Worship This Week
This Week in Worship:
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Ascension Sunday | Pastor Eric Preaching
Sermon Title: Joyful, Anyway
Sermon Text: Luke 24:44-53
Other Texts: Psalm 47 and Ephesians 1:15-23
In this service, Pastor Eric preaches on Ascension Sunday with a message titled "Joyful, Anyway," drawn from Luke 24:44–53 (and yes, the title is borrowed from Kate Bowler's latest book). What do you do with the ache of absence? Most of us know it well — the moment something precious disappears, something we couldn't imagine living without, and the world shifts under our feet. The disciples knew it too. They had just watched Jesus ascend into the sky, and what they were left with was space — wide, uncharted, a little terrifying.
But here's what's strange: Luke says they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Not grim determination. Not making the best of things. Joy. It may be that the absence created something — room for purpose, space to become who they had been made to be, an opening for the work only they could now do. Kate Bowler has taught us that joy doesn't wait for circumstances to improve. Luke teaches us that joy comes from comprehension — minds opened, purpose clarified, blessing received. It was the kind of joy that ache, strangely, makes possible. Durable, grounded joy. The kind that lasts. Accompanying scripture passages are Psalm 47 and Ephesians 1:15–23.
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