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The Ascension of Jesus
Intro:
We all know about Christmas,
Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost. The great events in history and Christian
history. But there is one event most Christians know little about. Probably the most neglected event it the life of Christ. The Ascension of Jesus.
It has been marked every year for
2000 years as being 40 days after Easter, but what exactly is the Ascension of
Jesus and how should it change our lives?
In Luke 24:50
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 worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And
they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
... returned to Jerusalem with great
joy, continually in the temple praising God
The response of the disciples to the
ascension was worship joy and continual praise
early church hymn noted the
ascension
1 Tim 3: 16 Beyond
all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:
He appeared in the
flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit,[d]was seen by
angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on
in the world, was taken up in glory.
It is unthinkable to
think about the crucifixion without the resurrection. Similarly, it is
unthinkable to think about the resurrection without the ascension. It deserves
to be ranked among the great events in the life of our Lord.
Rarely do we think about
his leaving.
We celebrate his
arrival - Christmas
We celebrate his death -
Good Friday and resurrection - Easter
What about his
ascension.
When Jesus told his
disciples that he was going to go away they were sorrowful and sad. They did
not want him to go.
Jn 14:1 Do not let your
hearts be troubled.
Jn 16:6 Because I have
said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth,
it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the
Counselor, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
After accomplishing our
redemption Jesus was received back into heaven.
The final diving stamp
of affirmation and approval upon his ministry.
- Marked the
completion of his earthly work
Jn 4:34 34 “My
food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his
work.
Jn 17:4 4 I
have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And
now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before
the world began.
Jn 19:30 It is finished
Jesus knew He had finished the work
and He was ready to go back to the glory He knew
with the Father.
- It is his restoration to full
glory
Jn 17:55 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory
I had with you before the world began.
Phil 2 He humbled himself
end of humiliation and suffering to
glory
- His exaltation and coronation
Mark 16:19 9 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was
taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then
the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them
and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
ill.
ascend to the throne of England throne room at Buckingham Palace
Phil 2:9
Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place
and gave him
the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow,
in heaven
and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledges that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory
of God the Father.
Ruler over all things and head
of the church
Eph 1:20-23
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, 23 which
is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
the defeat of Satan and demons
- Sending of the Holy Spirit
Jn 16:7 7 But very
truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away,
the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
Disciples had Christ with them
we have the HS in us
- Beginning of his preparation of
a place for us on our arrival
6 days of beautiful creation
2000 years of work wow!!!
to dwell in heavenly glory
John 14:1-3 Do
not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms;
if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a
place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I
am.
- Responsibility of evangelism is
passed on to us
3 years of ministry - Jesus did most of
the ministry
Mt 28:19-20 18 Then
Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.”
- Marks the start of his high
priestly ministry
Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have
a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did
not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace
with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our
time of need.
Heb 7:25 25 Therefore
he is able to save completely[a] those who come to God through
him because he always lives to intercede for them.
- Stands ready to
return
To take us with him
To punish those who do
not believe
Acts 1:11 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.”
2 Thess 1: 7
God is just: He will pay
back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief
to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He
will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord
Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting
destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his
holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This
includes you because you believed our testimony to you
Our Response
- No matter what is
happening in the world or in our lives remember - Jesus is on the throne
- He is interceding
for us
- He has defeated
Satan
- He had entrusted
the kingdom to you and to me
- He needs to advance
it by our lives and by proclaiming the gospel and doing good
- One day we will be
with him to enjoy what no eye has seen or ear has heard what God has
prepared for those who
- 9 However, as it is
written: 1 Cor 2:9
- “What no eye has
seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind
has conceived”[b]— the
things God has prepared for those who love him—
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