I Believe in the Ascension of Christ

Introduction

Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard a sermon or a lesson specifically on the ascension of Jesus?

Why has this doctrine been neglected?

The Bible speaks little about it.

The implications are unclear.

The event is abnormal.

The resurrection subsumes the ascension.

As protestants, we have unfortunately neglected the ascension. . . but for the early church, the ascension was essential to gospel proclamation

Acts 2:33–35 ESV

33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

We must see resurrection and ascension distinct but also together. One does not exist without the other.

Resurrection refers to Jesus being bodily raised from the dead, while the ascension denotes the movement of Christ’s exalted body from earth to heaven.

Brian Donne writes, “The resurrection means Jesus lives, the ascension asserts he reigns.”

But why is the ascension important??

Without Christ’s ascension. . .

we are still dead in our sins. . .

the good news is revoked. . .

Jesus is not Lord and Messiah.

His ascension serves as “the seal upon the forgiveness of sins. God sent Jesus to redeem his people. Jesus’ ascension marks the sure foundation and accomplishment of that work.” -Al Mohler

Key Point: The ascension of Jesus demonstrates his power to complete his exaltation and reign as Lord and Messiah and allows us by faith to reign with him in glory.

Christ’s Power in His Ascension (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Paul prays for the Ephesians in verses 15-19.

The phrase in v. 19. . . “According to the working of his great might” connects Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians with Jesus’ resurrection, ascension, and session.

Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Paul says God’s power raised Jesus from the dead.

After Jesus’ resurrection (40 days to be exact), he ascended on high and now sits at the right hand of God (Acts 1:9-11).

His ascension at Pentacost represents Jesus being the fulfillment of the law.

Just as Moses ascended to the mountain of Sinai to give the law to the people to be God’s people (celebration of Pentacost), Jesus ascends into heaven to give his people the Spirit to continue his ministry on earth.

This was foretold in Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

The ascension is crucial to the gospel because it completes the work of Christ on earth and allows him to continue his work in heaven as Prophet, Priest, and King.

Let’s now look at each of these three offices together. . .

Jesus’ Work as Our King

Jesus’ ascension completes his mission to establish God’s Kingdom on earth.

Being exalted, he is now ruling and reigning as Messiah and Lord (Acts 2:33-35; Psalm 110:1, 4).

How is Jesus King?

He is in the highest place of authority (at God’s right hand, v, 20; Psalm 110).

This also means heaven is a real place. . . not just a state of mind or attitude.

He rules and reigns over all things having put all things under his feet (v. 21-22)

Victorious, triumphant!

He has been given the name above all names (v. 21; Phil. 2:9; Heb 1:4).

He is the head of the church and is all in all (v. 23)

**What is your view of Jesus?

The gospel is not about you, it is about Jesus

Do we treat Jesus like a back up QB? Only calling on him when we need him or we are in a desperate situation?

Jesus’ Work as Our Priest

Seated at the right hand of God, Jesus continues his priestly role as our advocate and intercessor before the Father, pleading his sacrifice and spotless blood on our behalf for forgiveness of our sins (Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 7:25).

Hebrews 7:25 ESV

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

We still need an advocate before the Father.

His continual priesthood provides the assurance and confidence of our salvation.

Jesus’ ascension allows him to minister in the highest place and most holy place in the heavens. . . which makes his sacrifice and intercession on our behalf supreme!

The OT priests role was also to bless the people. Jesus’ ascension allows him to bless us with the Holy Spirit.

“The blessing of the Spirit, through the priestly work of Christ, allows us to draw near to the Father.” -Patrick Schreiner

Jesus’ Work as Our Prophet

Jesus continues his role as prophet from heaven by sending the Spirit to speak God’s truth and guide his people.

This prophetic message of the Spirit is written down in the prophetic words of the teachings of the New Testament.

Believers, being filled with the Spirit, are now Jesus’ prophetic voice to continue his work on earth.

Jesus’ ascension allows him to send his Spirit. . . which brings us into seeing Christ’s power in our ascension with him in Ephesians 2.

Christ’s Power in Our Ascension (Ephesians 2:1-8)

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

“And you” continues the theme of God’s power and Paul shows the connection and contrast with believers.

