There are three events in the life of Christ that get an awful lot of publicity. There are the birth of Jesus, the death of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus. We have recognized holidays for each of these: Christmas, Good Friday, and we have Easter. But the Ascension of Jesus is neglected by comparison. You’ll never find a Happy Ascension card in the Hallmark store. The Ascension of Jesus is the reason you cannot see Jesus with your physical eyes today. Jesus takes the elevator up toward heaven. For at the Ascension of Jesus, Jesus transfers from earth to heaven.
In contrast to our neglect, the ascension of Jesus has drawn the attention of artists for centuries. I want to show you three paintings in all.
Painting #1 – Ivory Ascension Jesus
Here is one done in ivory from around 400 AD - possibly the oldest depiction we have of Jesus’ Ascension. Look at the top - is getting a “hand up” – Does Jesus needs help getting to heaven? Some of these leave me with more questions than answers. Or, is Jesus climbing up to heaven here? I’m not sure. In searching for these paintings, I even found one portrait where you could even make into a shower curtain!
Painting #2 – “Feet Only” Jesus
This is from the early 1500s and it’s now at the Met in NYC. I loved this one… all you see is Jesus’ feet! What a vivid imagination of this artist.
Painting #3 – “No Jesus Here” Jesus
Here’s our last one: you will not find Jesus here because this painting simply shows the angels talking to the apostles. Jesus’ absence from the painting is more suggestive to me. Despite all these paintings, people don’t take the Ascension very seriously in our day. Sadly, most of us believers haven’t given it the thought we’d give the same attention that we would the remodeling of our kitchen.
Today Scripture
““In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:1–11)
We began a series on the book of Acts a week ago. Did you miss “the season opener” or “episode one” last week? If so, I invite you to visit go online and get caught up. Acts is a bridge book. It is a bridge between the Gospels, which describe the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and the letters of the New Testament.
Now, four events in the life of Jesus form a ladder of light for us: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ death, Jesus’ resurrection, and Jesus’ ascension. Now each one of the events leads up the ladder to another. And what we’ll discover today is that all four rungs point to the fifth event that is yet to come. Let’s climb the ladder of light for the next few moments and look at the Ascension of Jesus. Listen at the conclusion of this message as I want to share with you a moving story about of our people who did what Jesus commanded these men to do.
1) Why is It Significant?
In order to understand Luke’s primary interest in Jesus’ transfer to heave, we need to pay special attention to two items: the “forty days” and those “two men dressed in white”.
1.1 The 40 Days
Acts has the equivalent of an exclusive because it’s the only place where you’ll learn that Jesus spent forty days on the earth. During these 40 days, Jesus appeared to the disciples individually but also when they were in groups (as many as 500 people in 1 instance). We are told at least two purposes for Jesus lingering for nearly a month and a half. First, Luke refers to these appearances as “proofs” in verse three. Jesus spent 40 days on the earth with His followers in order to prove He was alive following His crucifixion. Second, we note that Jesus spent this time teaching about “the kingdom of God,” which we’ll return to in the moments to come.
1.2 Jesus’ Ascension Showed He WASN’T Coming Back
Luke calls them “men” in verse 10 because that is how they appeared, but their shining dress and authoritative tone indicate that they were angels: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?” (Acts 1:11a)
Now, look at the apostles for a moment. There are eleven of the apostles present, remember Judas was the original Benedict Arnold (more on him in the weeks to come). Remember two men in the very same dazzling white clothing asked the woman on the first Easter morning: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5) Whenever you hear a question from heaven, give heaven your attention.
Can you not sympathize with these eleven men though? Had I been there with these men, I would have been looking straight up along with them. If Jesus lifts off from earth before you, where else would look but up? When the Wright Brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk, where do you think you would look … but up? When the solar eclipse came through less than a month ago, where does everyone look … but up? They had seen Jesus do just about everything in a little over three years. They had watched Him heal the sick, feed a crowd with next to nothing, walk on water, raise the dead, and now even He had come back to life. But they had never seen anything like this – Jesus was lifting up off the earth. Think about it …. at one moment, He was on the ground, and in another moment He is over 100 feet off the ground, and before you know it … He is far above even the birds of the sky. Forgive these men, if they are slack-jawed, staring at the heavens above.
Luke tells us a cloud hid their view of Jesus: “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Remember several of His disciples saw a similar cloud when Jesus was transfigured. No doubt, they thought, “Wait here a few minutes or even few hours, He’ll reappear.” Perhaps Peter would have said to the others, “Hold on. Don’t leave. I have seen this before” (Luke 9:28-36).
