The Ascension of Our Lord

And it has been a blast getting to be with all of you guys in this capacity over the last three weeks. You know, I don't know if dad knew exactly what he was getting himself into because you know now I have the fever and it's going to be hard not to do this next week.

But at the same time I am excited for him to be back obviously and to get back into Colossians but it is you know something special to be able to to fill this pulpit and to get to share messages with this church family and so it has been a tremendous blessing for me.

I hope it has been for you guys as well the past few weeks and I'm looking forward to today's message. So since time is of the essence once again let's hop right into it. Turn with me to begin this morning to Luke, the gospel of Luke chapter 24 and we're going to start reading in verse 36.

We'll read all the way to the end of this chapter. It says, And as they spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. This is after the resurrection. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit and he said to them, Why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Behold my hands and my feet that that it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken he showed them his hands and his feet and while they yet believed not for joy and wondered he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

And they gave him a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb and he took it and he did eat before them. And he said unto them, These are the words which I have spoken to 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.

Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. And he said unto them, Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem and ye are witnesses of these things and behold I send the promise of my father upon you but tear ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them and it came to pass while he blessed them. He was parted from them and carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.

Amen. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this wonderful day for bringing us together for allowing this fellowship and for just the absolute wonderful edification that it brings getting to be with each other and getting to talk about your word.

We ask you to be with us today, be with this service that it may be edifying to all of us that it may give us a mind toward you and an understanding as well as an appreciation for your glory and the very place where you stand at this moment as an intercessor between God and man and we ask you that again you just be with us give us your words and understanding of the scriptures just as you did for your disciples here.

We ask all these things in your name. Amen. So quickly, I want to remind everyone of a few things that took place after Jesus's resurrection which was the topic of last week's discussion and before his ascension which will be the topic of today's discussion.

So some things transpired between those two events over the course of a number of days. Number one, he was seen of Mary Magdalene in the garden and later by the other devout women of God. Of course, we saw that in the resurrection narrative that we looked at last week and there in the other gospel accounts.

We have a little bit more information about what those appearances were like for the women. He walked the road of Emmaus teaching himself is found throughout the Old Testament. If you recall in Luke, if you go back just one chapter, there's the wonderful story of him on the road with a couple of his disciples.

Actually, I take it back. It's in the same chapter earlier on prior to where we began this morning and he's on the road with a couple of his disciples and they don't recognize him. He has the ability to in his glorified body, he has the ability to make himself known or not known depending on what he wants even though he is in a physical body and they didn't recognize him and he tells them about himself starting with Moses all the way throughout the prophets and then a second ago if you notice that he referenced it once again when he was talking with the rest of his disciples saying that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses the prophets and the Psalms concerning me that is quite a staggering reality when you think about it and so he did that he had the the most epic bible study on the dusty road to Emmaus with a couple of his disciples he appeared before his apostles on many different occasions there were three specific occasions that were given throughout the gospels where he appeared to his disciples and they believed on him some doubted but eventually they all realized he was who he said he was.

He performed more miracles such as the catch of the fish that were so much that Peter's boat couldn't even carry it so he was still performing miracles on earth even after his resurrection a few prior to him going to heaven importantly he was seen by more than 500 eyewitnesses to testify of his bodily resurrection.

Of course that's one of the greatest proofs that we have in regard to the historical argument for not only Jesus it's undisputed that he was a man and that he was crucified. Of course skeptics for the last however many millennia as they are moved along by the devil himself have challenged the validity of the resurrection even though there is evidence upon evidence that says otherwise not including the inspired word itself but having 500 eyewitnesses after the resurrection of course was very noteworthy.

And finally he gave his great commission to teach them and to baptize them in the name singular if you want to really quick i'm going to read just a couple of verses but the very end of Matthew which of course Matthew chapter 28.

