Raised and Seated with Christ

Ephesians 1:18-23 CSB

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

[20] He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens- [21] far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. [22] And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Intro

Good morning, dear family. I’m so glad to be here with you for week 3 of Harbinger Gospel Church, and week 3 of our study In Ephesians which will have us wrapping up chapter 1.

This week I’m going to laser in on 2 key topics drawn from this text that I hope will exalt our Lord and spur us on in our journeys:

- The significance of the ascension of our Lord

- The power of God the Holy Spirit in the Christian

The Significance of the Ascension of Our Lord

I want to call to mind that one of the distinctives of Harbinger is that we define ‘essential theology’ as what is given to us from the Apostle’s Creed. In the Apostle’s Creed is states,

“On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father…”

Since the ascension is essential, its good for us to take a closer look at it and try to understand it a little better. What does it mean, and what are the implications of the ascension and verse 20 in our text, “God exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens”?

The ascension fulfills Old Testament prophecies, such as;

- Psalm 110:1, where David says, "The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'"

o Jesus' ascension to the right hand of God confirms His identity as the Messiah and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

- Or Daniel 7:13-14 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."

o Jesus’ ascension and exaltation to the right hand of God reflect this vision, where the Son of Man receives eternal dominion and a kingdom that will not be destroyed.

- Or Psalm 68:18 "When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious—that you, Lord God, might dwell there."

o And Paul quotes this verse later in Ephesians 4:8, interpreting it as a reference to Christ’s ascension and the subsequent giving of spiritual gifts to the church.

The ascension signifies the exaltation of Jesus.

- Paul says this in verse 21 when he says that as a result of the ascension,“[Jesus is] far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

- Or Philippians 2:9-11, "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name."

- Or 1 Peter 3:22, "[Jesus] has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."

In ascending to heaven, Jesus enters the heavenly sanctuary, a significant event that parallels the high priest entering the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) under the Old Covenant. However, unlike the earthly high priests who entered a man-made temple, Jesus entered the true Holy of Holies in heaven itself. This is described in Hebrews 9:11-12:

"But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption."

Jesus' ascension signifies the completion of His atoning work on the cross and His entry into the presence of God as the mediator of a new and better covenant. This establishes a direct and eternal access to God for believers, unmediated by the repeated sacrifices of the old priestly system.

Jesus' ascension inaugurated His ongoing ministry of intercession. As our High Priest, He continually intercedes for us before the Father. This intercessory role is crucial for believers' assurance and spiritual well-being. Romans 8:34highlights this truth:

"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."

Jesus' continuous intercession ensures that believers are upheld in their faith and receive ongoing forgiveness and support through access to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the thought of Jesus interceding for us can be confusing, I can actual remember several conversations over the past year where it was hard to grasp the practical implications of this. I hope to clarify and submit to you that this intercession should be a source of comfort, providing assurance that despite failures and sins, believers who return to the Father in the name of Jesus remain secure in God's grace and love.

Because Jesus intercedes for us, believers have perpetual access to God's grace and mercy. This is not a one-time event but an ongoing reality. Hebrews 7:24-25speaks to this:

"But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Jesus' eternal priesthood means that His ability to save and sustain believers is unending. This continual intercession ensures that believers are always under the covering of His redemptive work, providing confidence in their salvation and encouragement in their spiritual journey.

And there is much, much more significance in the ascension. I could go on for an hour, and indeed, I even had to shave off much content from this message just for the sake of time. But there is one more point that I do want us to see: One of the most immediate implications of the ascension is the sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised His disciples that the Advocate would come after His departure (John 16:7). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) empowers the church for mission and continues Jesus' work through His followers. Which leads me into my second point.

The power of God the Holy Spirit in the Christian

Note from verse 19 where Paul talks about the ‘immeasurable greatness of God’s power towards us’. Then remember from verse 18, that this is part of a prayer – Paul wants our hearts to be enlightened to this fact. Not only does God act powerfully toward us, but it is key that we see and understand this.

Then in verse 20, Paul says that this power is the very power that raised our Lord from the dead.

So, God deals with us supernaturally, miraculously. This is a tangible and effectual power, It is strong and able to accomplish hard things. So, why is it important for us to understand this? Because if we understand it, we’ll operate in it. We’ll call upon this power to fight sin, to love our neighbor, and to fulfill the great commission. We simply cannot accomplish these things in our own strength. But this power enables us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, or to operate as His body, where He is the head.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church is the extension or agent of Christ in the world. Verse 23 says that the Church is the fullness of Jesus. That is wild. Think about how significant that is- the Church is the fullness of Jesus.

I loved this quote from Dr. Sinclair Ferguson where he said:

“The church is a continuing incarnation of Christ. That means that whatever Christ would do, the church must do. Isn’t that a dazzling thought? As the body of Christ, the church complements and fulfills Christ Himself. Sinful though she may be, the church must furnish bodily hands and feet for her exalted Lord.”

- So we talked about, from verse 23, the Church being the fullness of Jesus

- 1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

These verses underscore the identity of the church as the body of Christ, suggesting that believers collectively embody Christ's presence on earth.

- Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.."

So, there is this intimate union between believers and Christ, emphasizing that Christ's life continues through the lives of His followers.

I’ll wrap up with this – this is why at Harbinger we have such an emphasis on holiness, and why I would generally urge any Christian to take this seriously.

We understand the concept of incarnation, which refers to God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. However, the church, as the body of Christ, continues this incarnational ministry by being Christ's hands and feet in the world. This means that when the Church pursues love, compassion, and justice in tangible ways, through the power of the Holy Spirit, it is the very love, compassion, and justice of our Lord.

I would submit to you this – in a similar way that the real presence of Christ is made manifest in the Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus is made manifest in and through us when we act in His name.

I’m not suggesting that our works are a sacrament, on the same level as communion. However, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which is the key to this, our deeds and holy lives can be seen as sacramental in a metaphorical sense. I would further submit in a more literal sense that our acts of love, mercy, and justice performed in faith are effectual means of grace, participating in the divine life and mission of Jesus.

The point is this, through an appeal to mystery, that our obedience to Jesus is, in a profound way, a supernatural act, where we offer not simply good deeds, but the very beating heart of Christ in a way that draws men to the greatest miracle of all – repentance.

And May we lean in here, and humbly rely on and walk in the Power of Christ. Amen.