, and that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Like it says over Matthew, I am with you always. even to the close or to the end of the age. And directly related to that full confidence that we can have, verse 19 finishes by telling us that when Jesus was taken up into heaven, he sat down at the right hand of God. And boys and girls, young people, that language of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God, that's Bible speak for it telling us Jesus has taken up the place of supreme and absolute authority. And so listen, in all the whole universe, there's no one who is exalted above Jesus Christ. There's no one to whom he bows the knee, no one to whom he answers, no one to whom he must give account. Because the right hand of God and Christ having taken his seat there, it's not only a posture of rest, having sat down after his priestly work is finished, But sitting at the right hand of God is also a posture of rule, because his exaltation into heaven was unto absolute authority. After all, just think, by the very design and appointment of God the Father, Jesus has been given all authority, right? Which means that he rules over whichever president sits in the Oval Office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Jesus rules over Vladimir Putin and whoever sits as head of state in Russia. Jesus rules over Xi Jinping or whoever heads up the Communist Party in China. Jesus rules over the Taliban. He rules over Muslim radicals and jihadists. He rules over other terrorists. He rules, like we heard in that Revelation chapter one, over all of the kings on earth. Jesus even rules over the king virus, the corona virus, the crown virus. He keeps and holds all things in check according to the will of God the Father Almighty until that day comes when his kingdom arrives in all of the brightness and beauty of its glory at the end of this present age. And what that means is this, that you can trust that no trouble arises, and plenty of trouble does arise, but you can trust that no trouble arises that he doesn't sovereignly oversee and turn for our good and for God's glory. No big-scale calamity can throw off his rule because his sovereign rule is absolute. No small-scale trial can escape his notice because his eyes see and observe all things. Yes, congregation, Jesus has taken his seat at the right hand of God, and thus his work of salvation has been complete, but his work of rule and reign continues. And thus, because he is Savior and Lord, everyone who believes in him and who trusts in him will be safe and secure forever. That's a promise that you can take to the bank. That's a promise you can invest your life in. And that's a promise you can take with you as you live out the remainder of your days in light of His faithfulness to you in mind and in heart. Because think about it like this. We live in an evil world, don't we? We live in a dying world. We live in a world of heartache. We live in a world of tribulation. We live in a world of disappointment. We live in a world of affliction. But we live in a world where Christ is exalted above all of that chaos. And He is there for us. So look to Him. Go to Him. And you will find, with a believing heart, all that you need in Him, both now and forever. As things begin to come to a close and we look at verse 20, we see there, in light of his kingly enthronement, we see that verse 20 describes for us his ongoing earthly activity. And notice how it opens up. And they went out and preached everywhere, talking about his disciples, the apostles, those with this particular calling. And that picks up on what we read in verses 15 to 18 where he gave them that commission. And those verses play out most immediately and particularly in their details in the book of Acts in a special sense, even verse 18 about getting bit by snakes. and not dying. If you look in Acts chapter 28, verses 3, 4, and 5, that happens to the Apostle Paul, and it's a testimony that he is indeed a servant of the living God, of Jesus Christ. But this preaching of the word everywhere going out takes place all throughout the course of church history, though in a different way than it happened in the book of Acts, with signs and wonders and those things that accompanied that age that aren't necessarily with us now. And the various layers with Acts and all of church history in that way is a testimony that Christ is king. He sits, he rules, he works. After all, just think, and here's the key, the success of the gospel ministry, not just in the book of Acts, but these last 2,000 years, all throughout the age of the year, all throughout the area of the earth, That fact plus the subsequent changes that have come when the gospel has been accepted and when the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ has worked through that word to transform hearts and lives has come to peoples, has come to nations, has come to communities from the throne of heaven according to the commission of Christ's church, according to the power of his hand by his Holy Spirit. And notice, notice the simple means. that Christ uses to accomplish all of those things that he has ordained for the spread of his kingdom. It's preaching. That's what verse 20 tells us. They went out and preached everywhere. That word for preaching is a formal word, it's a wonderful word, it's a powerful word. The word means to proclaim, it means to announce, it means to declare and to speak publicly. Hence, it's translated here as preached. And so preaching is official, and preaching is covenantal. And so let me pause for just a minute here. If you've ever wondered why our church and other churches give such an emphasis to the preaching ministry of God's word, here it is. King Jesus has put this ministry in place. Verse 15, up above here, Matthew 28, we read it there, Acts 1, verse 8, where he commissions the church to be his witnesses. Paul's testimony, his conversion in Acts chapter nine, and his testimony in Acts chapter 26, both pinpoint preaching as central to the mission that Christ had for him. And in 2 Timothy chapter four, verse two, a reference I have on my class ring from seminary, Paul's parting shot to Timothy is preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, and do so with all patience and diligence. So boys and girls, young people, and maybe even all of us adults, when we have to sit through a sermon, it shouldn't be, ah, I have to sit here and listen to some guy say some stuff for some 30 minutes. It shouldn't be that. It should be this. Wow, Christ. has ordained this ministry for the salvation of those that God blesses. And I have the privilege of hearing this word from His word. So let me offer pastoral counsel. I've been in the pew plenty of times, and it's hard work to sit through a sermon. So make every effort. by God's grace, to listen to the Word as often as it goes out. And in making every effort to listen to the Word, pray for grace that you might understand. Pray for grace that you would receive it with a believing heart. Pray for grace that you would keep that preached Word with you, that you would grow in your owning of it, that you would get