Easter-The Ascension

Acts 1:1–9 NIV

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

The Ascension was the final step in God’s plan for Jesus on earth

Jesus is born

Jesus preaches and teaches about the kingdom

Jesus dies on the cross

Jesus is resurrected

But the ascension was a huge part of God’s plan for humanity through Jesus.

When Jesus ascended,

He sent the Holy Spirit into our lives and our hearts

John 16:5–7 NIV

but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

This was a huge part of the plan Jesus had for humanity on earth. In fact, it’s one of the statements by John the baptist - that he baptized with water, but someone was coming who would baptize everyone with the Holy Spirit.

We need to understand how big of a deal this is - in the OT, the Spirit was only given at specific times in specific ways for specific purposes.

Now we’re looking at a blanket covering - that we can all say, I have the Holy Spirit in me all the time.

Paul teaches that we are actually the ‘temple’ of the holy spirit. OT -> temple / holy of holies / God’s living space.

Think about it like this. Jesus says, of all those ever born, no one has arisen who was greater than John the Baptist. Yet least person in the kingdom is greater than he is.

The POINT of the ascension is that there’s no place where the Holy Spirit is not present and operating. Jesus went to be with heaven - and we went from God walking around on earth to God making his home in our hearts, and walking with every person who calls on his name, everywhere, at all times.

And the Holy Spirit does even more than that. The Holy Spirit in our life isn’t just a vehicle to do things - He’s a promise.

Ephesians 1:13–14 NIV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

So we can say - when I believe in Jesus, I have the Holy Spirit in me. and when I have the Holy Spirit in me - that’s God giving me a deposit, to guarantee my inheritance as his child.

When Jesus Ascended,

He gave us a job to do

Jesus wanted us to witness, to evangelize. But he knew we needed the power of the Holy Spirit first.

John 16:13–14 NIV

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

So without the holy spirit - we can’t really understand the truth of God. And you see this in the disciples.

So what’s the job?

Matthew 28:18–20 NIV

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

And these are things Jesus did. He made disciples. He taught people to obey God. This is Jesus’ work!

The easter story is the start of the story of the church. We continue Jesus’ story.

Where HE walked around on earth and taught, we do now.

Where HE prayed for people and saw them healed, we do now.

Where HE gave up his life - we do now.

We are the body of Christ. And too often we forget what that means. We think it means, ‘we’re a group of people’. And that’s right.

But it also means ‘what Jesus did in the flesh THEN, he does through us NOW.’

Jesus didn’t finish his work on earth with the ascension. He started his ministry on earth a few years before He died - and in the ascension, he passed on the reins.

From Christmas to Easter is the gospel message of God’s love for us - and his rescue plan

God loved us so much, that he sent his son to earth. Rather than sit up there, waiting for us to get good enough.

His son was born into poverty and humble circumstances - because he came to serve rather than be served

He taught and healed the masses, because he knew the weight of sin and brokenness on us was great

He died on the cross - because we were owed death. But now, he paid that price - and we can be free.

He came back from the dead to show the radical power of life that God has for every one of us

He went to be with the father and sent us the holy spirit, so that we could have the power to go out there - and change the world.