SERMON OUTLINE:
FIRST: The Narrative of the Ascension.
(1). A Blessing (vs 50).
(2). A Departure (vs 51).
(3). A Feeling (vs 52).
(4). A Gathering (vs 52-53)
SECOND: The Theology of the Ascension.
(1). It marked the end of his earthly ministry.
(2). It showed success in his earthly work.
(3). It marked the return of his heavenly glory.
(4). It disclosed his new work as High Priest.
(5). It enabled the Holy Spirit to come.
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
We live in a world in which up is better than down.
• e.g. Singers want to be top of the charts,
• e.g. Footballers want to be top of their leagues.
• e.g. Athletes want the top prize, that gold medal.
• e.g. Workers want to be at the top end of the pay scale.
• e.g. Students want to be at the top of the class.
• e.g. Homeowners want to be on top of the housework!
• e.g. And we all want to be top of somebody’s friends list.
• e.g. We all want to feel on top of the world,
• Everyone would rather have an up day than a down day!
• TRANSITION: You could say we all want to live ascended lives.
• We want to go up rather than down!
• This is our last study in the Gospel of Luke,
• The ascension (going up) of Jesus Christ is our theme.
• Question: When did you last hear a sermon on the ascension of Jesus?
• Answer: I am struggling to remember as well!
• Surprisingly, this important truth,
• Is probably one of the most neglected doctrines among Christians.
Ill:
• Now the Church calendar has always included Ascension Day,
• If like me you are a non-conformist,
• We do not pay much attention to the Church calendar,
• We tend to just jump onboard at Christmas and Easter and ignore it the rest of the year.
• Ascension Day is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday,
• The fortieth day of Easter,
• (Following the accounts given in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:2)
• Now because it happened on a Thursday,
• And our type of Church meets on a Sunday,
• That maybe one reason this special day and special doctrine is often over-looked.
Ill:
• In our type of Churches, we do not often recite Christian creeds,
• Such as The Apostles Creed & The Nicene Creed in our services.
• We did each week in January sing the creed in song form,
• Every creed includes the line; “He ascended into heaven”
• TRANSITION: The ascension of Jesus was a historical event,
• But it is more than just a conclusion to the life of Jesus on earth.
• As we will see it is also an important doctrine.
Now the ascension of Jesus was both an end and a beginning!
FIRST: It was an end.
• For three years the disciples had placed their faith in a man of flesh & blood.
• That man of flesh & blood was with them day and night.
• But now due the ascension of Jesus,
• Those days were over, they were finished, they were forever gone!
• They would no longer know Jesus physically (the man of flesh & blood.) on earth.
• Never again on earth will they pat him on the back,
• Never again on earth will they pass him some fish or bread to eat,
• Never again on earth will they push him away in jest or outpace him on a walk.
• The old way of knowing Jesus is now over, it is finished, it is no more,
• From now on they would experience the living Christ differently.
SECOND: It was a beginning.
• Notice these disciples did not leave this place full of sadness and despair.
• This was not a faith shattering experience, in fact the very opposite.
• They left with ‘joy’,
• Well read what verse 52 says, they left with ‘great joy’!
• This new beginning was going to be positive and unique.
• From this moment on,
• They had a Lord and Master from whom no-one and no set of circumstances,
• Could ever separate them him.
Ill:
• The physical resurrected glorified body of Jesus,
• Which was different but the same and the same but different.
• It was different because this body could appear and disappear,
• It behaved in a supernatural way.
• It was no longer normal!
• It was the same because it could be touched,
• Jesus was able to eat food with the disciples.
• They recognised him and knew who he was.
• The physical resurrected glorified body of Jesus,
• Which was different but the same and the same but different.
ill.
• The apostle Paul takes a whole chapter (1 Corinthians chapter 15),
• To talk about the resurrected bodies of the believers,
• How they are the same but different and different but the same,
• So, you discover a bit more by reading that chapter later today!
Note:
• Had Jesus stayed on earth he would be limited to one place at one time.
• He never appeared in more than one place at the same time.
• He was either in Jerusalem or he was on the road to Emmaus etc.
• TRANSITION:
• But now the ascended Jesus will be forever independent of space and time!
