Ascension Good Shepherd Presbyterian Sermons (Charlotte, NC)
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- Christianity
SERVICE VIDEO (link)TEXT: Acts 1:4-11
Today we recognize a very important event that happened only a few weeks after the resurrection of Jesus; actually, 40 days to be precise. Did you guess Pentecost?? No…. that’s 10 days later – we’ll celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost next Sunday. It’s the Ascension. When Jesus appeared to Mary on Easter morning (John 20:17) he said, “I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Well this is it – Jesus ascends… he goes up into Heaven to be with God the Father.
So what’s important about the Ascension of Jesus? It’s not as big a deal as the “biggies” is it?
Incarnation: Jesus’ birth and God’s putting-on of human flesh to live among us
Crucifixion: Jesus’ death, which atoned for our sin and “made right with God” all who believe
Resurrection: Jesus’ victory over death, which we now share through faith in him
I’ll admit that for most of my life I’ve just thought the Ascension was Jesus’ “trip back to Heaven” – that’s it, end of story. But there’s so much more! And this isn’t just a random excursion into an obscure theological area: it has everything to do with God’s power and purpose that we’ve been talking about for the last few weeks.
The Ascension Narrative (Acts 1)
So let’s start with the narrative – the account of Jesus’ Ascension. It’s short and sweet and it’s there in Acts 1, and the actual Ascension is only one verse long. After speaking to his followers, Jesus “was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (v. 9) That’s about it. As you can imagine, they just stood and stared, “gazing intently into the sky while He was going.” (v. 10) But what else can we get from the context here?
We have two main pieces of information: what Jesus said before he left and what the angel messengers said after he left.
Before leaving, Jesus final words had to do with the promise of the Holy Spirit, which would come to empower his followers to be witnesses far and near. This was in contrast to their question of “restoring the kingdom to Israel.” Instead, Jesus taught (as he had always taught), God’s Kingdom was not of this world. He had frequently made that point through miraculous and supernatural signs and he was about to demonstrate that with one last miraculous sign: his Ascension into the heavens. I will also simply note for now the very close connection between the promise and work of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Ascension. More on that later!
After he left, two “men in white clothing” appeared and the basic content of their message signaled that Jesus would one day return in the same manner as his leaving. (v. 11) But what does it all mean?!
The Meaning of the Ascension
Let me mention several benefits of Jesus’ Ascension to the believer, and you will see these outlined in the confession of faith we’ll use later in the service. You can also see the scripture referenced there on the back of the bulletin. There are at least four benefits of the Ascension for those who believe.
1. A Heavenly Advocate
One of the important realities of Jesus being at the right hand of the Father is that Jesus took our humanity with him. He is our advocate, and our righteous one at that. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is not only the one who died, but is the one who was raised and is at the right hand of God, and is the one “who also intercedes for us.” That is why we pray “in Jesus’ name,” because he is our representative, our advocate, our intercessor. It is as if Jesus tacks on to our every prayer, “…and this prayer is from Sarah, the one I love, the one I died for, the one who I have made a place for with us; listen to her!” Can you imagine having such an advocate, because you do!
But that verse from Romans goes even beyond that. As one who intercedes for us, Jesus
SERVICE VIDEO (link)TEXT: Acts 1:4-11
Today we recognize a very important event that happened only a few weeks after the resurrection of Jesus; actually, 40 days to be precise. Did you guess Pentecost?? No…. that’s 10 days later – we’ll celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost next Sunday. It’s the Ascension. When Jesus appeared to Mary on Easter morning (John 20:17) he said, “I have not yet ascended to the Father.” Well this is it – Jesus ascends… he goes up into Heaven to be with God the Father.
So what’s important about the Ascension of Jesus? It’s not as big a deal as the “biggies” is it?
Incarnation: Jesus’ birth and God’s putting-on of human flesh to live among us
Crucifixion: Jesus’ death, which atoned for our sin and “made right with God” all who believe
Resurrection: Jesus’ victory over death, which we now share through faith in him
I’ll admit that for most of my life I’ve just thought the Ascension was Jesus’ “trip back to Heaven” – that’s it, end of story. But there’s so much more! And this isn’t just a random excursion into an obscure theological area: it has everything to do with God’s power and purpose that we’ve been talking about for the last few weeks.
The Ascension Narrative (Acts 1)
So let’s start with the narrative – the account of Jesus’ Ascension. It’s short and sweet and it’s there in Acts 1, and the actual Ascension is only one verse long. After speaking to his followers, Jesus “was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (v. 9) That’s about it. As you can imagine, they just stood and stared, “gazing intently into the sky while He was going.” (v. 10) But what else can we get from the context here?
We have two main pieces of information: what Jesus said before he left and what the angel messengers said after he left.
Before leaving, Jesus final words had to do with the promise of the Holy Spirit, which would come to empower his followers to be witnesses far and near. This was in contrast to their question of “restoring the kingdom to Israel.” Instead, Jesus taught (as he had always taught), God’s Kingdom was not of this world. He had frequently made that point through miraculous and supernatural signs and he was about to demonstrate that with one last miraculous sign: his Ascension into the heavens. I will also simply note for now the very close connection between the promise and work of the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Ascension. More on that later!
After he left, two “men in white clothing” appeared and the basic content of their message signaled that Jesus would one day return in the same manner as his leaving. (v. 11) But what does it all mean?!
The Meaning of the Ascension
Let me mention several benefits of Jesus’ Ascension to the believer, and you will see these outlined in the confession of faith we’ll use later in the service. You can also see the scripture referenced there on the back of the bulletin. There are at least four benefits of the Ascension for those who believe.
1. A Heavenly Advocate
One of the important realities of Jesus being at the right hand of the Father is that Jesus took our humanity with him. He is our advocate, and our righteous one at that. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is not only the one who died, but is the one who was raised and is at the right hand of God, and is the one “who also intercedes for us.” That is why we pray “in Jesus’ name,” because he is our representative, our advocate, our intercessor. It is as if Jesus tacks on to our every prayer, “…and this prayer is from Sarah, the one I love, the one I died for, the one who I have made a place for with us; listen to her!” Can you imagine having such an advocate, because you do!
But that verse from Romans goes even beyond that. As one who intercedes for us, Jesus