The greatest ascension of all - Part 1 | Colin D'Cruz

This message was preached by Colin D' Cruz at Word of Grace Church on the 22nd of Feb 2015. To listen/download the audio please click here

Phil 2

We looked at how Jesus humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. Jesus on the cross is only half the story. It’s important but that is not all. He is no longer there. He obtained our salvation.

Verses 9-11 these verses are potent, powerful. There is so much truth in them. These verses are about the exaltation of Christ. It’s God’s response to Jesus’ humiliation.

1Pet 1:11¹¹ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.

Remember why Paul is writing this letter.  Paul  wants to encourage unity and  because he wants to help them with that he writes Phil2 about how Jesus humbled himself so we can do the same.

Verse 9 Therefore God exalted him. The humiliation is linked to the exaltation. All that has happened to Jesus will happen to us as well.

The two are inseparable. There can be no exaltation without the humiliation. Greek word – huper from which we get the word, hyper. God “Highly exalted” He “hyper” exalted Him. If Jesus was God why did he need exalting? The man Jesus was exalted – the fully God fully man Jesus. The promise is that in the same way God will exalt us.

This gives us the power to live the Christian life because any sacrifice we make will be nothing compared to the reward that we will get.

Hudson Taylor went to China. His wife died at 33. She had 8 children of which 5 died. Three grew up to become missionaries. And Hudson Taylor says: I never made a sacrifice in my life”!!! What a statement!!

What will give us the motivation to keep on serving? For the joy set before me.

C. T Studd gave up everything for the King of Kings

 Today, we’ll look at 3 ways God exalted Jesus.

1. Resurrection the historical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He lived an amazing life, taught amazing things and died an amazing death.

Everybody dies. So what’s special about this? The body was not there!!! This is the core truth

Acts 2:32-33, ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

 Acts 5:30³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.

God raised him bodily from the dead. What’s the difference between this and Lazarus’ death and resurrection? Lazarus died because he had the same old body.

Jesus has a new body that is incorruptible. One day we will have new bodies too.

1Cor15:4,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Cor. 15:20²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Jesus is the first fruits of those who will have the resurrected body.

1Cor15:23.  But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. If we belong to Jesus we will have a new body.

1Cor 15:42-44 ² So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³ it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

2. Ascension – That physical body of Jesus going up into heaven.

Luke 24:50-53, ⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

 Acts 1:9-11 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Because he was raised up bodily, he will be raised up as well.

1Thes 4:15-18According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the cloudsto meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

 One day when Jesus comes back it’s the end of life on earth as we know it. Those who believe in Him will be ruptured along with Jesus.

Jn14:2 Jesus is preparing a place for us many mansions. Jesus has saved us for a better place. WE have a glorious future.

3. Seated at the right hand of God. It’s a place of authority and power. It’s Jesus’ coronation.

Eph 1:19-22 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,

Jesus was raised to the highest place and given the highest name

So what about us? We are seated with Him. Eph2:6 Seated with Him. That’s why was can pray and do things.

In the  resurrection he was exalted over sin, and death

In Accession he was exalted over time and space

In his coronation he is exalted over every power and authority

1Cor 15:58 ⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Let nothing move you

1 Thes 4:18¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This should encourage us to work for the Lord because everything that happened is for the church. God has a mission and the church is a part of this. Let’s do this. WE have a great future. Amen!!

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.