wisdom from it, and that God would bless that Word. as a lamp to your feet and a light to your path that you might then live in light of it at all times. Because the message of Christ that goes forth in preaching is the message that the whole world needs to hear, you and me included. So hear it, believe it, build and stand upon that firm foundation and you will be steadfast and immovable unto everlasting life. To the passage here, as verse 20 comes to its close, when Jesus sent out the apostles, he didn't abandon them, did he? No, but it says, look, they went out and preached everywhere, and it tells us that the Lord worked with them. Maybe to use a very creaturely illustration, it's as though from his perspective on high, Jesus sees the big picture of human history, and he works with his people. that God's will might be unfolded and fulfilled. And that's what he's still doing, isn't it? Even if it was done in a special sense with signs and wonders and those sorts of things in the book of Acts, which we don't see today, we might say it like this. Jesus was taken physically away from us so that by the power of his Holy Spirit, he might be spiritually present with us. In other words, our Lord remains actively involved in the work of the church. He's busy, so to speak. The Lord worked with them, is what verse 20 says, and it speaks then of a collaborative and cooperative effort that Christ is engaging with his church to accomplish. And of course, Jesus always remains Lord. That doesn't change. He leads and we follow. But we're not alone either, are we? No, and not by a long shot. They weren't alone in the first century when they began that work, and we're not alone today in the 21st century when that work continues. So guess what? Not only has there been progress, but there will continue to be progress. There will continue to be fruit that is picked off the tree. There will continue to be grace that is poured out upon undeserving sinners because there will continue to be victory in Jesus as we carry on and march towards that final victory in Jesus. Just like we sing, right? We have Christ's own promise and that cannot fail, so onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war with the cross of Jesus going on before. And maybe we pause in terms of Jesus working through the word preached. If we were to apply that as broadly as possible, that would come to include Christ also working through devotions to comfort and to encourage boys and girls, Christ also working through Sunday school and catechism teachers. Christ working through personal testimony and witness that is born as believers. Reach out to friends and family or neighbors who may not know the gospel yet. It also includes teaching times where that word goes forth faithfully in a formal or an informal teaching context. Other opportunities and applications Christ is working with. his church to fulfill God's will. And so as often as you have the word set before you, whether in church or elsewhere, ask King Jesus to give that word his unction. Ask him to work through it so that it's effective for you. Ask him to work through it so that God's will is fulfilled in your life. And ask him to work through it to give you a full assurance of understanding and a full assurance of salvation. Because in the end, those things are They're corroboratory or confirmative of the gospel message, aren't they? Like it says here, the message was confirmed in the first century by accompanying signs. Those signs were testimonial and pointed to the truthfulness of the word that was preached. But now, in our context, we have no need for signs and wonders because the word has come to us and the spirit convinces us and convicts us of its truthfulness. The accompanying sign of the truthfulness of the Word is the ministry and testimony of the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Those signs and wonders of the first century have been given, they've served their purpose, but now they've passed away. But guess what? We still have the Word, Jesus still reigns, we still hear what he says, we are still called to go into this world with his message, and he still calls everyone who hears the message and promise of the gospel to repent, to believe, and to receive salvation in its promise, full and free. So in light of all of that, let us doubt nothing, let us believe everything, let us press on patiently, let us preach, let us teach, let us speak, let us warn, let us witness, let us be secure, let us be steadfast, let us stay singularly focused on the task at hand, And let us depend at all times and in all things on King Jesus, who has promised to bring us to that final place of rest and sure hope in the new heavens and the new earth. Amen. Let's pray, shall we? Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful for your word. We are thankful for the finished work of salvation that Christ has accomplished for us, And we are thankful, O God, that King Jesus still works, and that He is still active, and that He lives forever by the power of an indestructible life, not only to care for those who believe, but to yet bring others to that same faith. And so we ask, Father, that that promise would go forth, that Your will would be fulfilled, and that each of us would have a good cause for joy and rejoicing, as we know, see, and experience these things together. As we call upon you in Jesus' name, bring them to pass, we pray. Amen. Well, number 467 will be the song following the sermon tonight. So let's turn to number 467, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. Lift high his loyal banner, it must not stop the loss. From victory unto victory, ♪ His army shall he lead ♪ ♪ Till ev'ry foe is vanquished ♪ ♪ In Christ his Lord indeed ♪ ♪ Stand up, stand up for Jesus ♪ ♪ The trumpets call obey ♪ ♪ Cause to the mighty conflict ♪ ♪ In this day's glorious day ♪ We regiment and serve you against unnumbered foes. A courage rise with danger and strength to strengthen foes. Stand up, stand up for Jesus and in His strength grow old. When on the flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with thrill. When duty calls or danger, ye never once engage. ♪ Up stand the partisans, the strife will not be long ♪ ♪ They say that war's a battle, but next the victors song ♪ ♪ Till the end they're overcoming, the proud of life shall be ♪ Be with the King of Glory, shall reign eternally. Normally, if we were in person for a worship service, this would be the time where we have the offering. But you've been instructed how to give during this time where we are yet not able to come together fully for corporate worship. So continue in that as God enables you and see that even in an unusual way as yet being part of the worship that you render each week. And so for our closing doxology tonight, we'll turn to number 222 and sing stanzas 6 and 7 of number 222. Let all revere his holy name in heaven above and earth below. In reverence standing, God be clear, and primes the gates to wisdom's ways. How wise his holy name is! Beloved, receive God's parting word of peace and blessing. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.