• And can by the Holy Spirit be with Christians everywhere,
• In every country around the world! And even with them at the same time!
The ascension of Jesus gave the disciples (and therefore all Christians):
• The assurance of a heavenly saviour and friend.
• Death for the believer will not be a dark black chasm to be feared.
• When we die, we will leave earth and go to be with Jesus!
• That is why the ‘sting of death’ has been removed.
• That is why the Bible says, ‘For me to live is Christ but to die is gain’
Note:
• Luke wrote two books of the Bible,
• Volume one is his gospel and volume two is the book called Acts or Acts of the Apostles,
• And he starts that volume with a description of these events.
• In fact, he adds a bit more detail and in chapter 1 verse 11,
• We read the words of an angelic being to the disciples:
• “Men of Galilee,”
• Let me stop there, I love these little facts of truth!
• Had Judas Iscariot still been alive and with the disciples,
• The angelic beings could not have used that description.
• Because Judas was a southerner, from Judea,
• All the other disciples were northerners, from Galilee.
• So, this little description just shows again how these things are real,
• Not just a story, a myth, but based on real people, real events, real truths.
“Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”
Note those words, “This same Jesus”
• The one who they have seen again and again after the resurrection,
• The one who was around for forty days after the resurrection and before this event.
• The Jesus of the gospels, the one who loved us and gave himself for us!
• We have the confidence from this ascension story,
• That this is very same Jesus, will be the one waiting for us there!
Any sermon on the ascension must be at least twofold:
• FIRST: You have the narrative, the story.
• SECOND: You have the theological lessons.
FIRST: The Narrative of the Ascension.
(1). A Blessing (vs 50).
“When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany,
he lifted up his hands and blessed them.”
Question: Why does Jesus lift-up his hands to bless the disciples?
• After all, to give a blessing does not require the use of the hands but of the mouth.
• To “bless” people means, literally, to “speak good things” upon them.
• It is a verbal action, involving words being spoken.
• So why the hands?
Answer:
• The priests in the Old Testament and Jesus, here, on this occasion,
• Always lifted their hands as they or he spoke the blessing?
Ill:
• Although the priests in the Old Testament were able to pronounce the blessing.
• But they were unable to bestow it!
• They were simply the designated messengers,
• God alone is the donor and benefactor.
• That is shown in their use of language,
• e.g. “The Lord bless, you, the Lord keep you, the Lord make his face…!
• That was also shown in their body language,
• Hands upward and open, as if to catch and receive the blessing,
• And then pass it onto the people.
Notice: His words are not recorded!
• We don’t know if Jesus used a common blessing,
• Such as Numbers chapter 6 verses 24-26,
• Or was his blessing spontaneous, did he use his own words for this blessing.
Jesus did lift-up his hands as a sign of the blessing coming down from heaven,
• So, we can confidently say, God the Father is pleased with this blessing,
• We are told that God the Son spoke the blessing,
• And it will be God the Holy Spirit who will bestow and apply the blessing!
Note:
• I love the fact that the last act of Jesus on earth was to bless people!
• He did that of course throughout his life.
• Blessed people with his teaching and his miracles and even with salvation!
• And now he blesses them verbally,
• And symbolically by raising his hands.
The four gospels tell us that the hands of Jesus were used in a variety of ways,
(a).
• Jesus’ hands were working hands:
• As a carpenter his hands were used for creating objects and items made from wood.
• (Mark chapter 6 verse 3)
(b).
• Jesus’ hands were healing hands.
• He would touch people such as the blind and the deaf and they were able to see.
• (Mark chapter 8 verse 23)
(c).
• Jesus’ hands were compassionate hands.
• Jesus touched the untouchable, lepers, those who may not have been touch for years!
• (Matthew chapter 8 verse 3)
(d).
• Jesus’ hands were praying hands,
• Often, he would escape to a quiet place and lifted up his hands in prayer.
• (Luke chapter 22 verses 41-44)
(e).
• Jesus hands were welcoming hands.
• He used them to welcome and to bless little children.
• (Luke chapter 18 verses 15-18)
(f).
• Jesus’ hands were just hands (John chapter 2 verse 13-22)
• He used them to turn over tables in the temple and chase out the animals,
• He turned a sham market back into a place of worship.