We were in Matthew 27 for the crucifixion. We were in Matthew 28 last week for the resurrection. And the way that whole narrative ends leading into the next phase of Jesus's ministry. Um was him imparting his great commission to his disciples at that time.

Matthew 28 starting at verse 18 says. And Jesus came and speaking to them saying all power is given unto me in heaven and earth. That is going to be key for today's topic as we get into it. So keep that in mind.

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holy ghost. The fact that the name is singular here and yet it lays out all three persons is yet another wonderful proof of the trinity.

They all share the divine name. We refer to it as Jehovah often Yahweh is another way that you could pronounce at least with the information that we have they all share the same name and yet they are baptizing in the name singular of the three persons the father and the son and the holy ghost.

Verse 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever i have commanded you and lo i am with you all way even into the end of the world. Amen. So christ ended his earthly ministry post-resurrection by giving us this great commission.

And what follows these words of our lord is an event that we're all familiar with. We all know that it happened but perhaps don't necessarily contemplate it quite as often as we would for events like the crucifixion and the resurrection as we've been discussing the past couple of weeks now this could be simply by virtue of the fact that there's a relatively small amount of scripture regarding this particular event relative to the resurrection relative to the crucifixion.

The apostles referenced both of those many times throughout the new testament. But when it comes to our topic of discussion for today we're left with only a few scriptures that speak directly to it. And yet the scriptures we are going to look at are enough to give us a very clear peek into the glory of the ascension and the enthronement of our lord.

And so that's where we're going to begin. Now taking a look at acts chapter one. Now everything we just read these final these parting words of jesus the end of matthew the parting words of jesus the end of luke.

These are all really important for us to remember and understand the significance of what is about to take place when he leaves this earth. Interestingly enough let's go ahead and read the first nine verses of the book of acts the former treatise have i made oh theophilus of all that jesus began both to do and to teach and to the day in which he was taken up after that through the holy ghost and given commandment commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days.

And speaking of the things pertaining to the to the kingdom of god and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father which saith he ye have heard of me for john truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost not many days.

Hence and when they therefore were come together they asked for they asked of him saying lord will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to israel. I want to pause there for just a quick second and just note that it's interesting uh that the apostles and the at this time interpreted the old testament prophecies of a kingdom to be a literal earthly kingdom.

Isn't that interesting. A lot of people spiritualize that today. Um one of the reasons we believe the way that we do in regard to the end times is because we do believe there are unfulfilled prophecy prophecies to the physical ethnic uh tribes of israel as well as the geographical land of that we do believe jesus will rule there on a throne on a physical throne someday.

And so it's interesting that the apostles are kind of referencing that is this going to be when you usher in the kingdom when you restore israel. And he said into them in verse 7 it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power.

But you shall receive power after that the holy ghost excuse me. But you shall receive power after that the holy ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in jerusalem and in all judaea and in samaria and into the uttermost part of the earth in verse 9 here and when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Now considering that this is the primary source text if you will regarding the event of the ascension of our lord into heaven we're not really left with a whole lot of particular detail with regard to him moving through space moving into the next dimension uh in his glorified body entering into heaven we're not given any of the specifics there nor do we need them.

It's interesting uh just one more quick point and this was it. This wasn't even something i noticed in planning for these sermons over the past few weeks. But i noticed it here uh preparing for this one.

In the crucifixion we're giving we're given no detail regarding the crucifixion itself. I mentioned that several times at this point during the resurrection we're given no detail about the resurrection.

It just says he has raised as he said he's been raised as he said here we're given no detail. It's just he was taken up into the clouds. So three very specific events regarding jesus's uh finished work is where as well as the gospel itself we're not given any detail as far as the visuals what what we picture in our minds we're just given the bare minimum facts.

And that's of course all that we need here. Um but for that reason because we're not given a lot of detail because the ascension ends there and then it flows right into them trying to replace judas uh and to get the 12th apostle.

