We Believe: The Ascension And Session Of Christ Series

We Believe: Ascension and Seated

Text: Lk. 24:49-53

Introduction

1. “The most important benefit of the ascension to us is that Jesus is now exalted at God's right hand as our priest, our advocate and our supreme intercessor. Prayer works because he is there to argue for us. Rejoice dear redeemed because your case is settled.” (Rufus Arji).

2. One of the most frequent requests that I get from people is, “will you pray for me?” I wonder how people would respond if I replied, “Jesus already is praying for you!”

3. That is the glory of the Ascension and seating of Christ. He returned to His heavenly home, is seated at the Father’s right hand, and He is interceding for us.

4. Read Lk. 24:49-53

Transition: Let’s follow Jesus from the village of Bethany to His heavenly throne.

I. Ascension and Seating of Christ

A. If someone were to ask you what the most important teaching of the Christian faith was, you might say the crucifixion, the resurrection, or even the incarnation.

1. These would all be fine choices. However, if you were to ask the writer of Hebrews that same question, they would say the ascension of Christ was the most important.

2. In Heb. 6:19-20, it says, “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

3. To say this teaching is the “anchor for our souls,” seems really important.

4. Now, Tina and I have been on our fair share of cruises, but if we had gotten on board and they said, “yeah, we really don’t have an anchor,” I would have said, “nope, let me back on dry ground!” The anchor is a vital part of a ship.

5. So, to call this teaching the “anchor of our souls,” is saying something significant.

B. Furthermore, Luke thought the ascension was so important, he wrote about it twice. He wrote about in Lk. 24:50-53 and Acts 1:9-11.

1. Just perhaps, the ascension tells us something about the continuing work of Jesus on earth.

2. Luke tells us that after the resurrection Jesus spent forty days with His disciples.

3. Why forty days? One possible reason is that in the Bible the number forty is often used to signify “probation,” or “testing.”

4. Second, the forty days after the resurrection corresponds to the forty days that Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert.

5. So, at the end of His time on earth He triumphed for forty days.

6. The resurrection changed Jesus’ body. Before the resurrection He suffered from limitations such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, and sorrow.

7. But after the resurrection, He could walk though walls and just appear at a moments notice wherever He chose.

C. On His last day on earth, Luke tells us, “After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1:9-11).

D. The Book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus did two things.

1. First, He passed through the heavens. Now, the Bible generally refers to heaven as being “up there,” but astronauts have gone up there and didn’t go to heaven. So, there must be some sort of boundary that humans can’t pass through without divine assistance.

2. Second, He entered into heaven itself. This assures us that heaven is real, and God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are there.

3. Heaven is not a concept, dream, or vision. It’s a place, and Jesus is there waiting for us. This ought to give us great joy!

E. Once a Sunday school teacher asked her class, “Why can God the Father only used His left hand?” The answer is, “because Jesus is sitting on His right hand.”

F. In addition to ascending to heaven, Jesus is seated on the right hand of God.

1. Theologians refer to this as the Session of Christ. Now before you think that all theologians have lost their minds, think of this as court being in session when the judge sits down behind the bench, or congress being in session when they are seated in congress.

2. In being seated at the right hand of God the Father, Jesus is seated in the place of power.

3. First, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and is given divine authority. Jesus has ascended into heaven to take control of the affairs of the universe.