OUr Ascended Savior

Well, for our main message, the title is, Our Ascended Savior. Our ascended Savior. And if you have your Bibles, I invite you to open them up together to Acts chapter 1. Acts chapter 1 and verse 1. We're going to read through verses 1 through 12. Acts 1 verses 1 through 12 to begin. And we're going to begin with a very familiar passage as we prepare for the upcoming day of Pentecost.

And I love a message like this. This isn't going to be an encouraging message. I hope it fills you up today. Here we have Luke. He's the writer. Luke is a doctor, of course. And true to form, Luke writes in detail. And he certainly pays particular attention to detail in this passage regarding the events surrounding the final ascension of Jesus Christ back to his father. Let's give ourselves to this.

Acts 1 verse 1. Luke writes, The former account I made, O Theopolis, of all that Jesus began to do and teach 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. To whom, those apostles, he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

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. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? And he said to them, it's not for you to know times or seasons in which the Father has put in his own authority, 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.

Now, when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taking up into heaven will also come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

Let's stop there. Remarkable moment. And again, we gathered here, and we come to these dealing with these verses. These are our familiar verses for us as we look toward our preparation for Pentecost.

But I'll tell you, that's not so of so many who profess themselves as biblical teachers or adherents to the biblical teachings. Because I think probably if we went out on the streets, and we asked the average person that might pass by, they might know something of the birth of Jesus, of course.

They would know something of the death of Jesus. But perhaps a good portion might be hard pressed to articulate in any type of significance this scene and the importance of it if you'd ask them. So, in so many ways, the departure of Jesus and the 40 days leading up to this departure of Jesus back to heaven, back to his Father, this scene here in these days are perhaps the least considered aspect of the work of Jesus Christ.

And if that's the case, that would be regrettable, of course. Anytime you have a partial understanding or partial knowledge of the work of Jesus, then you'll of course have an incomplete knowledge of the salvation that he brought. So, it's important to give ourselves to this whole matter of Jesus's final ascension and those 40 days leading up to it. Now, before doing so, I think it's important to establish that here this that Luke is describing here in Acts 1, this description is in fact the second and final departure of Jesus. There in verse 9, in the middle of verse 9, while they watched, he was taken up. A cloud received him from their sight.

This return back to the Father actually marked his second return, back to the Father after his resurrection. Because we know his initial ascension was the day after his resurrection, was that Sunday following his Saturday resurrection. Let's just confirm that. Keep your marker here, if you will, and let's turn briefly over to John 20 verse 1, and see those details of the first ascension after his resurrection. That's John 20, and beginning in verse 1, because we do want to confirm that that described in Acts 1 is in fact the second ascension of Jesus Christ back to his Father.

Here, John 20 verse 1, we're going to break into the story where Mary found the tomb empty.

We studied this during the days of Unleavened Bread. John chapter 1 verse 1, John writes of this initial ascension, So Jesus having been raised just before sunset the previous day on the Sabbath day, he'd already risen. Mary arrives at the tomb here before dawn while it was still dark, stood outside the tomb weeping. Angel comes, and then Jesus speaks to her. Then Jesus also speaks to her. Look down at verses 16 through 18 here now. Verse 16 through 18. Jesus speaking to her. Jesus said to her, Mary, she turned to him and said, Rabboni, which means teacher. Now look at this verse 17. Jesus said to her, Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. Verse 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things to her. So stop there for a moment. So Mary realizing, in fact, that Jesus, it was Jesus, she wanted to embrace him, understandably. But he says, No, Mary, I have not yet ascended to my Father. Okay. So Jesus says, Do not touch me, I have not yet ascended to my Father there.

And then, Matthew, in his Gospel, picks up the story at this point and says, Later that same day, though, Jesus did allow himself to be touched. So if you turn over to Matthew 28, for that part, continuance of the narrative, Matthew 28, verses 5 through 10, Matthew 28, verses 5 through 10, we see that Matthew picks up at this moment in his recording and reveals to us that Jesus did allow them to touch him.

Matthew 28, let's look at verses 5 through 10 here, beginning with the angel speaking to Mary and the women. Matthew 28, verse 5, So this is just as John recorded. Go quickly and tell the disciples that he has risen from the dead, and indeed he is going before you into Galilee, and there you will see him, behold, I have told you. So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and with great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, Rejoice. So they came and held him by the feet, and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid, go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me. So let's stop there. So after the resurrection, Jesus Christ told Mary, Do not touch me, I have not ascended yet to my father. They went and told the disciples Jesus met them there, and then he allows them to embrace him at his feet and worship him. Okay, so only after Jesus had ascended and returned to them again, only then were they allowed to touch him.