These authorities, powers, and dominions that Christ has conquered and has put under his feet, we are still under and enslaved to in our sin.

Apart from Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, we are dead in our sins and powerless against the prince, the power of the air.

We are children of wrath, not children of God. . . bound for death and judgment.

We are not ruling and reigning. . . instead we are defeated and hopeless. . . then comes v. 4. . .

Ephesians 2:4–8 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Paul then connects Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension with our death, resurrection, and ascension. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand according to his great power, he did the same with us.

Both verbs used to describe Christ (raised and seated) are by themselves in the Greek. When Paul uses these words to describe our being “raised and seated” they have the pre-fix attached which means “with Christ”. . . we have been raised with him and seated with him.

Our being in Christ gives us these privileges that Christ alone possess in himself.

Since Christ has gone before us and ascended into heaven, we can now ascend into heaven and be seated with Christ.

In Christ, v. 6-7 state we can be shown the immeasurable riches of God in the ages to come as God is showing those things to Jesus right now (Col. 3:1-4).

“Because Jesus has ascended we also ascend through the Spirit to the Son, and through the Son to the Father. In Jesus, our nature has taken up residence in the presence of God.” -Ben Myers

His ascension secures our intimate fellowship with God in the age to come.

Jesus goes before us to prepare a place for us so that we can be with him (John 14:1-3).

He will not leave us as orphans, but will come to us (John 14:18-19).

The ascension unites us with Christ and allows us to continue his ministry of Prophet, Priest, and King by his Spirit on earth.

In Christ, We are His Prophets

In Christ, we are now Jesus’ prophets and mouthpiece to the nations because of his ascension.

The Holy Spirit is now given to all who believe in him.

“Through his rising, he empowered his people and unified them under his sovereign voice. He gave them his Spirit and authorized them to go forward in his prophetic work. Now his people are empowered to carry on his prophetic work because Christ’s presence is mediated to them by the Spirit.” -Patrick Schreiner

Jesus was limited by space and time during his incarnation, now from heaven, he can speak by his Spirit through all people.

Lebron James/Beethoven analogy

“It is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7)

He is not only “with us” but now “in us” and we are “in him.”

We can do “greater works” because Christ goes to the Father. . . the church can expand more widely and the church works in the final age of the fulfillment of Christ’s work.

Christ builds his church by giving them gifts to build up the body and spread his glory to the nations (Eph. 4:10-12).

In Christ, We are His Priests

In Christ, we are now Jesus’ priests ministering his sacrifice, intercession, and blessing to the nations (1 Peter 2:4-8).

As priests, we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God and practice self-sacrifice to love and serve others in order to bring them to Jesus. (Heb. 13:15; Eph. 5:2).

As priests, we intercede for others pleading for their salvation, encouragement, and growth in the Lord (Eph. 6:18-20).

As priests, we instruct and declare how people can draw near to God through Christ.

In Christ, We Are His Royalty

In Christ, we are part of God’s royal family and serve as his vice-regents on earth and represent his rule and reign from heaven.

We unite as an army around our one king.

We can have peace with all people, since we are seated with Christ and are under one ruler and head (Eph. 2:14-16).

We can go out confidently in battle.

If our king has put all things under his feet and we are now in him and seated with him in the heavens, we too can conquer all things when we put him on each day.

Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-17.

As his vice regents, we must remember two things. . .

Our Kingdom, as Jesus said, is not of this world. . . but in the heavens.

Our destiny is not in this world system we live in but in the new heavens and the new earth. . . in the new Jerusalem that will come out of heaven and be established when Jesus comes back and makes all things new.

Response

Is Jesus your Prophet, Priest, and King?

Are you living as Jesus’ Prophet’s, Priest’s, and King’s?

We have the means to live boldly by the Spirit.

Are you living like Jesus never ascended (without the power of the Spirit to be witnesses and make disciples)?

Jesus’ ascension from earth guarantees his return back to earth . . Do you have a “holy discontentment” as you long for Christ’s return?

Being serious about our sin and a greater hunger for God’s righteousness. . . as we await his return.