Message
Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:1-11
Our King Jesus Ascends into Heaven
Let’s start straight away by reading the last few verses of Luke.
Luke 24:50-53
We don’t really get indications of when this took place or the full extent of what happened when Jesus went to heaven. Indeed, we could almost be mistaken into thinking that this took place very quickly after the resurrection of Jesus.
But it didn’t.
In a moment we will read the fuller story.
But for now let’s think about how Luke brings his first book to a close; because Luke does it in a very interesting way.
Think back to the beginning of the Gospel of Luke. Apart from the four verse introduction where does Luke start?
… …
He starts in the temple with a priest named Zechariah who had no children.
Where does Luke’s Gospel end?
And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
In Luke’s narrative the temple has been transformed, symbolically, from a place where barrenness was causing grief - into a place where the ascended Jesus who has secured eternal life is being celebrated and worshipped.
Which is really important for us to see.
The ascension of Jesus is a cause for celebration and worship.
The way Luke structures these verses really emphasises this truth.
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
The three words underlined there are all from the same Greek word.
Jesus blessed the disciples - using the normal gesture of raising his hands.
We don’t know what blessing it is but we it would be something similar to what we elsewhere in Scripture.
Numbers 6:24-26
24 “‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
2 Corinthians 13:14
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Such blessings were also given by elder family members to younger family.
It was a blessing to the family to be strong and to hold firm to the plan of God. To know that there was a purpose in moving forward.
On the day of the ascension Jesus gives this blessing to the disciples.
But it is a blessing to us as well.
To know that, even today, we are under the blessing of Jesus. That he has a plan and a purpose for us and that we are part of his family.
It doesn’t mean that everything is going to go well and our lives will be smooth an rosy.
We will have wonderful days. Days of joy and blessing.
We have had those days recently as a church haven’t we.
Wedding for Alex and Lorinda
Wedding for Josh and Chelsie
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But there are also days when life isn’t going so well.
Days of fear and brokenness.
Days when we feel insecure or we are struggling.
Phil in hospital.
Umbe with tumour
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But in those days the hand of blessing continues. Jesus is continuing to give his blessing.
The blessing which is there in the days we really feel it.
The blessing that is just as much there on the days we don’t feel it.
That is what the ascension of Jesus gives us. We know this is the case because in the process of blessing them Jesus is lifted to heaven.
As Jesus makes his way to heaven the blessing continues.
It is a powerful reminder and a powerful symbol that Jesus is still with us.
The ascension … the blessing … are not the last words of a dying man. They are not even really a goodbye.
There is no grief and there is no anxiety.
Indeed there is a sense of peace.
The ascension … and the wait for Jesus to return … is a time to soak in the blessing of Jesus knowing that all is in hand.
Why is it all in hand?
This is probably a good moment to read the fuller account.
Acts 1:1-11
At the ascension all is in hand because, when Jesus goes, the Holy Spirit can come.
And it is the work of the Holy Spirit which is going to bring about the great transformation.
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.
John 14:26
You can’t underestimate the importance of this transformation. When Jesus was on earth he taught his disciples constantly.
Yet they forgot that he said he would rise again … and it caused hopelessness.
During his ministry Jesus would say, “Don’t you remember?”
Don’t you remember the five loaves that fed 5,000 people?
Remember a servant is not greater than his master
But they kept forgetting.
After the ascension this spiritual amnesia is not so much of an issue, because the Holy Spirit steps in and helps … helps us all.
Now, I am not saying that this means you won’t forget things. We will.
Our minds are all weak and, eventually, we begin to forget.
And - before too much is said - it is not because some of us are getting old! We forget for all sorts of reasons.
… we allow ourselves to be too distracted.
… we don’t spend enough time soaking in the word.
… we give too much time to too many other pursuits.
… some of us have taken substances over the years that don’t help memory.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t always overcome that.
But what the Holy Spirit does is give us the words.
Those times in your life when you are talking to someone about spiritual matters and exactly the right words and right thoughts come out.
You don’t even remember that knew what you said.
And you watch as the Holy Spirit gives it all.
It is like Jesus is there with you, reminding you. Except, because it is the Spirit, we can all be reminded all at once.
The ascension of Jesus makes it possible … possible for us to be exceptionally effective disciples in this world which needs the message of hope.