So it was at that time, the day after the resurrection, in which we have Christ's first and initial return to the Father. And while, of course, our focus today is going to be on the final ascension and the 40 days leading up to it. Let me just say in passing, this first ascension is actually incredible, wonderful, and is of great significance here. This first ascension back to the Father marked God's acceptance of Christ and his sacrifice as the perfect sacrifice and atonement for all of mankind.

He, Jesus, on that day was accepted as the first of the first fruit harvest of mankind. Now, followers of the Old Testament and readers of the Old Testament, this would have hearkened their thoughts back to the ceremony, which was conducted by the priest where he did the wave sheaf offering. You remember, we won't turn there, but it's detailed. If you want to write this down for your notes, Leviticus 23 verses 10 through 14. Again, we won't take the time to turn there, but Leviticus 23 verses 10 through 14 details the wave sheaf offering ceremony.

Before anyone could eat of the spring harvest, before anything occurred, they would take that first sheaf from the harvest, bring it to the priest. The priest would go out and wave it before God and ask for his acceptance. It was a wave sheaf offering. The first of the first fruits, you see. And so that ceremony, that physical ceremony, pointed us to what was occurring in that first offering of Jesus Christ as he gave himself as the first of the first fruits of mankind. It was accepted by the Father. Remarkable! So you can't even put it into words. The beautiful, magnificent, initial ascension returned back to the Father.

Absolutely wonderful, rich in meaning. But coming back to Acts 1, let's turn back there now, Acts 1, in verse 3, we see that after his initial ascension back to the Father and his return, he did appear again amongst the disciples here, and it was some 40 days. So he came back. Acts 1, verse 3 again, he presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, and he was seen by them for some 40 days.

Speaking of things concerning the kingdom of God. So 40 days. He returned and spent 40 days here on earth again, and then and only then does he make his final ascension back to the Father, ushering in the New Testament Day of Pentecost, you see. And let's not just read past this, because this transition, this coming back for 40 days to make an appearance before his disciples presenting himself alive, it was such a wonderful gift by Jesus Christ here.

Why? Well, we could go around the room and gather all the reasons why this was such a beautiful gift. This return for those 40 days would have been effective to remove any doubts. These 40 days in his coming back would have proved his identity.

This return, he was able to instruct his disciples concerning the things of the kingdom of God. Absolutely wonderful! So again, he didn't rise the day after his sacrifice and return to the Father. The Father accept him and stay.

Although, I don't know, I guess that could have been the plan.

He had already done the work of redemption, right? What else was there for him to do? It is finished, he said.

You know, there could have been, I suppose, an ushering in of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost without his return. You know, that could have been part of the plan.

He had already been raised triumphant over death. Why not go back to the Father and stay?

Well, you probably know where I'm leading with this. I propose that this 40-day transition before the final ascension was absolutely vital. And it, in fact, was, you know, if we try to summarize it into one word, it was a proclamation. Proclamation. And I think a proclamation at its core of just how gracious and loving our elder brother, Jesus Christ, is.

If he had just, if he had raised from the dead, gone to heaven, which he did, accepted by the Father which he was, and to decide not to come back, I think it would have just left so many in disarray, you know? So many things untied, perhaps. But that's not what he does. He takes 40 days to move amongst his disciples and his followers. Tell them additionally what they need to know. Tell them, prepare them for what it meant now to be absent of his physical presence.

And it was such an important aspect of Christ's work that Luke not only displays the significance here in the beginning of Acts, he also punctuates this scene also at the end of his Gospel. I don't know if you realize that, but it's quite remarkable that Luke concludes his Gospel with this final picture as well, that he begins with in his next letter, Acts 1. Let's see this. Turn over to Luke 24 verses 50 to 53, and see—this is really a parallel passage of what we just read in Acts 1. Luke 24 verses 50 to 53, and let's see how Luke described it at the end of his Gospel letter, this final ascension of Jesus here. He actually adds a few more details, which I'm so glad he did, as he describes it here in his Gospel account. Luke 24—let's just read verses 50 through 53 here. Here, once again, Luke, the author, the writer, is going to describe this scene. And he writes here, He and he, Jesus Christ, led them out as far as Bethany, and he, Jesus, lifted up his hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while he blessed them, that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him—I'm sure they did—and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. Let's stop there. Amen for sure. So again, Luke ends his Gospel here with the final ascension, and he begins his next letter, if you will, acts with it as well. So you see how important it was to Luke to try to just convey the best he could, the significance of this, this beautiful picture. And then here at the end of this Gospel, this is one of the most beautiful pictures I think described in all of all of Scripture. If I was a painter, I'd like to try to capture this, this final scene as Luke describes it here at the end of his Gospel. Middle of verse 51, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, carried up into heaven.

