On Hold but Not Idle: Ascension, Baptism, Mission

Devotional

Day 1: Kept in the Father’s Name

Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and prayed for those the Father gave Him. He asked the Father to guard His disciples, not to take them from the world, but to preserve them in His name. “They have kept your word,” Jesus declared, knowing His hour had come. His prayer wove eternal life into knowing the Father and the Son. [24:33]

This prayer anchors believers in God’s unchanging character. Jesus didn’t beg the Father for temporary relief but secured His people’s unity and eternal safety. His words still shield us, not from hardship, but from losing our identity as God’s own.

You belong to the Father. When distractions or doubts swarm, hear Jesus’ prayer as a banner over your life. What lie about your identity have you believed this week that contradicts Christ’s claim on you?

“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
(John 17:11, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to renew your confidence in His prayer for you.
Challenge: Write the names of three people you’ll remind of their identity in Christ this week.

Day 2: Waiting with Purpose

The disciples gathered in an upper room after Jesus’ ascension. They prayed, chose Matthias to replace Judas, and waited for the Spirit. Though Jesus was no longer visible, His promise pulsed in their prayers. They didn’t stall—they prepared. Peter anchored their actions in Scripture: Judas’ betrayal didn’t derail God’s plan. [43:40]

Waiting isn’t emptiness. Like the disciples, we’re called to active trust—praying, discerning, and stewarding what Christ entrusted. The church today still thrives not on human strategy but obedience to the risen Lord’s commands.

What “upper room” has God placed you in? How can you invest this season in prayer rather than impatience?

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
(Acts 1:14, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve substituted hurry for holy waiting.
Challenge: Set a 3:00 p.m. alarm today to pause and pray for the Spirit’s guidance.

Day 3: Washed in the Flood

Noah’s family walked into the ark as waters rose. The Red Sea drowned Pharaoh’s army but birthed Israel’s freedom. At the Jordan, Jesus sanctified all waters for baptism—a flood of grace. Mayu stepped forward, and water joined the Word: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” [28:15]

Baptism drowns old rebellions and births new allegiance. It’s not a ritual but a resurrection—God’s promise etched into skin and soul. Like the ark, the Church carries the baptized through life’s chaos.

When did you last recall your baptism? How would living as “daily drowned” change your choices today?

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
(1 Peter 3:21, ESV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for specific sins His baptismal grace has overcome in you.
Challenge: Touch water today (sink, rain, glass) and say aloud: “I am baptized.”

Day 4: Crowned with Many Crowns

Christ ascended, not to abandon us, but to reign. Angels proclaimed He’d return as He left—victorious, not vanquished. The disciples didn’t stare slack-jawed but worshipped. His crown guarantees our future: a Judge who bore our sentence intercedes for us. [48:50]

Ascension seals Christ’s authority. Every heartache, injustice, and broken system answers to Him. His scars still speak in heaven, and His reign fuels our courage to labor in His vineyard.

Where have you felt powerless? How does Jesus’ coronation shift your perspective?

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”
(Matthew 28:18–19, ESV)

Prayer: Ask the King to show you one person He’s sending you to serve today.
Challenge: Text a discouraged friend: “Christ is ruling for you right now.”

Day 5: Witnesses to the Resurrection

Matthias stood with the Eleven, his name meaning “gift of God.” He’d followed Jesus from John’s baptism to the resurrection. Now he’d testify—not to theories, but to the living Lord. The disciples didn’t elect him; God revealed His choice through prayer. [45:29]

Witnesses don’t lecture—they point. Like Matthias, we’re called to declare what we’ve seen: Christ’s forgiveness in our failures, His presence in our waiting, His light in our darkness.

What resurrection evidence has God woven into your story? Who needs to hear it this week?

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.”
(Acts 1:8, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one fear that silences your witness; ask for boldness.
Challenge: Share a personal “resurrection moment” with someone before sunset.

Sermon Summary

John 17 lifts Jesus’ eyes to the Father and sets the agenda: the hour has come, the Son glorifies the Father by giving eternal life, and eternal life is this, “that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus’ prayer gathers his followers into that glory, asks the Father to keep them in his name, and seeks their oneness as the Son is one with the Father. The prayer acknowledges his departure and names the church’s life as life-in-the-world under the Father’s keeping. Between Ascension and Pentecost, that prayer steadies disciples who feel “on hold.” Waiting, in Jesus’ hands, is not wasted time; it serves a greater good, because the Son is interceding and the Father is keeping.

Eternal life, as Jesus defines it, begins now. The gift is present by faith in the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord. Yet this is one of those “now but not yet” things: possessed in part while still in the world, awaited in fullness when the gift is revealed in glory. That tension refuses despair and refuses complacency; it trains desire toward the Father while giving courage for today.

Acts 1 shows what faithful “on hold” looks like. The apostles obey the Lord’s word to wait in Jerusalem, and their waiting is full of prayer. In that praying, they discern the need to restore the apostolic witness. Peter names the qualifiers: companionship with Jesus in his ministry and becoming “a witness to his resurrection.” Matthias is chosen, and then dissolves into the quiet work of mission. The text makes clear that the risen Lord keeps his mission moving even as the church waits for the promised Spirit.

The vineyard image helps: not everyone harvests. Some prune, some till, some plant, some clear stones. Every task belongs to the same kingdom work, and every worker is needed. Witness takes shape in ordinary obedience that shares the light and love of Jesus in daily life.

The Ascension matters. The creed confesses it; the Scriptures preach it. The Son reigns at the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge. As doctor Dale Meyer notes, muting the Ascension mutes the promise that justice is coming. As n t Wright puts it, the Creator will set the world right once and for all. In a world of bullying and oppression, judgment by the crucified and risen Judge is good news. Until that day, the Ascended Christ reigns, intercedes, and keeps his people. First Peter’s blessing nails it down: after suffering a little while, the God of all grace will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish those he has called. He who calls is faithful. He will surely do it.