And remember another thing: Jesus had been popping in and out places for well over a month! They were on the edge of their seat not knowing exactly when Jesus might pop up again. So these Disciples needed to hear the angels say, “Jesus has vanished, don’t linger here expecting His immediate return.” For at some point it is silly to continually looking into an empty sky. On one end was Bethlehem and His birth & on the other end was the Mount of Olives and His Ascension (Acts 1:12).
These men could now move onto to the next stage. Yes, the Ascension served as the bookend to Jesus’ earthy life.
1.2 Jesus’ Ascension Showed He WASN’T Coming Back
1.3 Jesus’ Ascension Showed He WAS Coming Back
The angels were saying, “Jesus has gone for a while. But you CAN expect Him to return one day soon.” No, Jesus didn’t evaporate, He didn’t dissolve, and He didn’t melt. Just as He went up, He will one day come down. But look at me getting ahead of myself.
1) Why is It Significant?
2) Why is It Relevant?
Someone might object, “With Jesus gone, it seems to make evangelism much harder.”
Imagine if Jesus were living somewhere in Israel even today.
We couldn’t count the number of tourists and spiritual seekers who’d flock to Him.
Doesn’t it seem with Jesus being gone, that God put His best player on the bench and out of the game?
Yes, the “taking up” of Jesus does the opposite of what you’d think.
The ascension takes who Jesus Christ was and what Jesus did & releases it into your lives with all of His healing power.
Here are five practical ways Jesus’ ascension helps believers because it is good to have a friend in high places.
2.1 Jesus Returns to the Father
The ascension of Jesus is essentially the crowning of Jesus. Think of it, this Jesus had the sweet, melodic voices of the angels themselves as His elevator music to heaven on His way to heaven. Shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus asked this of the Father: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5) Can you imagine the parade thrown in Jesus’ honor when He reentered heaven?
Rather than thinking Jesus’ ascension is a decrease of His power; think of the ascension as an increase of His power. Think of Jesus’ ascension as a healing bomb. Yes, I know bombs are destructive but this bomb brings healing. And the bomb isn’t dropped locally but above the atmosphere. If the bomb were dropped locally, it would only bring local healing. But since it’s detonated high above the earth, it brings healing to many. When Jesus was lifted off the earth, His power did not decrease but it increased.
2.2 Jesus Secures Your Place in Heaven
But He also has gone to prepare a place for us: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1–3).
Renew your confidence now that you know WHY Jesus is in heaven. Not only was the Son was needed in heaven and the Spirit was needed on earth.
2.3 Jesus Prays
The Son was needed in heaven to intercede for us. Jesus pleads our case before the throne of God: “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)
2.4 Jesus’ Work is Complete
You only sit when your work is done. Because Jesus lifted off the earth, you need to know that His final act of secured your salvation forever: “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:12-13).
Jesus sitting gives us confidence He has completed all the necessary work to save us. An older couple in Tampa Bay, Florida was watching their thirty-three-year-old son die of cancer. Just before the young man died, he told his parents, ‘Don’t worry about me. I’m just being transferred to Headquarters.” What gave this young man such confidence? Jesus Christ had performed all that was necessary for Him.
Again, Jesus lifted up is a detonation of a bomb that brings healing to all His followers. You need only to respond. You and I can live with boldness & confidence because we know our King is on His throne.
2.5 Jesus Sends The Holy Spirit
As Jesus lifts up, the Spirit comes down – just as He promised in verse five. A transfer had to take place: “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:33) When Jesus was “taken up,” it means that everything Jesus was and everything Jesus did is now released to all His followers.
1) Why is It Significant?
2) Why is It Relevant?
3) What Makes It Urgent?
and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
Again, four events in the life of Jesus form a ladder of light for us: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ death, Jesus’ resurrection, and Jesus’ ascension. And these four rungs point to fifth event that is yet to come – the Second Coming of Jesus.
3.1 The Same Man Will Return
Note carefully the word of angels: “This Jesus.” Jesus left the earth physically and Jesus will return to the earth physically. Just as surely as He hung upon the Old, Rugged Cross … be assured that the same Jesus sits to the right of His Father who is heaven. The same Jesus they spat upon on the cross is the same Jesus that is now crowned in throne room of heaven. Not a different Jesus but “This Jesus.” Even though ages of time come and go, remember this: it is always “This Jesus.” Be encouraged on this day, “This Jesus” is returning one day very soon.
