Resources for the 7th Sunday of Easter       Subscribers: Download the printable bulletin cover free Texts & Discussion: Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 Psalm 1 1 John 5:9-13 John 17:6-19   Prayer: O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven. Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen. Download the Featured Sermons and Children's Messages from this page Instant Download for  $2.95   Sermons With Open Minds, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11    (see below) Rev. Randy Quinn Previously published on DPS: BLESSED AND COMMISSIONED! Acts 1:1-11 by Rev. Rick Thompson   Hole-y, Whole-y, Holy,  John 17:6-19 by Rev. Randy Quinn    Children's Messages   How to Pray! John 17:6-19,  Rev. Randy Quinn   God's Story continues with us, Book of Acts 1:1, by Rev. Randy Quinn   I'll Pray for You, You Pray for Others, John 17:6-19   Being There For Each Other, Ascension Day   Strength in Unity, John 17: 1-11, by Rev. Frank Schaefer   Excerpt . . . With Open Minds Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1-11 Rev. Randy Quinn According to Luke, Jesus made several appearances after Easter before ascending into heaven 40 days later (Acts 1:3).  We’re celebrating Ascension Sunday because it’s been 40 days since Easter.  (For those who do the math, Ascension Day was actually on Thursday of this week.)  And next week is Pentecost, when we will mark the 50th Day since Easter – the end of a “week of weeks,” or as the Hebrew holiday is often called, the Festival of Weeks. But Luke chooses to both close his Gospel and to open his sequel with the story of the Ascension.  And that has been puzzling me all week.  Why this story?  Why end the Gospel here?  And why repeat the story in the opening chapter of his next book? So I went back to re-read the beginning of Luke.  And I found it curious that the first story he tells is the story of Zechariah entering the temple to pray (Lk. 1:5-13).  You remember that story, right? – an angel visits him and tells him that he will have a son and he is to name him John, the man we know as John the Baptist. That means Luke ends the story where it began – in the temple . . . . Subscribers: click here for the full manuscript.      _________________________________________ Not a subscriber yet?  Click here to subscribe now and gain instant access to these resources plus an ENTIRE YEAR of weekly resources for only 39.95!! Download the sermons of the week plus children's messages for $2.95: