The Ascension (I)

Okay, this section. I want us to look at it for two weeks, mainly because I think it's one of the most neglected areas of the truth of the gospel.

If I'm going to explain the gospel, we might talk about the incarnation, although I suspect lots of us wouldn't.

We'd simply talk about the life of Christ, the miracles of Christ. We would talk about the cross.

I suspect we don't talk about the burial of Christ, I don't want to explain the gospel very much.

We do talk about the resurrection.

And maybe we talk about his coming again, although I think we're a little bit nervous about that.

But I think it's very rare in our explanation of the gospel that we talk about the ascension.

The truth of the Lord Jesus Christ ascending into heaven.

And what I've learned as I've kind of studied this in the last few weeks is when we neglect the truth of Christ's ascension,

we're neglecting something of enormous significance, I'd really help you and I.

It's a distortion of the gospel which makes us play down the truth of the ascension.

We would, of course wouldn't we, we would recognise it's completely wrong to divorce the birth and life of our Lord Jesus from his death.

We wouldn't do that.

Many people of Christ do that and they produce Jesus who's a good example to us of love and good works but nothing more.

Neither would we be content with divorcing the death of Jesus from his resurrection.

We can't do that because the resurrection is the seal, it's the validation, it's the receipt of the price being paid by Christ and his death and his sufficient death.

But it's also a big mistake to divorce the birth, life and death and resurrection of Jesus from the ascension into glory.

And it's an odd thing that many biblical Christians have done that.

And by doing that we've lost the fullness of the Christian gospel.

It's significant I think that when Jesus tells Mary in John 20 verse 17 that she is to go to his brothers,

John 20:17

he does not say, go and tell them that I am risen.

He says, go and tell them that I ascend to my father and their father, to my God and their God.

When the Apostle Paul in that wonderful chapter in Romans 8 is reassuring us of what the Lord Jesus has done,

of what Christ has done for us, he includes in that sufficient work of Christ not only that he died,

and more than that was raised to life, but also that he is now at the right hand of God and he intercedes for us.

In other words, the Apostle binds together the death, the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus.

There's going to be three things over the next two weeks.

First of all, tonight I want us to look at the fact of the ascension,

and then the meaning of the ascension,

and then next week what I want to try and do is look at the implications of the ascension.

I want to say that the implications of the ascension are infinitely greater than we normally realise,

and in various ways where I think you have and I have great needs.

So first of all, the fact of the ascension.

And I need to point out to you that Luke is a careful historian, isn't he?

He wrote the book of Acts, as well as the third gospel,

and he presents the ascension of the Lord Jesus to us as an historical fact.

The same way that he presents the birth of Jesus as an historical fact.

The death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus.

They were events which were witnessed and are historical,

and he points out to us that there were those who before their very eyes,

Jesus was taken up.

He ascended.

Many people have problems with the whole idea of Jesus being taken up from earth into heaven.

Jesus defying the law of gravity, as sometimes can be suggested.

I personally have got no problems with the God who created the law of gravity

suspending it for this particular purpose.

Nor do I have any problems with the God of the supernatural,

who brought Jesus Christ from the dead to life.

Bringing him into heaven in the way that Luke describes here in Acts

is, again, evidence of the supernatural.

We can't prove it, can we?

I get very tired of talks on the resurrection,

which are all about the evidence for the resurrection.

How we have definitive proof of the resurrection.

I would argue that we do,

but we don't believe the resurrection on the basis of

the kind of proofs, so to speak.

Can you prove the incarnation?

You can't, can you?

We can't prove the ascension,

and yet it is historical.

I've got no problems with the God who created

the law of gravity,

suspending the law of gravity,

as he does here.

And we need to say, don't we,

that the problem is people have a problem with the supernatural.

And that problem pursues them

to whatever area of the gospel they're dealing with,

because the God who we deal with

is the God of the supernatural.

The ascension tells us that.

Same Greek word for heaven.

He was taken up into heaven.

It's used in the Bible for three things.

It's one of the most commonest words

in the whole of the New Testament.

It's the word for heaven,

or the heavens,

or the sky,

or the air.

It's always the same word that's used

in the New Testament.

And there doesn't seem to be an alternative.

It's used, firstly, for the air above us.

So Jesus is the singer on the mount.

He says to you,

he directs us,

consider the birds of the air.

That is, the birds who fly in the air above us.

It's the word for air.

It's exactly the same word

as for the heavens,

all for heaven.

It's used, secondly,

for the whole realm of space,

of sun and moon and stars.

And so in that sense,

the heavens beyond us.

That would include now thinking

what we would call,

wouldn't it,

outer space,

outer space,

the whole galaxy.

But the third way

that the word is used

is for that sphere

where God reigns

and God acts.

Where God is.

That is the sphere

of his unlimited power

and sovereignty.

It's the very thing

that Jesus teaches

his disciples to pray.

We pray this tonight, isn't it?

Our Father in heaven.

This is precisely the word,

the adjective that's used.

Our heavenly Father.

So that God is not to be thought of

as earthly and bound

and therefore by earthly standards

and earthly possibilities

and earthly ideas.

He is the one who is in heaven.

And that does not refer primarily

to a location somewhere

in the universe,

but to the character of God

as the God whose kingdom

is the kingdom of heaven.

That simply means

that he is the God

of unlimited,

unbounded resources,

unlimited sovereignty

and unlimited power.

And that is the realm

of God's authority

and presence.

Sometimes,

the word is used

in the New Testament

actually is a kind of synonym

for God himself.

So do you remember

in the parable

of the prodigal son?

The son is sitting

in the far country

and he's planning

what he's going to say

to his dad, isn't he?

And he's practicing

this speech

as he goes back

to his dad

and when he arrives

into his dad's presence

he says,

I have sinned against heaven.

I don't know your sight.

So he's using the word heaven

as a synonym for God

and it's an important thing

for us to grasp.

It's one of the ways

in which the Bible

uses this term

and it's important

for us to recognize

that for mortal creatures

up

is definitively

the direction

in which we look

for the glory

in which God dwells.

We're not primarily

speaking about location

or a certain

part of the universe

but we are speaking

about a place

heaven is a place

that is far more real

than this world.

And the book of Revelation

the last book of the Bible

is full of the word

isn't it?

It helps us

in the measure

that we

fragile

mortal human beings

are able to understand

it.

To grasp what

heaven means

to which Jesus

now is God.

So we're not

locating God

in the sky

when we speak

of heaven

but we are

affirming that

heaven is

more real

a world

than this one

and that Jesus

has gone to it.

Now of course

Jesus could have

left this world

invisibly.

He could have

left the world

invisibly.

He came

invisibly.

Why didn't he

leave this world

invisibly?

Think about that.

Why didn't

Jesus

just

go like that

in the middle

of the night

when no one

saw?

That's how he

entered the room

with the Virgin Mary.

But there's

obvious reasons

now

why he would

go publicly

and visibly

before their

very eyes.

And Luke

tells us

in Acts

Acts 1:9

chapter 1

verse 9.

And when he

said these

things

as they

were looking

on

he was

lifted up

and a cloud

took him

out of their

sight.

And they

were gazing

into heaven

as he went.

The reason

Jesus went

visibly

was because

the disciples

would otherwise

have been waiting

for the next

resurrection

appearance

of Jesus.

And so

Jesus

again and

again

those 40

days after

his resurrection

he kind of

appears

and then

disappears.

But what

is happening

now is

Jesus is

showing them

visibly

these 40

days have

come to

an end.

And Jesus

was no longer

going to pursue

his purposes

through his

flesh on

this earth.

He was

going to

pursue in

heaven

his mighty

plan.

the

saviour

and the

friend of

sinners

goes into

heaven.

Their

friend

he ascends

on a cloud

and so

they're not

waiting for

the next

appearance of

Jesus

and they

wonder

where it

will be

and where

it will

be.

Because one

of the

reasons he

goes to

heaven is

that he

is everywhere

to be

known by

his

disciples.

So

Jesus

says to

you and

I just

means he

says to

the

disciples

I will

be with

you

always

everywhere.

And so

how can

he be

with them

always

everywhere

if his

presence

is like

the

resurrection

appearances?

Well it

can't be.

The answer

is he

can't.

But Jesus

is able to

be present

with every

Christian

through the

Holy Spirit

wherever in

the world

they are.

and his

words I

will be

with you

always

are

fulfilled

in the

ascension.

And that

is why

he is

God.

So you

get these

two

statements

in the

Gospels

and they

appear to

be in

tension

don't you?

And Jesus

says the

poor you

will always

have with

you

but me

you will

not always

have with

you.

That's what

he says.

why is

that?

He says

you will

not always

have me

with you

because

I'm

going to

ascend

to

heaven.

And yet

he says

I will

never

leave you

nor

forsake

you.

How?

For the

very simple

reason that

he will be

present with

his people

by the

Holy Spirit.

But the

really important

thing to

grasp is

that the

bodily

presence of

Jesus

that is

the

presence

of Jesus

in his

body

now

glorified

but still

in human

form

is in

heaven

and not

on earth.

On

earth

he is

present

spiritually

by the

Holy Spirit

but he is

not present

bodily.

There's a

worship song

isn't there?

Jesus

standing in

the midst

of us.

No he's

not.

And that

takes us

into the

first thing

that is

important in

connection with

the ascension

with the

meaning of

the

ascension.

Let me

just point

out to you

the importance

of the

fact that it

was Jesus

in our

flesh who

ascended into

heaven.

So the

Heidenberg

Cascism,

we'll talk a

little bit more

about this

next week,

from the

16th century

speaks of

the ascension

in this

way.

It says,

when the

question is

asked,

what is the

benefit of

the ascension

of Jesus

Christ from

earth to

heaven?

And the

answer is,

our flesh

is in

heaven.

Let's see.

Let me

explain that

to you.

What I

mean by it

is this,

that Jesus

Christ,

according to

His flesh,

when the

Word,

when God

became flesh

and dwelt

amongst us,

that He

has now

been taken

up to

heaven.

His human

nature has

entered into

glory.

And it is

the glorified

flesh of

Jesus,

which is

now right

there in

the presence

of God

and glory.

And that

means a

whole range

of things.

It means

that He

has gone

to prepare

a place

for us.

So,

there will be

time to the

Augustine

court to be

trotted out

in a few

weeks,

isn't it?

He,

without ceasing

to be what

He eternally

was,

He became

what He

eternally

was not

in the

incarnation.

God

became man.

He came

to share

our nature.

He entered

into our

life.

And we

have the

guarantee,

because He

is there,

that if we

are in

Christ,

if we are

united to

Him,

we shall

be there

too.

And so

Jesus

says,

I go

away,

and actually

it's much

better for

you that I

go away,

because I

go away to

prepare a

place for

you in

my Father's

house,

that is the

home of

glory.

Because you

see,

the glorified

body of

Jesus,

this evening,

is in

heaven.

He wears

our human

nature in

glory,

and that

makes an

enormous

difference to

two things.

difference.

It makes

an enormous

difference to

the way we

think of

the church

as the

body of

Christ.

And it

makes an

enormous

difference

when we

do like

we did

this morning,

when we

say,

this is my

body broken

for you at

the communion

table.

And unless

you understand

the ascension,

you'll go

wrong in

both these

areas.

the church

of Jesus

Christ,

as a

visible,

organised

community of

different

denominations,

is not

the body

of Christ.

The body

of Christ

is not the

physical

church.

So you

don't join

the body

of Christ

or become

a member

of it by

adding your

name to

the members

list.

You become

a member

of the body

of Christ

by saving

faith in

the Lord

Jesus,

whom you

are united

to spiritually,

not physically,

but spiritually.

And the

body of

Jesus Christ

is therefore

the company

of people,

the spiritual

body,

who are both

on earth

and in

heaven.

And that's

a very important

thing.

We will not

make the

visible church

of Jesus

Christ into

the body

of Christ

if we

understand the

resurrection

and ascension

of Jesus.

The second

thing is it

must make a

lot of

different

for

the

Lord's

Supper.

So when

people think

that they

break the

bread and

say this

is the

body of

Christ

broken for

you,

that they

are actually

physically

feeding on

the body

and blood

of Jesus

Christ.

They are

ignoring the

truth of

the

ascension.

Because the

ascension tells

you that

his flesh

is in

heaven and

not you.

It is in

heaven.

And our

communion with

him as our

saviour by the

breaking of his

body and the

shadow of his

blood is by

spiritual union

with him.

By faith,

not by

physical union.

That's very

important for us

to grasp.

Calvin insists

of this body

imagery in the

church and the

body imagery in

the Lord's

Supper.

They point to a

spiritual reality,

not a physical

one.

But the

general meaning

of the

ascension is

captured in

what the

creed says.

Remember that

earlier on in

the service?

What did

it say?

It said he

was crucified,

died and

was buried,

he descended

to the day,

on the third

day he rose

again, he

ascended into

heaven.

The creed

goes on to

tell us why.

He ascended

into heaven and

he's seated at

the right hand

of the

father.

Why did

Jesus ascend?

Jesus

ascended to

sit down.

So Jesus

is the

ascended

Lord.

is this

evening seated

in heaven.

And there

are multitudes

standing around

him and there

are multitudes

behind him

before him,

but he is

seated.

Why is he

seated?

Let's go to

Hebrews 10.

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

10.

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

10.

I've got a

page number

there.

Let's find it

yourself.

Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:11

verses 11 and

12.

Here we go.

Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:11

verse 11 and

12.

Every priest

stands daily

at his service

offering

repeatedly the

same sacrifices

which can never

take away

sins.

sins.

But when

Christ

had offered

for all

time

a single

sacrifice

for sins

he sat

down at

the right

hand of

God.

Why does

he do

that?

Why does

he sit?

He ascends

to sit.

Why does

he sit?

For three

important

reasons.

The very

fact that

he sits

is of

enormous

significance

isn't it?

And

it's a

kind of

posture

of rest.

You sit

down after

you've

finished

your work.

After the

completion

of your

work that

someone has

set out

to do.

And

Christ is

seated in

heaven because

of his

finished

work of

atonement.

all his

work is

ended.

Joyfully

we sing

Jesus

has

ascended.

All his

work is

ended.

Joyfully

we sing

Jesus

has

ascended.

He's

ascended

because his

work is

finished.

There's

nothing more

for Jesus

to achieve.

The

atonement

process,

there's

nothing

left to

add to

it.

It

accomplished

without

atonement.

The price

has been

paid.

Jesus'

ascension

and his

sitting

down at

the right

hand of

God

proclaims

that this

is a

finished

work,

a completed

work.

There's

nothing that

I have to

add tonight.

There's

nothing you

have to

add.

There's

nothing that

you have

to achieve.

Nothing I

made you

to achieve.

I simply

humbly

come in

faith to

receive it.

There's

of course

huge

significance

there,

not just

in the

fact that

he sits,

but where

he sits.

Because he

sits on

a throne.

And there

on that

throne he

is worshipped

as the

king of

kings.

And the

lord of

lords.

And he

is in the

place of

absolute

authority and

sovereign

power.

But he

sits on

that throne

waiting.

Verse 13

when Christ

had offered

for all

time a

single

sacrifice

for sins

he sat

down at

the right

hand of

God

waiting

from that

time until

his enemies

should be

made a

footstool for

his feet.

Waiting.

The

angelic figures

do you

remember what

George read

to us in

Acts chapter

Acts 1 · chapter mention

1.

They're with

him at

the ascension

and they

remind the

disciples

don't they?

They're

standing there

open mouth

and gorg

that Jesus

has just

ascended into

heaven.

And they

say this

man of

Galilee

why do you

stand looking

into heaven?

This Jesus

who was

taken up

from you

into heaven

will come

in the

same way

as you

saw him

go into

heaven.

One day

he'll

return.

And the

return of

Jesus

that is

the final

act of

what Jesus

came to

earth to

do.

And now

Jesus the

reigning

Lord the

sovereign

king of

kings this

evening is

waiting.

And what's

he waiting

for tonight?

He's waiting

for that day

which has not

yet come.

Because not

every knee

has bowed

to Jesus

Christ and

not every

tongue has

confessed him

as Lord.

And not

everyone has

acknowledged that

he is the

only saviour but

one day all

his people

will do.

And every

knee will

bow and

every tongue

will confess

that Jesus

Christ is

Lord to

the glory

of God

the Father.

And the

ascension is

the signal

to all

earth and

heaven that

Jesus the

enthroned

saviour is

waiting for

that day

and come

it well.

And it's

something that

no opinion

pole is

ever going

to alter.

It's the

ultimate

certainty.

There's

importance to

the fact that

he sits,

there's

importance to

the fact that

where he

sits and

last of

all there's

importance

about who

he sits

beside.

Because he's

seated at

the right

hand of

the majesty

on high.

Or the

way Hebrews

said he's

seated at

the right

hand of

God.

Where is

he sitting

tonight?

He's

sitting as

it were

at the

year of

the eternal

God.

He's there

beside him.

And he's

there not

only as

our king

but he's

there

supremely

as our

priest,

our

intercessor,

our

mediator.

And he

sits on

the throne

beside his

father.

And he's

there to

intercede

for us.

Do you

see now

why it's

so important?

that our

flesh is

in heaven

because he

wore our

nature.

He

entered

into every

anguish of

human experience.

He knew

what it was

to be

despised and

rejected of

men.

And that

same

Jesus wears

our nature

and glory

this evening.

you know

don't you

son of

you what

it is

to say

to someone

who's in

great pain

and hurt

to be able

to say

to them

I just

want you

to know

that I've

been there.

I've

been there.

And Jesus

says my

child I've

been there.

And I

know what

to ask

of the

father for

you.

And so

tonight we

thank God

that our

flesh is

in heaven

and we

need to

explore it

more.

May God

give us a

thirst to do

so.

Let's pray.