“But 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,” (Acts 1:8, ESV).

The celebration of Easter begins with movement. At the Easter Vigil, the saints gather outside the sanctuary as a new fire is kindled and they await the announcement of Jesus’ resurrection. After the candles are lit, the assembly moves into the church to hear the ancient stories of God’s redemption of His people and to receive the risen Christ present in His Holy Supper. Easter begins with movement into the church…

Easter ends with the movement of the Church. While the Easter season also includes the disciples cowering behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, and returning to the familiar confines of fishing on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus prepares His disciples for movement. To the ends of the earth, Christ bids His disciples go as His witnesses. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the saints of every generation are part of the Church’s movement to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather than sitting in safety, the Church boldly moves into the world as God brings His Kingdom to the least and lowly, to those who are far off, and to all whom the Lord God will call.

German Lutheran pastor Wilhelm Loehe wrote, “Mission is nothing but the one church of God in motion.” As Christians mark our Lord’s ascension and prepare for Pentecost, our prayer is that our congregations would be marked by movement, not simply the movement from the parking lot to the pew, but a movement of mission, boldly proclaiming the risen and ascended Christ, who reigns on high.

Faithful Lutherans do not hide behind closed doors, but move out into the world, serving in their various callings as God uses them to be salt and light wherever He leads. May this movement not be limited to a season of the Church Year, but truly flow from the Holy Spirit’s kindling within us—

Prayer - Almighty God, as Your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Fraternally in Christ,

President Lee Hagan