Ascension

This past Thursday was Ascension Day. Ascension Day marks the day when Jesus ascended into heaven and is seated at God’s right hand. It marks Jesus’ return to his power and glory. It powerfully proclaims that Jesus work, all Jesus work in coming to seek and save the lost was successful. In fact, it was so successful that at the name of Jesus, every person in history will bow in reverence. That before the throne of God, all the creatures and elders, with a loud voice sang, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!”

That’s why we remember and celebrate Jesus’ ascension. Now, let’s look at the facts of the ascension:

As I already mentioned, it proves that the sacrifice he made in giving up his glory and honour, in order to be found in appearance as a man—that is truly human—offering himself in obedience, even to death on a cross, offering his life as a payment for all sin, that his sacrifice was indeed perfect, and for which he receives all glory and honour. The ascension marks his return to glory, to where he was before (). He promised to prepare a place for us to be with him (). We will do even greater things than what Jesus did, because he returned to the Father (). He repeatedly states that he will be returning to the Father, to my God and your God (, , & 28; 20:17;).

predicted his ascension:

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The Apostle Paul, author of most of the New Testament also celebrates and affirms Jesus’ Lordship as evidenced in Jesus’ ascension. In he writes, “Beyond all question, the mystery of Godliness is great: He (Jesus) appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” In this short passage, Paul affirmed everything we know about Jesus, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. This truth hasn’t changed. Jesus is still all these things.

In , Paul shares again a bit of Jesus’ history, how he was in heaven with the Father since before the creation of the world. How he deliberately chose to humble himself even to death on a cross. Because he did this, and because his sacrifice on our behalf was perfect, the Father God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Paul teaches us in Ephesians that God seated Jesus at his right hand in the heavenly realms (). And that Jesus ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to full the whole universe (Eph. 4:10).

The book of Hebrews teaches us that Jesus’ ascension gives encouragement. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (). Do you feel discouraged? Do you feel faint hearted? Remember, Christ sustains all things, he sustains you and hold you tightly in his mighty hand. He also is our great high priest who has gone through the heavens, therefore we can hold firmly to the faith we profess (). In moments of doubt, we remember who Jesus is, what he did, and where he is now, our great high priest in heaven. And Jesus is in the true heaven, not the man-made copy of the sanctuary, and he appears for us in God’s presence (). Our own flesh and blood is right now in heaven and he promises to take us to where he is!

The Ascension is encouragement for faint hearted: ; ;

In addition to what I’ve drawn out of the scriptures, we hold onto these three facts:

Christ’s ascendancy. Accession. He occupies the position of ruler on God’s behalf (; ; ; ). Jesus rules on the Father’s behalf. Like Joseph ruled Egypt on Pharaoh’s behalf, Jesus rules. There is no one greater than Jesus. Everything is under Jesus’ feet. Jesus is the head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Do you see Jesus in this way? Do we as a congregation acknowledge that Jesus is head over everything for the church? Or do we sometimes fall into the thinking that the church is ours, or mine, or yours? That we get to dictate to God how we want things, and how we can fight each other over what we should or shouldn’t be doing, and how we should or shouldn’t be doing it? If, having the mind and heart of Christ, we were to humble ourselves before Jesus, and before each other, what would that look like? What would the Spirit accomplish in and through is, if we had the heart and mind of Jesus first and foremost in everything? All powers and authorities are in submission to him, us included. The world doesn’t act like it is, and sometimes neither do we.

Christ’s Spiritual Omnipresence. In the sanctuary of heaven (; ) Jesus is available to all who call on his name (), and powerful to help them, anywhere in the world (; ; ).

Jesus is always attentive to us and our needs. He answers our prayers as a loving friend, as a loving Father, as a saviour who has walked the walk, who knows what it is like to experience life. He knows the reality of cancer. He knows the difficult paths we walk. He knows loss. He walks the valleys of the shadows with us. He knows the loss of a brother, a friend, a parent.

Jesus ever lives for us. He hears us, he answers us. He pours himself out upon us to carry us through everything. He is completely trustworthy! He has placed us, all of us here, in Maranatha, in Lethbridge and the surrounding area for a purpose, for a reason. Live, live into Christ every moment. Call out to him for help, every day! He will give you what you need, maybe not what you want, but what you need.

Christ’s Heavenly Ministry. Jesus, our reigning Lord, intercedes for us (; ) talks about Jesus requesting from the Father, but the essence is his intervention on our behalf (as he is totally sympathetic and doesn’t abuse nor take for granted his power and authority). In his sovereign lordship, he lavishes on us the benefits which he won on the cross. He sends the Holy Spirit to enrich us (; ) and equips us for service ().

Jesus ceaselessly pleads our case before the Father. He’s our advocate. No one can accuse, no one can condemn anyone who trusts Jesus completed work on our behalf. We are forgiven and set free.

We are set free from bondage and slavery to sin. So were the Israelites when they were released from bondage and slavery in Egypt. But God had a plan for them. They were to be a blessing to all nations and to make God’s name known to everyone, so that all would worship the one true God.

That’s what Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, equips us to do also. Continuing in , in verse 11-13, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

That’s our purpose. To make disciples, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded us. Our purpose is two part: as we go along life, we make new disciples, in our children, our co-workers, neighbours, wherever God takes us. And we encourage discipleship, or faith formation, becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So, knowing we are equipped by Christ, through the Holy Spirit—we’ll look at this more closely next week—to evangelise and to grow in maturity, how are we doing? Where do you sense the Holy Spirit leading you? Not sure he is? Then begin your day with prayer and say, “Holy Spirit lead me. I trust you. Help me become more mature, and help me share Jesus with someone today. Amen.

Let’s pray.