I’ll Be Back
Acts 1:9-15
Good morning,
When we think about famous promises from people who said they would return as they were leaving, what comes to mind?
General Douglas MacArthur pledged during World War II… "I Shall Return" as he was leaving the Philippines.
One promise to return came from the 1984 film, the Terminator when the character promised, “I’ll be back”.
But the most important and famous promise of a return comes from Jesus Christ our LORD in the Gospel of John.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. NKJV
Please open your Bibles to Acts 1, as continue in that study.
Last week we learned how Jesus told the Disciples, “To wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me.” Jesus gave the promise before He took the Cross.
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. NKJV
A few days after the Resurrection, Jesus told His Disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit and once they received the Holy Spirit, the New Testament church began.
At the moment someone receives new life in Christ through faith they receive the Holy Spirit Who comes to live inside of them and also provides supernatural power to live for the Lord!
What are His followers to be doing while we wait for Him?
Acts 1:8 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." NKJV
The power promised in Acts 1:8 is from the Greek, dynamis from which we get our English word dynamite or dynamic.
Once we claim to be followers of Christ, we are witnesses, whether we want to be or not by our association to Jesus.
Jim Cymbala said, "Without the Spirit, we're left to struggle with our self-effort, riddled by moral weakness and sinful tendencies. But when the Spirit comes, we have joy, hope, and power."
Today, we will read about the miracle from the 40th day after Jesus was raised from the dead, when He ascended into heaven.
I. Mission complete.
Read Acts 1:9-11
The Ascension of Jesus Christ is important for many reasons including that it signified the completion of His earthly ministry.
The Ascension of Christ proves Jesus’ supreme authority over creation.
As Jesus returned to His former glory in heaven, He began His role as mediator and intercessor for humanity, and now He is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Romans 8:34 Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. NKJV
Luke wrote Acts and Luke, and he said about this event…
Luke 24:50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
Luke 24:51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
Luke 24:52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, NKJV
As Jesus was blessing His followers, He was taken up to a cloud right before their very eyes. Some commentators believe the cloud that received Jesus was the Shekinah glory of God.
In the Book of Exodus as the LORD was giving the instructions for the Tabernacle, He promised His children His presence.
The LORD blessed the Children of Israel with the presence of His Shekinah Glory hovering over the Ark of the Covenant in the “Holy of Holies” of the Tabernacle.
Jesus was taken into heaven as the Disciples looked on, which brought back to their memory what Jesus had promised in John 14, “I go and prepare a place for you”.
Then notice that two men, (probably angels), asked the Disciples, “Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?”
G. Campbell Morgan thought the two men could have been Moses and Elijah who had previously appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
But, whoever these two men were, they asked the Disciples why they were hanging around looking up at the clouds.
After the Ascension, the Disciples knew the next step was to return to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, which we discussed last week.
These two men said to the Disciples, “This same Jesus”.
This is the same Jesus who left heaven’s glory, was born as a human in a manger, grew up as a perfect man, and was revealed to be the Son of God.
This same Jesus was crucified as an innocent man to pay the sin penalty for mankind and rose again on the third day. This same Jesus will also return just as He said He would.
Jesus will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.
Many famous people have promised they would return as they were leaving, but the most important and famous promise of a return comes from Jesus our LORD in the Gospel of John.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. NKJV
Jesus is the Promise keeper, and He will accomplish what He said He would accomplish.
David Guzik said, “Jesus will return just as He left.”
• Jesus left physically and He will come back physically.
• Jesus left visibly and He will come back visibly.
• Jesus left from the Mount of Olives and He will come back to the Mount of Olives.
• Jesus left while blessing His followers and He will come back blessing His followers.
With the Ascension, Jesus publicly displayed the defeat of His enemies and was shown as a Triumphant King of Kings.
Ephesians 4:8 "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men."
Ephesians 4:9 Now this, "He ascended" — what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. NKJV
When the Roman army won a battle, it held a civil ceremony to publicly celebrate the success of the military commander who had led the victory.
On the day of his triumph, the general wore a crown and was dressed in all-purple which identified him as divine or as a king.
The general rode in a horse-drawn chariot through the streets of Rome in a procession with his troops.
The whole city would come out to see their brave warriors who won the battle and the humiliation of their enemies in a parade.
Behind the procession of soldiers, the spoils of war as well as all of the captives, were displayed in the parade for all to see.
The Roman army made a spectacle of their enemies to demonstrate just how great the victory was.
During the parade, the king would take the spoils and then give gifts to the warriors and to some of the common people, as well.
During the Ascension, Jesus passed through His creation, far above the heavens, proving the righteous requirements of the Law were fulfilled in order to liberate mankind.
Part of the result of His Ascension established the Church, and Jesus granted gifts to preserve and advance the Church as well.
The Ascension of Jesus Christ is of utmost importance to the Christian faith because it proves Jesus’ supreme authority over His Church and creation.
II. The obedience of Jesus’ followers.
Read Acts 1:12-15
As soon as the two men or angels were done speaking with the Disciples, they did what Jesus had told them to do.
Acts 1:4 being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, NKJV
Notice the phrase, “A Sabbath Day’s journey”.
According to the Oxford Reference, “A Jew was permitted to travel about 2000 cubits or 3/4 mile on the Sabbath Day and the Mount of Olives was within this distance from Jerusalem”.
Notice, “These all continued with one accord”.
As the followers of Christ entered the upper room, they had unity amongst themselves as they continued with one accord.
Before the Ascension of Christ, there were power struggles and fighting amongst Jesus’ followers, so what changed?
They witnessed the resurrection and the Ascension of Christ!