That is why all is in hand.
But the giving of the Holy Spirit also means all is in hand in another area
7 It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
John 16:7-8
So we get given the words by the Holy Spirit.
But, ultimately, it is not up to us to make the transformation happen. The Holy Spirit does that was well.
We don’t convict people about sin … we just tell it as it is … the Holy Spirit convicts.
We don’t need to assess whether people are righteous or not … we just talk about the need to be in a right relationship with Jesus … and the Holy Spirit works.
We don’t need to make judgements about the eternal destination of people … we merely speak the truth about the need for confession and forgiveness and Jesus … and we let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
Now that might mean people won’t like what we say and that people will talk offence.
And that might also mean people might avoid us or make judgements about us.
But, for the Holy Spirit to bring about the transformation, we need to be willing to tell others about all the things that Jesus has told us.
That may create all sorts of outcomes.
But all is in hand. Because we do this under the ongoing blessing of the ascended Jesus.
That is an encouragement isn’t it.
A powerful encouragement which has an immediate impact on the disciples who witnessed the ascension.
53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
They were continually blessing God
Not just as a once off … but as an ongoing life style.
The ascension of Jesus leads to ongoing blessings from us to God.
That is because the ascension of Jesus gives us so much from God.
Not just the Holy Spirit; but so many other benefits as well.
The reason this is the case is because the ascension of Jesus is not a departure, the ascension of Jesus is an arrival.
Because it is an arrival we receive so many benefits.
20 God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church
Ephesians 1:20-22
The arrival of Jesus gives Jesus the power over everything.
Satan tried to tempt Jesus and promised to give Jesus the world.
The arrival of Jesus in heaven means Satan has nothing.
No power. No authority. No dominion.
Satan has nothing.
Then Jesus takes his position and, as the head of the church, he gives us everything.
Satan has nothing.
We have everything.
That is a benefit of the ascension.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
When you speak to heaven there is one in heaven who knows exactly how you feel.
The fears and the joys.
The pain and the blessings.
The hopes and the shattered dreams.
We don’t have a God who is looking from a distance, who remains detached and uninterested.
You have family in heaven, and he has the direct ear of God - bringing your requests directly to God.
We can be very confident God is listening.
That is a benefit of the ascension.
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Romans 8:34
As part of his role at the right hand of God Jesus is protecting us from condemnation.
Satan constantly makes accusations about our ungodly behaviour.
The people around us may make judgements and throw accusations.
Our own mind might cause us to doubt whether we deserve the grace of God.
Through all of this Jesus stands between us and the Father and takes it all.
He has paid the price … fully paid for sin.
So the condemnation doesn’t stick.
Our eternal life is secure.
That is a benefit of the ascension.
Just before he ascended Jesus said:
8 You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8
We receive the benefit of being promised that the Gospel message will go through us to the ends of the earth.
You will be … not spoken as a command, “You will clean your room … you will be kind to your brother”.
But spoken as a description of your identity. “You will be a great husband … you will be an awesome physio”.
You will be my witnesses.
It is your identity.
That is a benefit of the ascension.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 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.
John 14:2-3
At this moment the preparations are taking place. A room … a home … a place for everyone who calls on the name of Jesus.
It is where we belong.
It is our eternal destination.
It is the hope we have … no matter what we are going through on this earth.
That is the benefit of the ascension
The Authority of Jesus
A Family Member in Heaven
Jesus Interceding
An Identity as Witnesses
The Security of an Eternal Home
As Jesus arrives into heaven all of these benefits come as a result.
Which is why the ascension is done in such a dramatic way. Being lifted off the ground. Going high enough for a cloud to hid him from their view. Being told by the angels that they were looking for him but now he is gone.
He could have said, “Look after this meeting I am going to be gone.”
Would they have believed him? Would they have stopped looking.
The ascension is a powerful visual lesson … the way our relationship has worked for the past three years is going to be different.
Different indeed.
But also even better.
Even today believers world-wide continue to stand under the ongoing blessing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit giving us the words to say so that the Holy Spirit can convict and transform.
All we need to do is open our mouths and tell people about the things that Jesus has told us.
And then keep blessing God as we keep watching him act.
Prayer
