# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1897_S17 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) — The Lutheran A MISSIONARY ionecy. MONTHLY. PousiisHep By THE EVANGELICAL LurHeran SynopicaL ConFERENCE OF Nort AMERICA. R. A. BISCHOFF, Editor. Entered at the Post Office at St. Louis, Mo., as second-class matter. Vol. XIX. St. Louis, Mo., May, 1897. No. 5. The, Ascension. By P. NICOLAT, 1699. As they were looking, He was taken up. co oe ‘Our Lord’s Ascension. The Bible tells us after our Lord’s resur- tection from the dead He sojourned yet forty days on earth, then ascended into heaven. His work of redemption was done, His days of humiliation and suffering were ended, and He went to the Father and entered into His glory. ‘‘So then after the Lord had spoken ‘unto them, He was received up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God,”’ Mark 16, 19. We do not look upon this as a subject of sorrow. On the contrary, Ascension day is aday of joy. He that goes up to heaven is the same that came down from heaven to re- deem the world of sinners. From His as- cension we learn that His work is finished. Therefore the psalmist cries out rejoicingly: “Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also,”’ Psalm 68, 18. The captivity which Christ has led captive is the captivity of sin, death, devil, and hell. In this captivity all men are held by nature. They all are captives and slaves, for they all have sinned and become the slaves and captives of Satan and have de- served to pass eternity in the prison of hell. Christ in His great love came as our Deliverer to snap our bonds and to set us free. By His life, sufferings, and death He redeemed -us from our captivity. In His glorious resur- rection we see Him as the Conqueror over all our enemies, and in His triumphant ascension we see Him leading our captivity captive. He has made our enemies captives and slaves. He is crowned as the mighty Hero and as the Lord over all things: our enemies are put under His feet. Through Him deliverance, forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting are procured for all sinners. These are the gifts which He received, not for Himself, but for men, for all men, yea, for the rebellious also. These gifts are brought to every sinner in the Gospel. Therefore Christ, before His ascen- sion, told His disciples to go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. The Gospel brings to every sinner the glad tidings: Your captivity is led captive, your enemies are conquered, your prison is de- stroyed, you are free, heaven is opened to you. Blessed are they who by faith accept this Gospel.. They enjoy the gifts which the as- cended Saviour received for all men and which He in the Gospel offers to all. They are no longer captives and slaves, but the free children of God. They may pass through many sorrows and tribulations in this world, still they rejoice in the presence of their Saviour, who makes all things work together for good to them that love Him. He that as- cended into heaven and thus withdrew His visible presence, is at all times present with His children, though they see Him not. He has not left us orphans. ‘‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” These are His own words. His ascension into heaven is not a separation from us, but rather the entrance of our Brother into His glory, that He may be with us at all places and at all times, and bless us, and keep us, and guide us to the place which He has gone to prepare for us. ‘In my Father’s house aré many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I goto’prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also.” = Yes, there is a good time coming for God’s weary pilgrims. When the disciples stood gazing up into heaven after their Lord: had left them, two angels appeared to ‘them and said, ‘This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” He will come and take His children home. They shall see Him in whom they have be- lieved. ‘They shall behold His glory and en- joy forever the fruits of His labor and suffer- ing and victory on earth. «© little while,’ our Lord shall come, And we shall wander here no more; He’ll take us to our Father’s home, Where He for us has gone before — To dwell with Him, to see His face, And sing the glories of His grace.” Read the Word. Never has the world had so many Bibles as now. Never have so many Bibles been printed in so short a time as now. They drop from the press of the American Bible Society like leaves from the frost-nipped stem of the forest tree. Never have so many Bibles been owned as now. ‘They are as cheap as novels, and the family without one is often reckoned as a heathen family. And yet, with all this granted, how little is God’s word read! All people ought to read the Bible. We ought to go to it as a thirsty man goes to the fountain, as the hungry man goes to the table, as the sick man goes to his physician, as the sea-faring man goes to his compass and chart, ‘as the traveler goes to his guide-book. The great old Bishop Ambrose says truly: “Many streams meet in the Scriptures, — rivers of sweet and clear waters, and snowy fountains which spring up to eternal life.” —Ex.