The Ascension

Scripture Reading:

Introduction

This Morning, We Technically Brought Matthew to a Close with Jesus’ Resurrection

But, Jesus’ Resurrection Really isn’t the End of the Story

If it was, then Jesus would Still Be Here on Earth

Matthew & John Don’t Mention it…

But Mark & Luke Do:

After Jesus’ Resurrection is His Ascension

Luke 24:50–51 (NASB95)

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

That’s What We’re Going to Look at Tonight:

Jesus’ Ascension…

And What that Means for Us

From My Experience in the Church…

The Ascension of Jesus has Been Relegated…

To a Place of Less Importance…

Than His Death & Resurrection

Maybe it’s Due to a Lack of Understanding…

Of Why Jesus Ascended to Heaven?

We Understand Why Jesus Died:

He Died as a Sacrifice to Take Away Our Sin

We Understand Why Jesus Resurrected:

To Prove for All Time that He is the Messiah, the Son of God

To Defeat Death

To Be the First to Receive…

A Glorified, Immortal, Resurrection Body

But Why Did Jesus Ascend into Heaven?

To Answer that, We Need to Start with the Great Ascension Prophecy in Daniel:

Daniel 7:13–14 (NASB95)

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. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Daniel Sees a Vision of a Human-Like Figure…

Being Brought Up in the Clouds to God in Heaven…

To Be Given an Everlasting Rulership Over All the World

This Prophecy is Quoted Numerous Times in the NT…

Referring to Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven

Notice How Paul & Peter Describe What Jesus is Doing in His Ascension:

Ephesians 1:20–21 (NET)

20 This power he exercised in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms 21 far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

1 Peter 3:21–22 (ESV)

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Jesus is Not Only King Over the Citizens of His Kingdom (the Church)

Jesus is King Over All Things:

Every Earthly King & Authority

Every Heavenly/Spiritual Power

Jesus Ascended to Become Ruler Over the Entire Universe

But He Didn’t Just Ascend to Be King

He Ascended to Be Our Eternal High Priest

1 John 2:1–2 (NLT)

1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

We as Disciples of Jesus can have Confidence in the Resurrection to Come…

Because Whenever We Sin…

Jesus is Our Advocate Who Pleads Our Case to the Father

He Pleads on Our Behalf for Our Forgiveness & Salvation

He is Able to Do So Because He is Sacrifice that Atones for (Covers) Our Sins

As Long as I’m Walking in the Light (Staying Loyal to Jesus & Confessing My Sins)…

I No Longer have to Worry about My Sin Condemning Me

Jesus is My Advocate

Romans 8:33–34 (CSB)

33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

There is No Condemnation for Us (Romans 8:1)…

Because Jesus is at the Right Hand of God…

Pleading for Us as We Speak

Hebrews 4:14–16 (NIV)

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, 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.

Since Jesus is Our High Priest in Heaven…

We’re Able to Confidently Approach God’s Throne of Grace…

Knowing that We’ll Receive Mercy…

Even Though We’re Still Weak & Commit Sin

Why?

Because Jesus Knows What it’s Like to Be Weak & Tempted

He Knows the Power of Temptation

He Empathizes with Us…

And Pleads Our Case Before God…

So Long as We Hold on to Our Faith in Him

I Love Talking about the Ascension of Jesus…

Because it Gives Me Hope

I can Live Each Day with Confidence & Joy…

Because I Know that I have Faith in Him

And Since I Know that I have Faith in Him…

I Know that He is Pleading My Case Before God & Covering My Sins

I Know that One Day Jesus is Going to Return…

And He’s Going to Either Raise My Dead Body or Transform My Living One…

Into Something Glorious, Powerful, Immortal, & Perfect

Acts 1:9–11 (NASB95)

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also 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 just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Just as Jesus Ascended into Heaven:

He’s Going to Return to Us

He’s Going to Raise His People from the Dead

He’s Going to Reward the Faithful with Everlasting Life in a New Heaven & New Earth

He’s Going to Everlastingly Destroy Those Who Refuse to Trust Him

He’s Going to Make All Things as They should Be