Um sometimes we might typically just breeze past this portion and then put our focus again perhaps maybe on his return and move beyond that point. But when you think about it there's so much more to this great event the reality that the god man having risen from the dead in a true physical body but an incorruptible one having conquered death and becoming the first fruits of our resurrection as we talked about in detail last week and was taken up to become our king priest at the right hand of power.

This is a very significant reality that we need to dig into the best that we can given the scriptures that we are given um to learn more about it. But as short as this recording of the event is i want to take a couple of important notes here specifically in verse 9.

And then we'll move on to some other passages that i think will give us a little bit more light on this tremendous event that we otherwise may or may not think a whole lot about. Typically speaking verse 9 one more time and we had when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Remember the cloud as minor of a detail as that may seem. Or maybe just you know perhaps it's it's just you think it's there just because we know clouds are in the sky. And so it gives us this nice visual of jesus going up into the sky.

Remember the cloud because that's actually an important detail. A cloud received him. Now there's an interesting phrase. This will seem like a little bit of a diversion for a second but it's actually really important.

There's an interesting phrase or name that jesus claimed for himself more often than any other in the gospels and that was the son of man. So in reference to himself that is the the name of choice that jesus gives in reference to himself all throughout the gospels.

For example in in the gospel of matthew alone he uses it 30 times in reference to himself. And of course you'll see that throughout mark luke and john as well. And you might think that's an interesting choice given that he could have just been calling himself the son of god the whole time rather than the son of man.

But there was a very significant reason why he chose to use this designation for himself. And in fact it was using it that caused the high priest when he was before the sanhedrin to tear his clothes to accuse him of blasphemy and use that as the proof of his blasphemy.

That then led to his alleged guilt. And the road to pilot and eventually the road to the cross. Isn't that bizarre. You know you say that i am. And you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds.

It was when he used that particular name that they accused him of blasphemy. So why is that particular detail significant. Why bring up that. That is what jesus's favorite name for himself was. What does it have to do with the ascension in acts.

This is where it gets really cool. So turn to daniel. Chapter 7 when ashton and i moved into our house a little over a year ago at this point almost right at it. Of course one of the things that i was looking most forward to in moving to mihaya was to be closer to dad.

And of course we moved in parallel with katie and dave. So by nature uh by virtue of that we were all close uh together we had countless uh coffee talks and bible studies and things at denny's but i was like well you know living next to dad will have even more conversation and things like that.

And so ash and i were anticipating that very excited about all of the times getting to host dad as well as day the whole family um at our house for bible study and things of that sort. And this passage was the first thing.

The first question that i had for dad after we moved asked him to come over. Ash brewed the coffee and all that good stuff. And we talked about this as a parallel passage with acts. Chapter 1 verse 9.

Look at verse 13 of daniel. Chapter 7. This is daniel and i'll refer i'll say it again probably in a second because it's important for us to remember exactly what's going on in this prophecy. But this is daniel in the middle of receiving like a cluster of prophecies of visions from god about varying things different events different important things that are connected but different.

In other words they are connected. There's continuity in his visions here and the significance it's in them. And there is some important ways in which they relate but they are different scenes is kind of what i'm getting at.

And so in verse 13 the scene shifts for daniel and he sees something a prophetic vision that differs from what he was seeing before and slightly different from where he's going after around verse 14 or maybe a little bit after that.

And we see this scene in heaven. Look verse 13. I saw in the night visions and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven. There is the phrase there's the name that jesus was claiming for himself.

This is why the high priest and the pharisees and the sadducees and the scribes accused him of blasphemy because they were very aware of this passage. And what this title meant this the son of man is a reference to their messiah that sits at the right hand of the ancient of days as we'll see in just a second.

And jesus in calling himself the son of man was claiming this to be him. I saw in the night visions behold one like the son of man came with the clouds. Remember the cloud with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days.

And they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion and glory in a kingdom that all people nations language and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion. Recall the end of matthew chapter 28.

All power is given to me both in heaven and on earth. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away in his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. So what we have here is we have an ancient prophecy a parenthetical of a very specific scene that daniel sees again kind of within this this cluster this array of different visions that he's having as he is writing all of this writing down all of these visions and things like that.

And it's a prophecy of the finish line that jesus crosses that jesus crosses at the end of his ascension that we looked at in acts 1 9. This is an ancient prophecy of the risen lord in a glorified version of the same body that had been crucified and that had been resurrected entering the throne room of heaven to take his seat at the right hand of the ancient of days the disciples from earth they could only see the lord disappear into the clouds and they were told that he would return in like manner.

But they didn't get to see the other side of it. They saw him disappear and they were promised his return. And then they went all fired up to go do their job and to fulfill the great commission. But on the other side of it this is what we have.

And in daniel we're given a brief but very vivid description of the moments that jesus entered heaven after the ascension began. One like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days.

The word came there as in when he came to the ancient of days. It's an aramaic word metta and it means to reach to come upon to extend. And some translations will actually add the word up in there. So some translations will read it.

He came up to the ancient of days. And that's helpful. And it's an appropriate translation. It's helpful for picturing kind of in your mind what is going on the fact that this is an ascension not some kind of not anything else.

But it's not necessary to have that word either because where is the ancient of days. Well at least the representation of him is in heaven. So we know that in order to approach the ancient of days in order to come upon him you have to be going up.

This is jesus during the ascension or rather at the very end of it. You have the son of man ascending up to this place from the earth. And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom kind of skipping around a little bit his dominion is an everlasting dominion.

This sounds very similar like i said a second ago to the very end of matthew. And it's because of this dominion that we are given the authority to go into every place on earth and spread the gospel. What gives us the right to do that to go to someone else's land to trespass by human standards and even in a place where perhaps they are zealous they are they are a zealous people for whatever their religion is.

What gives us the right to go in there and interject uh the truth from the bible to interject the truth from scripture and to be to proclaim christ as lord. Well from the human viewpoint and from the viewpoint of even our of the governments of the world and even our own culture today is we don't have that right.

And uh you you know i'm not going to get into that that'll take up too much time. But we're told we don't have the right. However we do have the right. And it comes from the fact we have the right and the power by the way.

And it comes from the fact that actually it's all the lord's dominion. Actually it's it is his kingdom it is his earth. And he he has the authority in heaven and on earth we got we know he has the authority in heaven.

Sometimes a lot of our brothers and sisters will forget the earth part i have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. And it's because of that he said therefore go. You know dad always says what's the therefore therefore.

Well at the end of matthew it's there to remind us that we are going not just in a blind obedience because he said to we're going because of the therefore and the therefore is because he has all power dominion and glory in heaven and on earth.

We have that power. It is imparted to us when we go out and proclaim his word. And so that is a very very important thing to remember. It's because of that dominion that he is given in daniel chapter 7 verse 14 that we have the power ourselves to go out into every place and spread that gospel.

This is the enthronement of the risen son again the disciples saw the cloud from below. Daniel had seen it from above in a prophetic vision 500 years before it happened. And as we look at this scene unfold in daniel it's the ultimate success of the son of man.

The son of man specifically we know the eternal son has been here before. But this is a little bit different. This is the consummation of his ministry because he knew that this is what his life was leading up to as dave was talking about sunday school and you mentioned dave and i actually do kind of like it you said you said in in your mind for a long time perhaps the greatest sacrifice he made was just the life because he had to condescend he had to give up um the presence of the angels in heaven and all of the glory there.

He didn't necessarily give up his glory but he certainly veiled his glory and and many of his other um attributes as well um willingly by the way it's a very important detail. He did it by his own will his own volition.

He veiled these things at the mount of transfiguration. He unveiled it by his own will for a little bit so he had that power. But dave's point was in the past in his mind it was taking on human flesh that perhaps was the greatest sacrifice.

And then you mentioned well maybe it was really the cross. And i do agree that that was probably the at least pinnacle of the the sacrifice. But certainly taking on human flesh was a big sacrifice for him.

And so the eternal son while he had been in similar glory before this is the end again the consummation of the incarnate son now glorified as well having risen from the dead entering into this place this is the ascension of our lord jesus christ going into the presence of the father where again he is now enthroned and where he sits as we speak this very day.

But now we might ask what happened after this enthronement. So here's there's the ascension. He was taken up in the clouds and those clouds delivered him up to the ancient days. So now what what happens after verse 14.

And daniel after he's given that dominion glory and a kingdom and all the people nations and tongues that they should serve him. That's an interesting thing worth noting that his dominion is an everlasting dominion.

What happened after all of that. What is jesus doing right now in heaven. Well for starters he is actively interceding for us. We know that. And that's certainly something that we can't forget because the accuser brings his accusations against us every moment of every day presumably so everything that we do everything in our mind every sin that we commit every shortcoming that we experience the devil sees it and he's not going to let jesus forget about it or not know about it.

And so he's up there pestering our lord trying to get him to basically kind of repent a little bit perhaps of ever forgiving such dreadful creatures. And so we have the accuser up there and we have him think of your worst sin habit the worst thing you've ever done.

You've confessed it to god but it's still something that is with you forever because we in our in these earthen vessels we carry that sadness with us until we're glorified ourselves. And that is being proclaimed loudly and boldly by the devil in heaven.

That's not a very pretty picture. And if it weren't for the finished work of christ it would be devastating. But because of the finished work of christ because he is up there actively interceding for us he shuts it down.

There's no worry there's no embarrassment even because it was paid for because it was crucified. The worst thing you can think of that you've ever done or perhaps will do in the future that has already been crucified and so it's it's not an issue but it's still something that's happening.

We have the accuser up there and so we know that's one thing jesus is doing actively right now is being that intercessor that mediator for us. It's something we can't forget. But there is more and i'd like you guys to uh to flip over to revelation chapter one for a second.

We're going to be in revelation quite a bit in the early chapters. Okay. Well my watch is working. We're making great time. You don't have to worry about that at all. Revelation chapter one. I may even slow down a little bit.

You don't have to feel so rushed and let's start in verse 10. And this kind of starts laying the groundwork for where we're going to end today. So just keep in mind what are we asking. What is jesus doing in heaven right now.

And we're about to be given some scenes to clear that up for us a little bit. This first passage we're going to read though is intended to give us some context and some foundation for all of this chapter 1.

Verse 10 of revelation i was in the spirit on the lord's day and heard behind me a great voice as of a this is john in his old age on the isle of patmas about to receive the revelation of jesus christ.

Excuse me i was in the spirit on the on the lord's day. Verse 11 says i am alpha and omega the first and the last. And what thou seest write in a book and send unto the seven churches which are in asia unto ephesus unto smyrna unto pergamos unto thyratira unto sardis unto philadelphia and unto laodicea.

And i turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned i saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like the son of man familiar phrase clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle in his head and his hairs were white like wool.

We're giving we're getting now a physical description of jesus's physical body. But as it stands glorified in heaven at this moment his head the hairs are white like wool white as snow his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like into fine brass as if they burned in a furnace.

And his voice is the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two sword. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength the seven stars.

Um of course there's a lot of a very interesting you know symbol symbology and and things like that. Uh we're going to see kind of in a second uh as you. Well actually i don't think i'm reading that far.

But as you get down to like verse 20 it clarifies what some of these things represent. And of course you have the spirit represented as the seven spirits and things like that. Um let's see here. Where was i.

I think it was verse 16. And when i saw him i fell at his feet dead verse 17 again. And he laid his right hand upon me saying unto me fear not. I am the first and the last. And listen to this in the context of everything we've been talking about the last three weeks the crucifixion the resurrection now the ascension.

I am he that liveth and was dead and behold i am alive amen. And have the keys of hades and of death. So this is the risen lord this is the god man this is the son of man. This is still jesus incarnate because he still has a body it is glorified now.

But he still has that body even in this scene in revelation. So following that particular portion of scripture there we then have the letters written and sent to the seven churches which covers chapters two through roughly chapter most of chapter three as well i believe.

And what do we find in those letters again. What are we asking. What is jesus doing in heaven right now. What. Um you know what information do we have with regard to his direct relationship to us. We know his spirit lives within us.

But what about jesus the man. What we see when we look at all the letters. And this is very cool. Jesus is actively participating in the well-being of his churches. That's what we find out when we read these letters now.

There's some variations in the letters. There's some rebuke there's some praise there's some uh commendations there's some exhortations there's all kinds of things which makes sense because you're dealing with seven churches full of humans and so they're all over the place and he is addressing them accordingly.

But the one common denominator is that jesus sees all of it and that he's actively participating in it. And he's giving them his words to sharpen them up a little bit in some cases or just to praise in a couple of cases.

And so what we find is that jesus as he sits on the throne post ascension after everything we just read in daniel the glory the dominion the kingdom all of these wonderful things after all that he is still actively engaged with his people via the local churches that are established throughout time.

And so you have seven local churches in revelation and he is actively participating in the well-being of those churches. He knows how healthy or how sickly they are. He knows their successes. He knows their failures their challenges the persecutions the pain they're going through.

You look at the letter to ephesus and you get an idea of a lot of what they were were going through and they were just trying their hardest. They were they were they were doing everything that they could to stay loyal to his word and to refute false religion and to refute legalism and refute all these bad things.

But they forgot their first love. So again you the lord he knew every part of it and they forgot their first love. Presumably because they had all these battles they were fighting and they were so encapsulated within the battlefield that they forgot.

Oh wait a minute we need to get back to you know just our pure worship of jesus himself. So you have all these very intimate letters that jesus writes to these churches and i feel that a lot of our i think i alluded to this already this morning but i feel that a lot of our brothers and sisters today around the world he had this idea that jesus is sitting on his throne in heaven being serenaded by the singing and the praise which is true by the way he certainly is and is somehow this passive recipient of our prayers and he's observing things as they happen.

He's seeing things as they go on down here and is perhaps even if you go so far as to say i wonder what's going to happen next. Don't get me into it don't get me started there. But there are some that would would take it that far.

And it's as if he's not actively engaged while it is true that he's on his throne. But that's not the case in any form or fashion. It's not the case at all. His body is literally down here in a sense first corinthians 12 27 says now ye that's us are the body of christ and members in particular that is on the back side of him talking about all the spiritual gifts and how they vary in a church.

How the the head can't um say something about the foot like i'm more important than you because the whole you need the whole body for the body to function. You need every member of the body in order for the body to function.

You have all of that context going into that verse and we learn that we are the body of christ. His body is down here. That is not the kind of analogy that is used to describe a passive relationship. Jesus is not in heaven right now enjoying a spiritual millennium like so many believe in regard to the end times.

The y 'all are familiar with the amillennialist phrase at least um but the amillennialist that would be kind of um that is a different end times view to what we would have. We would be pre-millennialists.

Um and they believe that the the millennial kingdom that we talk about often in this church the the glory that we will someday have here on earth with jesus on the davidic throne and with israel being restored and all of israel saved as paul says in romans 11 all these wonderful things.

The amillennialist believes that all of that is happening right now in heaven. And so it's not like jesus is up there enjoying the millennial kingdom with all the saints that are in heaven while we're all down on earth just toughing it out until we get to go there ourselves someday.

That is not at all. Uh what's going on. Uh it's interesting to point out that a lot of religions will put their god in this totally transcendent place if you could even call it a place in other words.