(g).
• Jesus’ hands were nail-pierced hands
• (John chapter 20 verse 19).
• They are eternal reminders of his love for a lost world!
• And the sacrifice he was willing to make for us.
Ill:
• Remember the hymn, ‘Give me a sight, O Saviour’?
• And that insightful verse,
“Was it the nails, O Saviour,
That bound Thee to the tree?
Nay, ’twas Thine everlasting love,
Thy love for me, for me.”
• TRANSITION:
• The hands of Jesus are eternal reminders of his love for a lost world!
• And the sacrifice he was willing to make for us.
Ill:
• Remember also it took those nail-pierced hands,
• To move Thomas the doubter from unbelief to belief,
• Those hands caused him to become Thomas the confessor as he declared,
• “My Lord and my God!” (John chapter 20 verse 28).
Now those nail-pierced hands are here lifted-up over the disciples in blessing.
• Listen, don’t miss this,
• The greatest blessing, we can ever experience is ours because of those nail-pierced hands
• Quote: Psalm 32 verse 1,
• “Happy the man whose sins are forgiven; whose sins are blotted out”
• That truly is the greatest blessing we can ever hope to have is forgiveness,
• To be made right with God.
• Because Jesus gave his life, shed his blood as a payment for the forgiveness of sins.
• We can know that blessing this still today.
(2). A Departure (vs 51).
The departure of Jesus would, like the rest of his life be quite unique:
(a).
• He was unique in the way he came into this world,
• Different to anybody else,
• Conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
• And he was unique in the way he went out of this word,
• Different to anybody else!
• He visibly left earth, ascended back to the Father in heaven.
(b).
• He was unique in that he did not leave this world until two months after he died!
• The event in our passage happened forty days after the resurrection of Jesus.
• When a person dies, their Spirit leaves your body,
• “As the body without the spirit is dead.”
• (James chapter 2 verse 26)
• But Jesus was and is unique,
• He did not leave this world until forty days after he died!
(c).
• He was unique in the fact he took his body with him!
• I’ve yet to go to a funeral service when that has happened!
• The body is buried in the ground or cremated, but not so with Jesus!
(d).
• He was unique in that he left this world why he was still alive!
• We can only leave it by dying but Jesus left it while he was living!
• And he left it visibly before the disciples who witnessed this incredible event.
(3). A Feeling (vs 52).
“Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.”
Ill:
• Now most of don’t like goodbyes!
• We are normally happy to see folks and sad when they leave,
• Now there is always an exception!
• We all probably have a relative that we are glad when they leave.
• If you don’t know who that relative is – then it’s probably you!
• TRANSITION: Most of the time we prefer hellos to goodbyes!
• But amazingly.
• These disciples are experiencing the very opposite of what you would expect.
Note: “When they worshipped him”
• Those who doubt or deny the deity of Jesus Christ,
• Must have great problems with verses like this one.
• Jesus allowed people to worship him
• We noted Thomas doing that a few minutes ago.
• Even though the Torah says, “Only worship the Lord your God”
• Quote: Luke chapter 4 verse 2, Jesus himself taught.
• Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"
• Jesus quoted from the Torah, the Law of Moses,
• Verses like this one, Exodus chapter 34 verse 14
“For you shall not worship any other god,
for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”
• TRANSITION: Yet Jesus allowed people to worship him!
• Now the Lord did not allow this act of worship to prove his deity,
• Although it clearly does do that.
• He allowed them to worship him because it is right and fitting thing to do!
Note:
• When we worship, we take our eyes of our circumstances and problems,
• And we place our focus on him.
• Those circumstances and problems that so often weigh us down,
• And that seem to be so big and unmovable,
• Suddenly compared to a great big God become smaller and manageable.
• Now we can of course, worship God in song, in prayer and in silence,
• The important thing is not the form of our worship, but rather the act itself!
• TRANSITION: Now worship taking place here,
• May well be singing and praying and reflecting,
• But whatever form they chose; the important bit is they worshiped him!
(4). A Gathering (vs 52-53)
“Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”
Ill:
• Have you ever been to a sporting event where the crowd was quiet?
• Even at Wimbledon the umpires are constantly asking the crowd to be quiet!
