They had ten days to think about it. As the disciples waited for Jesus to keep his promise to send the Holy Spirit to them, they had ten days to reflect on the fact that he had ascended into heaven. What things do you think came to their minds in the days after that amazing event? Perhaps they remembered most vividly the way Jesus overcame the pull of gravity to rise into sky. We heard in our Scripture lesson from Acts that the disciples stood staring into sky even after they lost sight of Jesus. But they had seen Jesus do miraculous things many times before. Certainly walking on water is no less astounding than rising into the air. Perhaps they reflected on the last thing that Jesus did before his ascension. In his Gospel Luke tells us that at the moment Jesus started his ascension he was blessing his disciples. Or maybe their minds were just filled with memories of the years that they had spent with Jesus—their friend and Rabbi.
Although many thoughts would have raced through their minds during those ten days before Pentecost I imagine that the disciples thought more about the meaning of Jesus’ ascension than anything else. How would things be different now that Jesus was no longer going to be visibly present among them? And what was Jesus going to be doing now that he had returned to his Father in heaven? As they searched for the meaning of the ascension the disciples would have probably begun recalling what Jesus had said to them in the days just before his suffering and death and during the forty days between his resurrection and his ascension.
Jesus had told them, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” And he had promised them, “I am with you always…” He had also said, “I am going to prepare a place for you…I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus had reassured his disciples by saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He had commanded them, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” What Jesus had done for them and the promises he had made to them were absolutely the most important things for them to remember as they thought about his ascension. Jesus’ mission was accomplished and so he rightfully returned to his position of authority at the Father’s right hand. And because he ascended into heaven Jesus would continue to do everything he had promised his disciples.
Today as we recall and celebrate Jesus’ ascension those same truths fill our hearts and lives. Jesus’ ascension reminds us that our salvation is complete. Heaven is open to us because of our Savior. And since Jesus lives and reigns at his Father’s right hand we can be sure he is keeping all the promises he has made to us. So let’s take the title of the hymn we sang a few minutes ago as the theme of our sermon. Yes, brothers and sisters in the faith, may each of us shout:
“ALLELUIA! SING TO JESUS!”
I. For his grace that has saved us
II. For his promises that sustain us
The word of God on which we are now focusing our thoughts is taken from the closing verses of our Bibles. I think it would be fair to say that in these verses Jesus summarized the message of Revelation. Jesus had won a complete victory over sin, death, and Satan. And so sinners like us are saved by grace through faith in what he has done. But this book we call Revelation also has a sobering message as well. Until Jesus returns to put an end to the world the battle for souls between him and the devil will continue to rage. However, to give us hope the Book of Revelation also holds out the promises Jesus has made to us. As we plod along each day through life in a world that hates us, with a sinful nature that fights our best intentions, and with Satan seeking our destruction we need those promises to sustain us. May all of those truths lead us each to say, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!”
I.
We hear our ascended Savior declare, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” At first this verse might intimidate us! Are we ready for Jesus to return? And do we want Jesus to judge us according to what we have done? No. Wouldn’t you agree that we would be in big trouble if he judged us on the basis of what we have done? One sin disqualifies us for eternal life with God. And we can’t pay for our sins with good works. Waiting for Jesus to return on Judgment Day would mean waiting for hell! Our only hope is for Jesus to judge us according to what he has done! In these closing verses of Revelation we will hear Jesus go on to explain how we are saved by grace not by works. He will tell us in what way we can be judged “according to what we have done” through faith in his perfect life and sacrificial death.
Verse 14 of our text takes us deeper into the grace that is ours through Christ. Jesus went on to say, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” To be ready for Jesus to return and to receive eternal life instead of eternal death we must have our sins washed away. Actually the verb is in the present tense so we are to continually “wash” our robes so that as forgiven children of God we have the right to the tree of life and are welcome to enter heaven.
Of course Jesus isn’t talking about literal “robes” or clothes. He is speaking symbolically about our soul. Earlier in Revelation we find a similar picture of believers being clothed for attendance at a wedding reception. “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Notice that the spiritual clothing of righteousness was given to believers by grace through faith. They didn’t produce it. It was given to them. We find this truth expressed in Isaiah 61:10, “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” In Ephesians 5:26-27 the source of our spiritual washing is identified. Our Savior took care of our need for cleansing “by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Today we sing to our ascended Jesus! We sing alleluia—for his grace that has saved us.
As a reminder to us to cling to his grace Jesus goes on to tell us what keeps a person out of heaven. “Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Why aren’t we among the dogs that are outside of God’s Kingdom forever? Because Jesus works repentance and faith in us each day through his undeserved love for us. It is only because of his grace that we are not among the group locked out of heaven. And it is only by his grace that we will remain in that group each day of our lives. If we reject the love that God has shown us through his Son we will find ourselves on the outside looking in. So today with our fellow believers we hold tightly to the salvation that Jesus has won for us and that he gives to us. And so we also say, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!” We sing to him for his grace that has saved us.