Beautiful here. Try to picture that in your mind's eye. Now as you kind of picture that, the location, you know, all of the details are so important here. It says that Jesus led them as far as Bethany. And we remember in Acts 1 that we just read, it describes him as returning to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. The distance between Bethany and Jerusalem, it's pretty close. It's a Sabbath day walk there. The journey from Bethany into the gates of the city of Jerusalem would have been via the Mount of Olives. This is interesting where this final ascension takes place. This is the location where just a few weeks earlier, Jesus had dispatched a few of them and said, go get me a donkey. And he rode into Jerusalem. That was his humble, yet triumphant entry. And in that account, it talks about that he was staying in Jerusalem. He descends from the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem for that entry, for the final part of his ministry there. So the location was very significant. Then we discover this is exactly where this ascension, final ascension, occurs. And if you think about it, and you know, his followers would now have to make their own entry. Entry into a world without their friend, without their brother. This would have been a very familiar, comforting place for them, and a place where he's blessing them. Oh, in this image, he lifted up his hands there. Beautiful imagery. You know, this would have actually been very significant to those who were familiar with the Old Testament priestly duties and all the ceremony with the sacrifices. Again, we won't turn there, but for your notes, it's Leviticus 9.22. Leviticus 9.22. We won't take the time to turn there, but when you look that up later, it speaks of Aaron lifting up his hands.

And blessing them as he came down and presented offerings for the people. Burnt offerings and peace offerings.

So that was the picture of Aaron and the priests blessing them. So these are all very—and then when Jesus does this, oh, it would have just been so comforting. So many connections are beginning to happen. You know, the picture of Aaron and the priests who had come out of the Holy of Holies, they had offered a sacrifice for sin, raising their hands of blessing, a sign that the sacrifices of sin were accepted. And Jesus, too, here lifts up his hands in blessing.

What was that blessing? You know, we don't have recorded what he said.

You know, we can only imagine—I'm sure he, in the language of the time, just wanted them to know that you're going to be blessed. You know, I'm leaving you, yes, but you're going to be blessed. You're going to be blessed in all things. Don't worry. Don't worry. You know, what was that blessing? What did that sounded like? And let's not miss this. Man, the significance here.

This final scene now would be etched in their memory. So their last memory of Jesus would not be a distressed Christ in the garden. It would have not have been the cries or the sweating of great drops like blood, where Jesus was feeling the overwhelming presence of all that was before him. They had had that picture in their minds. Or perhaps their last memory there is Jesus hung on the stake. That was not going to be the final picture now. The final picture? An ascended Christ. Blessings them. Blessings them. It's awesome. Awesome. What an eye for detail here with Luke. While he blessed them, while he ascended, he was blessing them. Blessings were feeling their ears. Wonderful picture here. This is just a mark. And again, it is a proclamation of the grace and love and kindness that he would come back and spend those 40 days with his followers and encouragement. How glad they must have been. Let's think about this. How glad must have Thomas been, you know, that Jesus returned? Doubting Thomas. I wonder if any of us will have an adjective attached to our name when we get on the other side of this. Doubting Thomas. You know, how glad he must have been, you know, when he was saying in the genuineness of his heart, I'm not going to believe it unless I can put my hand on him, you know, on his hands, feel the nail marks on his side. You know, well, Jesus allowed him that gracious opportunity. Allow his doubting hands to touch the nail prints of Jesus's hands.

Peter. What about Peter? Oh, man, I don't know if there's anybody more excited and blown away and just overjoyed that of this gift of the 40 days, Jesus returned to Peter the Denier. You know, the last image that Peter had, perhaps, was there when he denied Jesus at that fireside encounter. And it says, you know, the rooster's crowing, and it says, actually, he made, he met eyes with Jesus as he's denying him. Goes away, whips, weeps bitterly. Eventually says, I'm going back to fishing. I'm going to go back to fishing. That was Peter. Jesus returns, makes him breakfast on the shore, says, Peter, come with me. Let's go for a walk, able to give him the threefold affirmation to match the threefold denial. You know, do you love me? You all know that shoreside encounter. And then Jesus says, not back to fishing, Peter. There's more work to do. In much of what we're going to do, I'm going to build with you, you know. Maybe last to consider the mother of Jesus. How glad was she to see her boy again.