Key Takeaways

1. Waiting with Jesus is purposeful Waiting is not dead air but discipleship. The church’s “on hold” sits inside Jesus’ high priestly prayer and his promise of the Spirit. Prayerful waiting trains desire, clarifies obedience, and readies hands for the next faithful step. [40:22]
2. Eternal life starts now in knowing God Jesus names eternal life as relational knowledge of the Father and the Son, not just a future location. That gift reorders time, letting believers live today inside tomorrow’s security. The “now but not yet” frees endurance without resignation and hope without hurry. [41:51]
3. Witnesses are formed in the waiting Acts 1 shows obedience that prays and then acts. Criteria are simple and searching: walk with Jesus and bear witness to his resurrection. God often forms public testimony through quiet, shared discernment and ordinary faithfulness. [45:06]
4. Every role in the vineyard counts Kingdom work is many-layered: pruning, tilling, planting, stone-clearing. Measured by the Master, no assignment is small, and no worker is spare. Joy grows when results are entrusted to God and attention is given to the task in hand. [47:30]
5. The Ascended Christ brings justice and intercedes Ascension crowns Jesus’ cross and resurrection with present reign and promised judgment. That judgment is good news for the wronged and a bracing word to the wicked: God will set the world right. Until then, the risen Lord intercedes and strengthens those he has called. [50:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:55] - Confession and Absolution
[09:29] - Processional and Kyrie
[17:23] - Collect of the Day
[24:33] - Gospel: John 17 and Eternal Life
[26:04] - Baptismal Rite Begins
[33:14] - Baptism: Water and the Word
[35:28] - Welcome to the Lord’s Family
[36:27] - Homily Introduction: John 17
[38:30] - The “On Hold” Metaphor
[41:51] - Eternal Life Now and Not Yet
[43:21] - Acts 1: Waiting and Praying
[45:55] - Matthias Chosen as Witness
[47:15] - Many Roles in the Vineyard
[49:04] - Ascension, Justice, and Judgment
[52:06] - Promise to Restore and Strengthen
[55:49] - Reception of New Members
[62:02] - Prayers of the People
[78:12] - Holy Communion Liturgy
[95:02] - Benediction
[95:33] - Recessional and Fellowship Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 17:1-3 (ESV)
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Acts 1:21-22 (ESV)
“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Observation Questions

According to John 17:3, how does Jesus define eternal life? What two relationships are central to this definition?
In Acts 1:21-22, what two qualifications did Peter emphasize for choosing a new apostle? [45:06]
The sermon compared kingdom work to roles in a vineyard (pruning, tilling, planting, etc.). What does this imagery suggest about the value of different tasks in God’s mission? [47:30]
What four actions does 1 Peter 5:10 say God will do for those who suffer “a little while”?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasizes knowing God rather than merely believing in God as the essence of eternal life (John 17:3)?
How does the apostles’ prayerful waiting in Acts 1 connect to the idea that “waiting is not dead air but discipleship”? [40:22]
Matthias is never mentioned again in Scripture after being chosen as an apostle. What does this imply about the significance of “quiet work” in God’s mission? [46:07]
The sermon states, “Muting the Ascension mutes the promise that justice is coming.” How does Jesus’ ascension and reign shape our perspective on suffering and injustice? [49:04]

Application Questions

Eternal life is described as relational knowledge of God. What practical step could you take this week to deepen your relationship with God through prayer, Scripture, or serving others?
When have you felt “on hold” in life? How might prayer and obedience in small, daily tasks reframe that waiting as purposeful discipleship? [40:22]
The vineyard metaphor teaches that every role matters. How can you find joy in your current “role” (e.g., family, work, community) even if it feels unseen or ordinary? [47:30]
The Ascension assures us Jesus reigns and will bring justice. How does this truth change the way you respond to situations of bullying, oppression, or personal unfairness? [50:05]
1 Peter 5:10 promises God will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” believers. Which of these four actions do you most need to trust God for today, and why?
The apostles’ witness centered on Jesus’ resurrection. Who in your life needs to hear a simple testimony of how Christ has been at work in your story? [45:29]
What distractions or pressures make it hard to live in the “now but not yet” tension of eternal life? How can you cultivate patience without complacency or hurry? [41:51]

Sermon Clips

46s

“Until Jesus comes again, we have work to do in this corner of God's kingdom, in his vineyard. Now we might not be harvesting the grapes. That might not be our job. We might be pruning back the unproductive growth. We might be cultivating and tilling the soil. We might just be planting the vines, or we might just be removing rocks from the field so that the planting can take place. All are needed in God's great plan of salvation. Everyone is needed.”

47s

“This is one of those now but not yet kind of things. We do have this gift now by faith in Jesus who died for our sins, who rose in triumph over death and the grave for our salvation, but we do not yet have this gift in its full and final form. Here and now, we possess this gift, but only in part. For now, we remain in the world until that gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ is received in all of its glory.”

54s

“Our risen and ascended savior who shed his blood and gave his life for us all is coming again to judge the world in righteousness, to make all things new. And even when it feels like things are on hold and going nowhere, the Lord Jesus is in charge. All things are under his authority. He is interceding for us at the right hand of God. And the words that conclude today's epistle lesson are words of encouragement, words of hope for us all.”

39s

“And it's interesting what Peter has to say about this here. He says that it must be someone who is part of those who accompanied them during Jesus' earthly life and ministry. That's qualifier number one. And the second qualifier is that Peter says this individual must become with us a witness to his resurrection. That was the gospel need to proclaim by word and deed that Jesus is risen from the dead, that he lives and reigns to all eternity.”

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