• At a football match the cheering for your team is all part of the experience,
• In football they say the fans are the twelfth man!
• These disciples saw Jesus physically disappear before their very eyes.
• How that happened, I cannot explain, but it happened,
• And they return to Jerusalem and head straight for the temple,
• And they carry on praising and worshipping the Lord.
• TRANSITION: I believe that if we know the Lord,
• We will want to gather with his people to praise and worship him.
• The entire book of Revelation concerns the importance of worship,
• And what God thinks of worship!
• We are going to be a worshipful people in heaven,
• So, we need to get some practice in now!
SECOND: The Theology of the Ascension.
• The Ascension of Jesus is more than just a good ending to the gospel story of Jesus,
• It is important and meaningful for several reasons:
(1). It Marked the End of His Earthly Ministry.
Ill:
• When a navy ship or soldiers return home to the UK after a long stint away,
• You often see wives, husbands, children and family members waiting to greet them,
• Often, they are holding up signs saying, ‘Welcome home!’
• TRANSITION: Jesus has been absent from heaven for thirty-three years,
• Now he was going home!
• To the place where he had been even before the world existed.
• At Christmas we celebrate the incarnation.
• The coming into the world of the eternal Son of God.
• And at ascension we celebrate his out-going,
• His returning back into heaven.
Notice: He is returning home safe & sound!
Ill:
• Some soldiers return from the battlefield physically damaged,
• Some have lost their legs or an arm or other physical injuries.
• Some soldiers return from the battlefield mentally scared,
• PTSD - Post traumatic stress disorder.
• TRANSITION: On the cross Jesus fought the greatest of all battles.
• There he destroyed sin, the devil and death!
• But he is returning home safe and sound, victorious after the fight!
• Yes, he carries five marks of that conflict.
• Five holes - one in each hand, each foot and in his side.
• But these are more like victory medals than destructive injuries.
(2). It Showed Success in His Earthly Work.
• All that he had come to do, He had accomplished!
• The New Testament describes Jesus returning and sitting at the right hand of God.
• Sat down - because the work is finished.
• Right hand – a place of privilege and importance.
Ill:
• To use the language of Grand Prix racing.
• He is on the winning podium taking the applause of the crowd.
(3). It marked the return of his heavenly glory.
• Jesus’ glory had been veiled during time on earth,
• He appeared and looked just like any other Jewish man of his day.
Ill:
• There was one brief exception at what we call the Transfiguration,
• (Matthew chapter 17 verses 1-9).
• Where n Jesus is transformed and his appearance is altered and becomes radiant,
• And some of the disciples got see some of that hidden glory.
Ill:
• God the Father will also answer the prayer of God the Son.
• John chapter17 verse 5.
“And now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory I had with you
before the world was created.”
(4). It Disclosed His New Work as High Priest.
• All unbelievers (sinners) need Jesus as an atonement for sin,
• All believers (saints) need Jesus as a high priest and advocate.
The theme of Jesus as Our Great High Priest.
Is explained in the letter to the Hebrews (e.g. chapter 4 verses 14-16.)
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
(5). It Enabled the Holy Spirit to Come.
On two occasions, Jesus prepared His followers for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
• In John chapter 14 verse 16,
• Jesus tells the disciples,
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever.”
• In John chapter 16 verse 7.
• Jesus says to His disciples,
“Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counsellor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”
• The Bible says, The Father sent the Son to be the savour of the world”
• But it is the ascended Jesus who sends the Holy Spirit to indwell all Christians.
• Without the ascension of Christ, there’s no indwelling Spirit inside of us.
Quote: RC Sproul, Following Christ, Tyndale House Publishing.
“The ascension of Jesus was the supreme political event of world history. He ascended not so much to a place as to an office. He departed from the arena of humiliation and suffering
to enter into his glory. He, in one moment, leapfrogged from the status of despised Galilean teacher to the cosmic King of the universe, jumping over the heads of Pilate, Herod, and Caesar Augustus. The Ascension catapulted Jesus to the right hand of God, where he was enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords.”
SERRMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=hwgK8exwQTRuj3vpAOzsmks8P32MfWnX
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/AlrwHQPDv1U
