Upward and Forward
Lessons from the 1st Century Church | A Study through the Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsJesus' ascension was necessary for the coming of the Holy Spirit and continues to give assurance for the believer today of His eventual return.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
During Easter, or as I like to refer to it, Resurrection Sunday, we often hear about the last seven phrases of Jesus’, while on the cross. However, I wonder if you have every payed close attention to the last five words of Jesus while He was on earth. They are found in our previous passage studied from the book of Acts, the remotest part of the earth (Ac. 1:8b). His final words were a commission to the church to move forward with the Gospel. They had a direct command to move forward with God’s plan. We must move forward with God’s plan to reach the remotest part of the earth. Just as the disciples needed assurance to move forward, we need assurance to move forward. We find assurance to move forward through the promise of our Lord’s return. This is the promise we find before us today. Brothers and sisters we can take confidence in He who has promised is faithful to fulfill every promise He has made (Heb. 10:23). Brothers and sisters let us keep our focus upward and forward.
Focus Passage: Acts 1:9-11
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight.
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,
11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Outline
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through God’s Glory (v.9)
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through God’s Glory (v.9)
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight.
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s shekinah glory is represented by clouds. It is in God’s shekinah glory that God’s presence is fully felt and revealed as much as man can receive it. This is a picture throughout the Old Testament.
God’s shekinah glory is revealed...
1. God lead the people of God by His glory through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21)
1. God lead the people of God by His glory through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 13:21)
21 And the Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.
2. Isaiah declares that God rides on a swift cloud (Isa. 19:1)
2. Isaiah declares that God rides on a swift cloud (Isa. 19:1)
1 The pronouncement concerning Egypt: Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.
3. When Daniel saw Jesus, the Son, come before God, the Father, He was riding on the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7:13)
3. When Daniel saw Jesus, the Son, come before God, the Father, He was riding on the clouds of heaven (Dan. 7:13)
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
As the disciples stood looking intently into the glory of God, as Jesus ascended to the Father, two men in white clothing stood beside them. These men were no ordinary men. These men were messengers of God. They were important then and are important to the work of God’s kingdom today.
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through through God’s angels (v.10)
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through through God’s angels (v.10)
10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them,
Often we overlook the important of angels to necessity of God’s plan and work within His kingdom. However, God uses angels in a mighty way to help fulfill His will and provide encouragement to His saints.
1. God’s uses His angels to clear the path of the saint to declare the Gospel (Ac. 5:19-20)
1. God’s uses His angels to clear the path of the saint to declare the Gospel (Ac. 5:19-20)
19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and leading them out, he said,
20 “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple area the whole message of this Life.”
2. God uses His angels to lead his people on Mission (Ac 8:26)
2. God uses His angels to lead his people on Mission (Ac 8:26)
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get ready and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
3. God uses angels to minister and encourage the saints during times of struggle and doubt (Heb. 1:14)
3. God uses angels to minister and encourage the saints during times of struggle and doubt (Heb. 1:14)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
Never underestimate nor believe that God does not use angels to speak to you, lead you, make a path for you, or protect you from the hands of the enemy. Some of our most intense season of prayer are only answered, because God sent an angel fight your battle in the spiritual realm as you quacked in the physical realm. As Daniel prayed for an answer to a vision and was shook physically for twenty-one days, God had sent His angel to give the answer, but the prince of Persia (Satan himself resisted and fought), but twenty-one days later, the angel of God came with the answer.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in my way for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision pertains to the days still future.”
Brothers and sisters, during those seasons of struggle and doubt, do not stop praying, for there maybe an angel fighting a battle on your behalf you know nothing about. Find encouragement that the God of angel armies is on your side. If God be fore you, then who can stand against you.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
We find encouragement through God’s glory and we find encouragement through the angels of above, and finally...
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through the promise of the Father (v.11)
We find encouragement to keep our focus upward and forward through the promise of the Father (v.11)
11 and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
1. We find encouragement from the promise of a helper from the Father (Jn 16:7-11)
1. We find encouragement from the promise of a helper from the Father (Jn 16:7-11)
7 But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment:
9 regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me;
11 and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
2. We find encouragement the promised empowerment of the Father (Ac 1:8)
2. We find encouragement the promised empowerment of the Father (Ac 1:8)
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
3. We find encouragement through the promised return of our Jesus our Lord - ‘...This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven...’
3. We find encouragement through the promised return of our Jesus our Lord - ‘...This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven...’