May 29, 2025

Ascension of the Lord

First Reading: * Acts 1:1-11
Psalm: Psalm 47 or Psalm 93
Second Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23
KJV
¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
²Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
⁸Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
¹²That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
¹⁵Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
¹⁶Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
¹⁹And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
²³Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Gospel: Luke 24:44-53
KJV
¹Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning*, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
²And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
⁴And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout**, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
⁵And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
⁷Saying*, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
⁸And they remembered his words,
⁹And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
¹¹And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
¹²Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
¹³And, behold, two of them went* that same day to a village called* Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
¹⁴And they talked together* of all these things which had happened.
¹⁵And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
¹⁷And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
¹⁸And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there* in these days?
¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in* deed and word before God and all the people:
²⁰And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
²¹But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside* all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
²²Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
²³And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
²⁴And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe* all that the prophets have spoken:
²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
²⁷And beginning at Moses and* all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
²⁹But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished* out of their sight.
³²And they said one to another*, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
³³And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
³⁴Saying*, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
³⁵And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
³⁶And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
³⁷But they were terrified and affrighted*, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
³⁸And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
³⁹Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
⁴⁰And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
⁴¹And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
⁴²And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb*.
⁴³And he took it, and did eat before them.
⁴⁴And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸And ye are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
⁵⁰And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
⁵¹And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
⁵²And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
⁵³And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.