Daily Readings - Sun May 21 2023

¹In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,²until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.³To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me;⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"⁷He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,¹¹and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Ephesians

Chapter 1

¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might²⁰that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.²²And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Matthew

Chapter 28

¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter pivotal moments in the narrative of our faith, each offering profound insights into the mission and authority of Jesus Christ. The first reading from Acts describes the Ascension, where Jesus instructs His disciples to await the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem before He ascends into heaven, leaving them with the promise of empowerment for their future mission. The second reading from Ephesians is a prayer by Paul, seeking wisdom and revelation for the believers, emphasizing God’s power and Christ’s supremacy over all creation. The Gospel from Matthew presents the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His disciples to baptize and teach all nations, assuring them of His perpetual presence. These passages are deeply interconnected, each highlighting different facets of Jesus’s authority and the disciples’ role in His mission. Acts and Matthew focus on the post-resurrection commands, preparing the disciples for their evangelical mission, while Ephesians underscores the spiritual power and authority bestowed upon believers through Christ. Together, they illustrate the transition from Jesus’s physical presence to the spiritual empowerment of His followers, equipping them to spread His message universally. In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust in God’s timing and power. Like the disciples, we are called to wait patiently for His guidance and to embrace the mission He has entrusted to us. The Great Commission urges us to share our faith actively, while Ephesians encourages us to live with the confidence of Christ’s authority over all things. The moral lesson here is one of faith, trust, and obedience, recognizing God’s sovereignty and our role as His ambassadors in the world. May we, like the early disciples, be empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill our calling with courage and love.