Now, finally, these followers had a single-minded focus and obedience as they waited for the promise of the Father as their LORD and Savior had instructed them.
As they waited for the promise of the Father, they continued to agree with one another in prayer and supplication.
Supplication carries the idea of meeting the needs of each other and some believe the way supplication is used here shows a sense of desperation and earnestness in prayer.
It is amazing how 120 people can be in full agreement with one another, once they had a single-minded focus and goal.
Notice that when they entered the upper room in Jerusalem, the remaining eleven Apostles were there but, there were some other people there as well.
We are told the women were with the Apostles, Mary Jesus’ mother was also there, but then there is kind of a surprise here as well, that Jesus’ brothers were also there.
John 7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him. NKJV
Imagine the siblings of Jesus having to grow up with a perfectly obedient, righteous, sibling, who was always loving, kind, wise, and perfect.
We don’t know much about Jesus’ early years, but Luke reports:
Luke 2:42 when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
Luke 2:43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
Luke 2:44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
Luke 2:45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
Luke 2:46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. NKJV
Jesus lived for thirty years before His earthly ministry began and He was smarter than any other human being.
Jesus was also the most moral person ever and He never made mistakes, so His siblings were probably irritated with Him.
Besides Jesus’ character, Mary probably also favored Him, as she remembered His virgin birth and the promises she was told by the angel, that Jesus would save His people from their sins.
But even with all the facts, Jesus’ brothers refused to believe He was God, who had come in the flesh as the promised Messiah.
In Mark 3, Jesus’ brothers claimed Jesus was out of His mind.
But in James 2, James, the brother of Jesus called Him our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
What changed the brothers’ minds about Jesus being the LORD?
Jesus’ brothers saw the risen Christ and they finally placed their faith in Him in order to be saved.
This should give us hope for our loved ones who have not yet come to faith in Christ.
If it took Jesus’ siblings 33 years and a lot of miracles in order to believe in Him for salvation, it is not too late for some of our family members.
III. Conclusion.
What is the big deal about the Ascension of Christ?
1. If Jesus did not return to the Father, then He was not telling the truth when He spoke with His Disciples before His crucifixion.
John 16:27 the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father." NKJV
If Jesus never ascended back to the Father, the critics would have a very good reason to question every other promise Jesus ever made.
We have been taught many times how there are over 300 specific prophecies regarding the coming Messiah in the Old Testament.
Let me name just a few. The Messiah was to be a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Judah, and of the lineage of David.
The Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, to a virgin woman.
Messiah had to be born before the destruction of the Temple.
The Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and cause the deaf to hear and the lame to walk.
He would be “despised and rejected” by His own people and He would stand silent before His accusers.
The Scriptures prophesied the exact time in history when and how Messiah would die.
The Old Testament prophesied that He would rise from the dead and so many other things about Messiah.
The Old Testament was completed 400 years before the birth of Christ and yet it still contains all of these prophecies and many others well as well.
It is mathematically impossible for any other person, at any time in history, to have fulfilled the over 300 prophecies about the Messiah, other than Jesus Himself.
The mathematician Peter Stoner said the odds of anyone in history, fulfilling just eight of the over 300 prophecies about Messiah, is greater than 1 in 100 quadrillion!
Even with Jesus fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophecies about Messiah, if Jesus had been wrong about His own Ascension back to heaven, He could not be God our Savior.
Because if the LORD is wrong even once, He is not the LORD.
2. The Ascension of Christ revealed His power, and He promised the coming Holy Spirit’s power to His followers.
The Ascension proved that Jesus Christ is in control of our world, above all authority, power, or dominion.
Jesus passed through His creation proving the righteous requirements of the Law were fulfilled to liberate mankind.
As the result of His Ascension, Jesus established the Church and He granted gifts to preserve and advance the Church as well.
The Ascension proves a very important promise that Jesus said would happen for His followers.
Last week we learned Christ’s followers will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes so we become His witnesses to everyone.
3. The Ascension of Christ proves Jesus will be with us until the end of the age.
Matthew 28:18 Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Matthew 28:19 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,
Matthew 28:20 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." NKJV
Jesus, the promise keeper, promised us He was going back to the Father to prepare a place for us.
Jesus promised us the helper/comforter (Holy Spirit) who would empower us, and He promised His everlasting presence with us.
The truth of the Ascension should bring joy to our hearts, and remind us of Jesus’ power, promise, purpose, and His presence.
So, if Jesus promised He was going to the Father to prepare a place for us, this also means Jesus will come back in like manner to receive us to Himself.
What do we do while we wait?
First of all, we can be assured Jesus is coming back! The Bible’s prophecies have all come true so far with 100% accuracy.
If the LORD could predict the coming Messiah so accurately, surely He was being truthful about His soon return.
The LORD is not stuck in a time/space continuum like we are, He knows exactly what and when things will take place.
If we believe Jesus is coming back, how should we live now?
• How should you treat people?
• Who should you go to for forgiveness?
• Who should you hurry to go and tell about Jesus?
• How should you give of yourself?
Earlier we heard how Jesus publicly displayed the defeat of His enemies and was displayed as a Triumphant King of Kings.
Ephesians 4:8 "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men."
Skip down in Ephesians 4 to see some of the gifts Christ gave…
Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Why? Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Ephesians 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Ephesians 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ —
Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. NKJV
The LORD gave gifted leaders to His Church, so the saints would not fall for false doctrine and the leaders would equip the saints to do the work of the ministry.
When the Church members use their gifts and behave like the body described in Ephesians 4, then it causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
The truth of the Ascension should bring joy to our hearts, and remind us of Jesus’ power, promise, purpose, and His presence.
May we live as good stewards awaiting our King’s return!