You know, the last scene had been where Jesus looked upon his loved one, John, and his mother, and said, gave over the care to his mother, to John. You know, woman, your son, son, your mother, you know. That was her last scene, you can imagine. All of you mothers out there. Now, the final image in her mind won't be a crucified Christ. No, her son, an ascended Lord and Savior. You know, the crucifixion was real, but the Bible doesn't encourage us to end with a crucified Christ. No, we look upon this scene and what encouragement it gives to us to know as he was lifted up in victory, he's blessing us, blessing us. I hope this is your view of him. I hope this is your view of him. You know, I don't know what he said in those blessings. I would love to know. Surely he expressed his love for them. I love you. Did he state everyone's name there? You know, their reaction is quite telling. Their first reaction is worship. That's verse 52. Verse 52, he was taken up into heaven, then they worshiped him.

What did that worship sound like? Probably singing.

Probably worship songs. What was the hymn? What were the words? What did we sing today? We might sing, crown him with many crowns. Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave, who rose victorious to the strife for those he came to save. His glories now we sing, who died and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, who lives that death may die.

Perhaps we would have broken out. And with those words. So first it was worship. Then their second response was joy. Great joy. Into verse 52, they returned to Jerusalem. Into verse 52, with great joy. You know, they had had fear. Now they're filled with joy. Great joy. Not despair. They were just able to put all the pieces together now. Okay. We get it. Great joy fills them here.

These words, great joy, might bring our memory back to the angel announcing the arrival, the birth of Jesus. Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke records those words as well. Well, for your notes, that's Luke 2, verse 10 and 11. Luke 2, verse 10 and 11. So I bring you tidings of great joy. Of course, it was for those who witnessed this final ascension. So worship, great joy. Wonderful moment here. Now, Jesus had one more gift to give, and that is given to us. Luke 24 here, verse 49. Luke 24, verses 49. Behold, I sent the promise of the Father upon you. Do not tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with the power on high there. So they needed to get back to Jerusalem. The wonderful gift was going to be given to them. So with that, let's turn back to Acts 1, and verse 10 again. Acts 1 and verse 10, where we began our study. So they weren't supposed to stay there, looking up into the cloud where Jesus had gone. Acts 1 tells us, Acts 1, verse 10 and 11.

Acts 1, beginning in verse 10. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, and he went up, behold two men, we read this earlier, in wide apparel, said, men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. Let's stop there. Why are you looking up and why are you still looking up into the sky?

Why are you still standing here? You heard him? Don't you have a place? Don't you have somewhere to go? You know, don't you have an appointment to keep? Don't you have a final gift to receive?

So their thoughts, I mean, this is very often the case, immediately go from, perhaps, what is the loss of their elder brother to now the responsibilities and challenges at hand without him, as they now prepare themselves to wade into the treacherous waters of a world without Jesus Christ. But they will not go alone. They won't go unequipped. The power of the Holy Spirit would now come to them. That's their beginning chapter 2 verse 1.

We won't go into this too far, but here it is. Chapter 2 verse 1, Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all there in one accord, suddenly a sound from heaven, a rushing of a might of wind, filled the whole house where they were standing. And then, if you allow your eyes to go down to verse 4, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. That was the gift. And then, as the narrative goes, Peter stands up with the 11 empowered now, doesn't waste any time, and begins to preach. He begins to give a sermon to them, filled with the Holy Spirit, you know, empowered by Christ there on the shore, knows his mission, and said yes to it. During that sermon, he says, you know, you won't find him on the streets anymore. You won't find Jesus on the streets anymore. Why? Well, he's at the right hand of God. And this that you're seeing is a gift from God the Father through him. And this is so crucial. They would now have the power to accomplish all that was necessary. So, you know, God the Father through Jesus Christ, they give us an incredible commission, an incredible work to do here on earth. But they give us the power to accomplish it. That's how loving they are. And so it is that the ascension doesn't mean that Jesus is absent. It actually means he's going to be more present to them than ever, than ever, as the power of the Holy Spirit will now dwell in them. And it's the same power that dwells in you and I today. Same power that Jesus used to raise the dead back to life to conquer death. Same power that Jesus used to overcome the wiles of the devil. Same power that Jesus used to straighten the legs of the lame. Same power that Jesus used to open the eyes of the blind. Same power is with us. And the same commission because we are to show the world who he is today. So as we begin to conclude, it is because, all because Jesus Christ is our ascended Savior that we can go forward encouraged when worship with great joy empowered by the Holy Spirit. Because don't forget what the angel said. He said, oh, and by the way, he's returning. As you saw him go up, he's coming again. And so until that day, let's worship him. Let's worship him with great joy, continually praising, and let's bless God our Father and Jesus Christ for the Holy Spirit. And let's finish the work, for he is our ascended Savior.