The Reigning Christ

Introduction

The Ascension so often gets skipped in the Resurrection narrative: We love to talk about Christ’s birth, his life, his death, his burial, and his resurrection. But we often neglect this important moment - His Ascension. It is JUST as significant as these other events we have discussed throughout Luke.

Read Luke 24:50-53

Luke 24:50–53 ESV

50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Mark 16:19–20 ESV

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Explanation

The Ascension explains Jesus absence. He is ruling and reigning.

Jesus is not in a grave. Every other religious figure that has a religion formed around it - except one - is in the grave.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father with no lack of His glory about Him.

King Charles coronation cost 72 million lbs (over 95 million dollars)

Christ cost nothing, and it was far more glorious.

He is the institution of a forever King. So much of our lives

The Ascension means that we don’t have to talk about Jesus in only the past tense or the future tense. We can talk about what Christ is doing here and now and how he reigns eternally at this very point in human history.

We spend a lot of our time talking about what Christ has done. Rightly so!

And we spend a lot of time talking about what Christ will do! Rightly so!

But let’s never forget that he rules right now. That He is the God of the universe pushing back the domain of darkness one heart at a time.

Psalm 20:7“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Some trust in GDP.

Some trust in an ideology.

Some trust in government officials.

But we trust in the Lord our God.

Jesus currently reigns and He is sitting on the throne.

King Jesus’ Kingdom is quiet. It sounds like a baptistery full of students and a Bible study at the prison and discipleship all over our county. It sounds like secret sin being repented of and small steps of faith. It sounds like marriages being restored by the reconciling power of the gospel. It is the reaching out to the orphan and the widow. It is the call for justice, grace, and peace.

And because God works in this way, the world is tempted to revel in the irrelevance of the church. Age by age, this has happened.

But the humble church peers into the grave of every nation, dynasty, empire, and tyranny, because Christ reigns and his Kingdom of humble, blood bought sinners will press forward - now because of their strength but because their King is all powerful.

We are living expressions of this reality - He reigns!

There isn’t a millisecond of your life that will take place outside of the sovereignty of Jesus.

Not the moment you get that diagnoses.

Not that moment you answer the phone call or the front door that changes your life forever.

Not the moment you go under the knife for a surgery.

Not the moment you take your last breath.

Not a moment happens outside of his control.

Transition: And maybe you’re thinking - not my life. What is he doing? What you said either (1) isn’t true or (2) He simply doesn’t care about me.

The Ascension enthrones Jesus at the right hand of the father. He has favor with the Father, and He is our advocate.

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father. What is he doing? He (1) sympathizes in our weakness (2) intercedes on our behalf, (3) silences the accuser.

He sympathizes with our weaknesses.

Hebrews 4:15–16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Jesus has faced the weight of sin, and he defeated it. He knows how we struggle, and he stands next to the father to intercede for us.

He intercedes on our behalf.

Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

This Emmanuel has taken our nature forever; He has taken it into heaven with Him. God and we shall forever be on good terms, because God in our nature is forever in heaven, as an intercessor appearing for us. There is no fear of a breach now; for our Brother is in heaven, our Husband is in heaven, to preserve an everlasting union and amity between God and us. Richard Sibbes

Common Phrase // Let not our prayers die while our intercession lives.

The Son of Man sits on the throne. Fully God and Fully Man.

And he is the intercession/advocate. He is the lawyer arguing on our behalf. `

He silences the accuser.

Satan will tempt and tempt you until he gets you to sin, then he will stand before the Lord and accuse you.

Zechariah 3:1–6 “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua,”

In Zechariah, Joshua is the high priest (not to be confused with Joshua who led God’s people into the promised land - different Joshua’s.

He stands before the Angel of God (known as Jesus). And satan begins to accuse him.

And what is so hard… is what Satan says is right. The passage tells us that Joshua is standing before God in filthy garments - the Hebrew, dung covered garments.

You can imagine the horror.

Not only is Joshua in front of the Holy God of the Universe.

He is being accused by Satan. And his robes are filthy. But more than anything, this passage would have struck the Hebrew people with absolute fright.

An unclean priests could not atone for the people. One covered with filth could not atone and intercede for the people.

And here is what Jesus does.

Firstly, he looks at Satan, and he says, “Hush.” This isn’t a one syllable hush. It’s a three syllable hush.

Secondly, he says, “I have saved Him.”

Finally, he gives Joshua new robes. Fresh, clean robes.

Jesus will be your King, but the question remains, “will you be his child?”

The Ascension makes your decision to follow Jesus urgent.

All will stand before the reigning King on account of their sins. And Jesus will either say, “Covered,” or He will not.

What will Jesus say for you? Have you placed your faith in the Son of Man. Or have you placed it in yourself?

Turn from your old life, your sin, and your shame, and place your faith in Jesus to save you. That’s it. It is a free gift of eternal life.

St. Augustine // Cleave unto Christ, who by descending and ascending has made Himself the Way. Do you wish to ascend? Hold fast to Him that ascends. For by your own self you cannot rise. . . . Do you wish to ascend also? Be then a member of Him who only has ascended. For He the Head, with all the members, is but One Man. And . . . no one can ascend, but he who in His Body is made a member of Him.

We must go to the nations with this message.

Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew, “All authority has been given to me, therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”

Jesus made sure that He was on the throne before He sent us out.

All authority if given to Jesus - now go in HIS power.

He will return one day.

He will show himself to be the all powerful King.

He will subdue the enemy with a word - and all will know without a drop of uncertainty that He is the forever king.

Invitation

He is alive,