We also sing to Jesus for his grace that saved us because it comes to us without cost. Jesus ascended into heaven after doing everything necessary for our salvation. He lived perfectly under the Ten Commandments without sinning in thought, word, or actions. His perfect life is ours by grace through faith. He took our sins upon himself and through his death he defeated death. Now the message rings out, “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life….” Jesus returned to his Father’s side to prepare a place for all who trust in him for salvation. Once again as we hear this message from the last verses of the Bible we find ourselves saying, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus! For his grace that has saved us.”
If a person doesn't finish a job they are usually sent back to work on it until they do. If your boss sends you to do a job and you come back and haven't done it he will send you back to your desk until you do the job. Or he may get someone else to do it and you will be looking for another job. If you ask one of your children to mow the lawn you expect it all to be done not just part of it. If the job is not done you will send him or her back out again until it is finished.
Christ’s ascension means he finished his work. The Father didn’t have to send Jesus back to Bethlehem to start over, or back to Nazareth to finish things up, or back to the cross to complete the work of dying as our substitute. No, Jesus finished everything exactly as it needed to be done. His mission is accomplished. Now we can say with confidence, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus! Sing to him for his grace that has saved us.”
II.
In the ten days that the disciples had to reflect on Jesus’ ascension they probably had some feelings of anxiety. Would they be okay without Jesus being visibly with them? And how would they possibly carry out the mission he gave them to be his witnesses and to go and make disciples of all nations? And if the world hated them and persecuted them how would they stand firm in the faith? Once again Jesus’ ascension could have become a source of fear and anxiety for the disciples. And again the most important thing for the disciples to do was to focus on what Jesus had said to them before his ascension. In particular they needed to focus on the promises that Jesus had made to them. Then they too could rejoice that Jesus had returned to his Father in heaven. His promises would sustain them.
Before we even look at the promises Jesus made to the disciples and the promises he has made to us it would be good to recall some truths about the one making the promises. Even his names contain promises that can sustain us no matter what we face in life.
Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Jesus is eternal. He lives and reigns forever! Nothing is outside of his control or power. That truth sustains us each day as it sustained the early Christians who received Revelation. Jesus went on to say, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Jesus is the promised king who sits on David’s throne as King of kings and Lord of lords. His kingdom has no end! He shines like a bright star in our daily lives. In his presence our lives are illumined with hope, joy, and peace.
When we become weary of life in this sin-filled world Jesus sustains us with his promise to return and free his people from effects of sin forever. We heard him say it twice in our reading from Revelation. In verse 12 Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon!” And in verse 20 he repeated the thought, “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” One day Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. He will establish the eternal kingdom of God for us so that in body and soul we will be with the Lord forever. He will create a new heaven and a new earth—the home of righteousness.
Although we quickly pass over the words “he ascended into heaven” when we say the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed may we never forget that our future is built on Christ's ascension. He went to heaven to prepare a place for us. He will return from heaven to take us to be with him. Jesus said in John 14:2 3, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus ascended into heaven to prepare a place for us. Now that is a reason to be excited! We have a reservation in God’s house forever more. We will be welcome there forever. We will be free from sin, pain, and disease—all the effects of sin—forever. We will receive a glorified body like our ascended Lord's body.
On Judgment Day Jesus will return in the same we he left on the day of his ascension to take us to be with him forever. Every person will seem him come back. It won’t be an invisible return. We won’t miss him.
There is even better news connected to Christ’s ascension. He has plans for us to one day ascend with him. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 18, “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” Christ’s ascension is now a symbol of our own ascension and we are to use it to encourage each other. Jesus sustains us with the promise to give us eternal life when he comes and an eternal home in heaven. We listen again to Jesus’ promise, “My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
The disciples had ten days to reflect on what happened the day that Jesus was taken up into heaven. Although the memory of Jesus’ ascension may have brought a touch of sadness to the disciples I am sure Jesus’ words would have lifted their spirits. They had many reasons to rejoice that Jesus had ascended to the right hand of his Father. He had “gone full circle” as we say. Everything that Jesus needed to do for their salvation had been accomplished. They were saved by grace through faith. And Jesus’ promises would sustain them no matter what they faced in life.
Christians have had almost two thousand years to reflect on Jesus’ ascension. It still holds the same significance for them. The church shouts, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus! Sing to Jesus for his grace that has saved us! Sing to Jesus for his promises that sustain us! May we join the song today and always. May we too shout, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!” Amen.