3.1 The Same Man Will Return
3.2 By the Same Method He Will Return
Take special care to bookmark this Bible fact: Jesus did not disappear into thin air before the eleven’s eyes as would a ghost. Jesus still exists – He didn’t evaporate, He didn’t melt, and He didn’t dissolve. No, Luke tells us Jesus keep moving up until a cloud hid Him from their view: “as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9b). No, Jesus didn’t disappear like someone sci-fi movie; instead, He continued rising until the clouds covered Him. The angels are speaking of Jesus’ Second Coming: “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Just as Jesus physically left the earth and was hidden by a cloud, the Bible tells us a cloud will bring Him back to earth one day. Jesus told the people who asked if He was God just hours before His death: And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)
Three Differences
Both the ascension and the Second Coming have so much in common, yet there are few differences.
3.2.1 The ascension was private (only 11 men were privileged to see it) but the Second Coming is public (every eye will see Him). “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” (Revelation 1:7).
3.2.3 The ascension was local (He left earth outside of Jerusalem) but the Second Coming will be global. They’ll experience His return in the Holy City, the Eternal City, The Forbidden City, and the Steel City, the Emerald City, and in Your City.
3.2.4 And while He was taken up solo, He will return with a choir: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Yes, just as He physically rose, one day He will physically come again. When you are God, clouds act as your chariot.
3.1 The Same Man Will Return
3.2 By the Same Method He Will Return
3.3 Hear the Same Message Before His Return
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). Obviously, the Disciples were to quit gazing and to start going. Their focus was to be on the earth & not the sky. Their calling was to be witnesses rather than stargazers. They were to speculate with their necks craned to the heavens, but rather they were to be focused outwards in compassion to a lost world needing Christ. It is the same for us today. We are assured that Jesus Christ will return one day. We long for Jesus’ return and wonder why is dragging His feet. Yes, many modern American Christians, there’s an intense desire to see signs. We are left as nothing more than star-gazers. We are just as curious as these men but not nearly as obedient. Some know about every toe on Nebuchadnezzar’s foot from Daniel’s prophetic vision and can spot the Anti-Christ at 1,000 yards… … but the poor go hungry and lost neighbors go to hell from their very street. Yes, many modern American Christians, there’s an intense desire to see signs. Here the angels say to you today: “… why do you stand looking into heaven” (Acts 1:11a)? Yes, you are to quit your gazing and start going: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Do not loiter this morning as if you have nothing to do. We are not paralyzed because Jesus is away. Instead, live with boldness & confidence because we know our King is on His throne. Our great Redeemer lives and is crowned! Now we enter the nations and our neighborhoods to tell them Jesus is risen and will return again.
Conclusion
In July of this year, a longtime member of our church passed away, Trish Bean. Before she passed, she asked her friend, Linda, to help her share Christ with an Asian lady who worked at the cosmetics counter in South Fort Worth. Linda agreed but called herself “Jonah” because of her reluctance. Linda was reluctance for at least two reasons: she didn’t know the lady’s name – only that she was Asian and she worked at the Dior counter at the Dillard’s at Hulen Mall. Plus, Linda lived in East Fort Worth and Hulen Street Mall was out of her way. But having told Trish “yes” before she passed away, she trekked off to Hulen Mall. Not knowing the “Asian’s lady’s” name, she wasn’t even sure what she would say when she arrived. When she arrived, she went past all the makeup counters and the salesladies hawking their goods. Linda went straight to the Dior counter and there was the “Asian’s lady” alongside an American lady. “Can we help you, Mam?” “No, I am here today because of my friend Trish Bean,” Linda replied. The “Asian lady” immediately recognized the name and commented on how much she liked Trish. Linda told her that Trish had recently passed away and she learned the woman’s name was Yong Zhong. Then, Linda proceed to tell the lady behind the counter that Trish has been praying for her and Trish wanted her to know that God’s Son had died for her sins. As Linda shared with Yong, the American lady beside her was crying as she overheard their conversation. It was then Yong shared how she had come to know Christ during the very month Trish had passed away. At some point, Linda turns her attention to the crying American lady and asked, “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus?” The “American lady” paused and said, “Well, I am in the process.” She told about her sick grandmother with cancer when Linda offered to get coffee with her and follow up on the conversation. Now, all of this happened because a lady named Trish Bean shared the gospel with cosmetics counter salesperson and asked her friend, Linda, to help her.
When He returns, would you want to be found sharing Christ with cosmetics counter salesperson? When He returns, would you not have Him find you teaching neglected children the gospel? When He returns, should you not be neck-deep in praying and working for students to accept the gospel?
