2023.05.21 Sermon. Ascension Day. Part 1 of 2 for Pentecost
William Akehurst, HSWC
SCRIPTURES: Acts 1:1-11; Luke 24:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; 1 Peter 1:3-9
BIG IDEA: Ascension Day, the day that JESUS ascended into the heavens. HE had to leave so that HE could come to us, as SPIRIT FILLED believers, and one day return to take us in that same way. Question is, are you Ready?
Acts 1:1-11
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that JESUS began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the HOLY SPIRIT had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of GOD.
THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMISED
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the HOLY SPIRIT has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
JESUS ASCENDS TO HEAVEN
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same JESUS, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
Mark 16:19-20 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of GOD. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Luke 24:50-53 50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing GOD. Amen.
Acts 1:11 This same JESUS, WHO was taken up from you into Heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw HIM go into Heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of GOD. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
SO, in the same way that JESUS left, HE’s coming back for us to go with HIM in that same manner! This thought should bring excitement, expectation, hope, and be a comfort for every believer.
Acts 1:1-11
Let’s look at verses…1-3, 9-11
We’re going to keep verses 4-8 until next week for Pentecost Sunday.
Verses 1-2
JESUS taught and gave commandments through HOLY SPIRIT. The same SPIRIT, GOD used to raise JESUS from the dead. This same SPIRIT, GOD places in the heart of every SPIRIT FILLED Believer. (Galatians 4:6)
Verse 3 “After His suffering, [JESUS] presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of GOD.”
“AFTER HIS SUFFERING” – THE DISCIPLES KNEW ALL ABOUT JESUS’ SUFFERING:
• The Betrayal – Judas’ kiss
• The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane – sweat drops of blood
• The Many “Trials”, Pontius Pilate, Herod, the Sanhedrin
• Beatings by the Roman Soldiers
o Blindfolded beaten and mocked for who HE is
o Beard pulled out
o Crown of thorns beaten upon HIS head
o Scourging that left HIM almost unrecognizable
• Carrying the cross to Calvary – mere man would not have been capable
• And Finally, The Crucifixion – the most excruciatingly painful method of death ever invented by man.
It would have been almost impossible for even HIS closest followers to believe that HE was alive because of the brutality HE suffered. They knew that He did not survive, so, how could He be alive? No one could possibly live through that kind of torture.
It would have been more easily explained as spirits wandering around and interacting with humans as was a common belief in those days. Even some of JESUS’ activities seemed to show that He was just a spirit and not a resurrected human body!
But there was convincing proof that He was and is alive.
WAS HE JUST A SPIRIT?
• He appeared to them in locked rooms John 20:19; 26
A RESURRECTED HUMAN BODY
• He walked and talked with them without being recognized Luke 24:15-16
• He showed His wounds to them John 20:27
• He told them where to fish. A reminder of the first time John 21:16
• He ate with them Luke 24:42
• He fed them John 21:12
• He taught them Acts 1:3; Luke 24:13-35
• He appeared to over 500 of them at one time. 1 Corinthians 15:3-7
• JESUS is alive …Luke 24:34
NOW, THAT’S INTERESTING JESUS … BUT…
Acts 1:6 “Then they gathered around [JESUS] and asked Him, ‘Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
DID YOU EVER MISS SEEING SOMETHING GREAT BECAUSE YOU WERE LOOKING THE WRONG WAY?
JESUS had just finished saying, “You will be baptized with the HOLY SPIRIT.”
And instead of responding, “What does that mean?” or “How will that happen?” to get further explanation. They go back to their old worn-out question …
ILLUS: It’s like the kids in the back seat of the car on a long road trip.
What is it they ask every 2-3 miles?
“Are we there yet?”, “When will we get there, when will we get there, when will we get there?”
JESUS was giving them something GREAT…The BAPTISM of the HOLY SPIRIT, but that didn’t get their attention.
They wanted the Kingdom to be restored to Israel.
