50. Jesus' Ascension Series

[IN GOD’S IMAGE 50 - JESUS’ ASCENSION]

This message is part of a series of 90 sermons based on the title, “In God’s Image – God’s Purpose for humanity.” This series of free sermons or the equivalent free book format is designed to take the reader through an amazing process beginning with God in prehistory and finishing with humanity joining God in eternity as His loving sons and daughters. It is at times, a painful yet fascinating story, not only for humanity, but also for God. As the sermons follow a chronological view of the story of salvation, it is highly recommend they be presented in numerical order rather than jumping to the more “interesting” or “controversial” subjects as the material builds on what is presented earlier. We also recommend reading the introduction prior to using the material. The free book version along with any graphics or figures mentioned in this series can be downloaded at www.ingodsimage.site - Gary Regazzoli

We move now from Jesus’s resurrection to His ascension to the Father.

• It’s not very often we hear a sermon on the ascension.

• The ascension is one of those overlooked aspects of Jesus’ ministry and to neglect it impoverishes an important aspect of the gospel message.

What do you think would have happened if Jesus had not returned to the Father and simply stayed here on earth?

• Do you think mankind’s reaction to the risen Christ would have been any different to the pre-resurrection Christ?

• In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, Jesus Himself gives the answer.

• Luke 16:30-31 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

• It would naïve to think humanity would have a change of heart and suddenly accept Jesus as their Savior even though He had risen from the dead.

• No, more work needed to be done before this would happen.

• This is one of the reasons Jesus had to withdraw Himself physically from the earth.

• However this did not mean he was not involved in the ongoing process of drawing humanity back into relationship with their Creator.

• In fact, there is no way He could not be involved after all He has done on behalf of mankind to make this incredible notion possible.

• He is the mediator between God and humanity.

• Although not physically visible, Jesus Christ is intimately involved in directing the Father’s ongoing work of restoring the relationship with mankind.

• Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus had prepared the groundwork for the salvation of mankind.

• Humanity through Jesus Christ’s saving work has in a corporate sense been reconciled to God. However, true reconciliation, in order to be genuine requires a response from both parties.

• Jesus has achieved this response in a corporate sense in that He obediently responded to the Father on behalf of mankind, but the task now is to elicit a positive response from individual humans.

• The corporate or objective reality has to become subjective or personal reality.

• The primary task of moving individuals from the objective reality to the subjective reality would be the work of the Holy Spirit.

• This is the promise Jesus made to His disciples at the last supper.

• John 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.

• John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

• We see the primary task of bringing individual humans to the knowledge of what Jesus Christ has accomplished on their behalf is delegated to the Holy Spirit.

• However, as in all other aspects of God’s saving work, all three persons of the Trinity are intimately involved in the process.

• The major advantage the Holy Spirit has in this task over Jesus is that He could move wherever He willed while Jesus was limited in His capacity to influence by His physical presence.

• As spirit, He would not draw the same negative attention of those who opposed Jesus in the same way if Jesus were physically present.

We will talk more of this later, but for now our focus is on Jesus’ ascension.

• Jesus has spent 40 days since His resurrection reassuring the disciples He is the same Jesus they knew before the resurrection, and preparing them for the task of taking the gospel to the world.