<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 16;19&amp;20<div><br></div><div><b>19. &nbsp;So then&nbsp; the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.</b><br><b>20. &nbsp;And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Amen.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>When we confess in the Creeds that Jesus ascended to, <i>“sit down at the right hand of God”, </i>it does not indicate that Jesus is sitting down physically, far away physically, next to God the Father,&nbsp;(who is also far away).</div><div><br></div><div>The proper understanding of ‘sitting&nbsp;in the presence of the Father’ is one of perfect equality with the Father. &nbsp;It also indicates rightful authority to judge. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Our text today teaches us that by the Holy Spirit, Jesus <i>“the&nbsp;</i><i>Lord worked <u>with</u>&nbsp;them” </i><span>(the disciples).</span></div><div>His ascending is not a separation from the disciples, but rather a means by which Jesus by the Spirit may indwell and&nbsp;empower us all to the ministry of the Gospel.</div><div><br></div><div><i>“He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, <u>that He might fill all things</u>.”</i></div><div>(Ephesians 4;10)</div><div><br></div><div>Christ our Lord fills His Church by the Holy Spirit, received&nbsp;in our baptism into Him.</div><div><br></div><div>Our understanding of the Gospel must be more than Christ’s atoning sacrifice, resurrection, and promise that whosoever believes shall have eternal life.&nbsp; It must also include the Ascension of Christ.&nbsp;This&nbsp;Good News includes&nbsp;the means whereby we are able to walk by the Spirit in newness of life,&nbsp;the great&nbsp;gift of the Holy Spirit, received in holy&nbsp;baptism. &nbsp;<i>“To them,</i>&nbsp;(us the Church of Believers) <i>God chose to make known how great&nbsp;</i><i>among the Gentiles are the riches of of the glory of this mystery, which is </i><u>Christ in you, the hope of glory.”</u>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;(Colossians 1;27)</div><div><br></div><div>It is only by Christ’s ascension that He now fills His Church, empowering Her to lives of sacrificial love and good works, <i>“preaching everywhere” </i>the Gospel of the Kingdom of God at work in us, to his glory.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, expand our understanding of ‘the Gospel’, to be more than the Promise of eternal life&nbsp;<span>(w</span><span>hen we die).</span></div><div><span>Bless us&nbsp;by faith and the indwelling of Christ by the Spirit</span><span>, to understand that the gift of eternal life, (the rule of Christ, the Kingdom of God),&nbsp;has already begun in us, ever since our baptism,&nbsp;and continues by faith to be&nbsp;at work in us and through us. &nbsp;For our Lord Jesus has taught us, <i>“I came that they may have Life, and have it abundantly.” </i>(John 10;10). To You&nbsp;dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be all glory,&nbsp;honor, and praise, now and forever and aver, Amen.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark 16;19&20
19.  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.
20.  And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.  Amen.
When we confess in the Creeds that Jesus ascended to, “sit down at the right hand of God”, it does not indicate that Jesus is sitting down physically, far away physically, next to God the Father, (who is also far away).
The proper understanding of ‘sitting in the presence of the Father’ is one of perfect equality with the Father.  It also indicates rightful authority to judge.  
Our text today teaches us that by the Holy Spirit, Jesus “the Lord worked with them” (the disciples).His ascending is not a separation from the disciples, but rather a means by which Jesus by the Spirit may indwell and empower us all to the ministry of the Gospel.
“He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”(Ephesians 4;10)
Christ our Lord fills His Church by the Holy Spirit, received in our baptism into Him.
Our understanding of the Gospel must be more than Christ’s atoning sacrifice, resurrection, and promise that whosoever believes shall have eternal life.  It must also include the Ascension of Christ. This Good News includes the means whereby we are able to walk by the Spirit in newness of life, the great gift of the Holy Spirit, received in holy baptism.  “To them, (us the Church of Believers) God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  (Colossians 1;27)
It is only by Christ’s ascension that He now fills His Church, empowering Her to lives of sacrificial love and good works, “preaching everywhere” the Gospel of the Kingdom of God at work in us, to his glory.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, expand our understanding of ‘the Gospel’, to be more than the Promise of eternal life (when we die).Bless us by faith and the indwelling of Christ by the Spirit, to understand that the gift of eternal life, (the rule of Christ, the Kingdom of God), has already begun in us, ever since our baptism, and continues by faith to be at work in us and through us.  For our Lord Jesus has taught us, “I came that they may have Life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10;10). To You dear Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be all glory, honor, and praise, now and forever and aver, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”





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