I remember a time, years ago, when our family went fishing. I was walking through a parking lot and found a wad of about 15 one-dollar bills. After that find, I began spending my time searching the ground thinking that perhaps there would be other money laying around. I finally realized that I could spend all my time looking at the ground, and miss out on the very purpose of that day…to enjoy and spend time fishing with my family.
ILLUS: Sometimes we’ve got to stop and smell the flowers.
When it comes to your life, what are you looking for?
Are you looking at the things of this world as some treasure to be hunted for?
JESUS had promised an eternal spiritual renewal to His disciples but they were looking for a political victory for Israel.
POINT: After the disciples received the promised HOLY SPIRIT they never again asked about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel!
If the object of my affections is something of this world…
If the thing I hunger and thirst for is something other than GOD and His eternal kingdom…
I should probably question if I have actually received the BAPTISM of the HOLY SPIRIT that JESUS was promising.
JESUS proved to His disciples that He is indeed alive and in the flesh; raised from the dead!
HE PROMISED them the baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT.
He has answered their question about the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel by not answering their question and then He just rises into the sky!
Acts 1:9 says “After [JESUS] said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.”
So, JESUS just disappeared from their sight they just stood there looking up into the sky…
Can you blame them?
Acts 1:10-11 says “They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “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.”
Imagine two angels coming to you and asking you, “Why are you doing what you’re doing? Don’t you know that JESUS is coming back?”
Why are you still living a self-centered life?
Do you love the Lord your GOD with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength by the enabling power of the HOLY SPIRIT?
What evidence is there in your life to prove that?
Do you love others in a way that shows that you are just as concerned about their welfare as you are about your own?
What evidence is there in your life to prove that?
If the answer is “No.” then you need to get that fixed.
Here’s the point …
IT ALWAYS CIRCLES BACK TO JESUS AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
• First, we need to be a disciple of Christ
• To be a disciple of JESUS, one needs to put JESUS first in one's life,
• Serve HIM in acts of love toward GOD and others.
• Respond to GOD’s calling and have faith in JESUS as LORD and Savior.
• Obey HIS commandments and serve others.
o JESUS GIVES NEW COMMANDMENTS – THAT KEEP ALL THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LAW.
o Matthew 22:37-40 37 JESUS said---, “‘…Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
• Learn from and follow what HE has said.
• Being a disciple of JESUS involves a commitment and a covenant to take upon oneself HIS Name and HIS Mission, to reach our world with the GOOD NEWS of GOD’s GREATEST GIFT of LOVE to all who will receive it and believe
• We need to nurture our relationship with HIM through the HOLY SPIRIT
o Successful nurturing is taking the initiative to share the basics of the Christian life in the power of the HOLY SPIRIT and leaving the results to GOD.
o There are three key relationship areas to focus upon:
? Our Relationship with GOD,
? Our Relationships with other Christians,
? Our Relationships with people who don’t yet know JESUS personally
• We need to set aside our version of “restoring the Kingdom of Israel” that dominates our life.
o The disciples were so caught up in the restoration of the Kingdom that they missed the whole point.
o Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
• We need to stop staring at the sky.
o Wonder, bewilderment, amazement?
o FOCUS on the LORD
? All good, our thoughts should be on things above
? But we’ve still got work to do on this earth.
• We need to do the last thing that JESUS told us to do.
o Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the HOLY SPIRIT, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
• Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
o We need to be ready for His return.
o Just as the 10 virgins, 5 ready with lamps full and extra oil, 5 not ready. We are to be waiting for HIS return…any day.
o Living each day, eagerly waiting with hope and great expectation that any day now, JESUS CHRIST will come for us. And there are still those who do not know HIM.
1 Peter 1:3-9 (NKJV)
3 Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord JESUS Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of JESUS Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of GOD through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of JESUS Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
This is ONLY possible because of JESUS and HIS perfect sacrifice for you and me.
As HOLY SPIRIT filled believers, Followers of CHRIST,
We follow JESUS in the WAY, TRUTH, LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION and ASCENSION to our eternal place, prepared for every believer.
And HE is coming sooner than we think,
Soon and very soon, we are going to see OUR KING!
Be blessed and be a blessing.
Bill
