I believe in the Ascension.2023
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Scripture
Scripture
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Pray
Here we are in our creed series now continuing in this section about Jesus.
Review....
Anchors us,
teaches us,
directs our worship
I believe in Jesus his one and only son, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary
crucified, died, and buried, (descended to the dead), the third day he rose from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
The whole structure of the creed points to a person, Jesus. And all of these weeks on Jesus really tie into what we believe when we say Jesus is Lord.
Show picture of the arrows.
Today we talk about the ascension.
Sitting on God’s hand
There is a story of a young man riding with his dad, a pastor. and the dad is driving into a beautiful sunset. They are on vacation in the grand canyon and the sunset fills the sky. His son has the privilege of navigator.
Dad comments, almost to himself, wow God, really did it this time what a beautiful picture he painted for us.
The son looks at him and says, “he must have painted it with his left hand.”
The dad looks puzzled, what makes you say that?
Well at church we are learning about the creed and how Jesus went to the Father and sat ON his right hand. That means God has to use his left hand....
hahahaha.
Jesus is at the right hand of the Father.
What does this mean?
This is really a peculiar idea, and that is why I wanted to read the Lucan text today.
We see Jesus gather with his disciples and prays a blessing and then seemingly poof. Disappears.
Or maybe you remember some of the old Jesus films that has him floating up into the sky.
1965 Greatest Story ever told
Show pictures
Show pictures
What is happening here and what does it mean?
Well I want to answer it this way today.... By talking about what it meant for Jesus, and thereby we will know what it means for us.
Today we will talk about the three P’s of the ascension:
3 P’s of Ascension:
Presence
Power
Posture
Dr. Steve Seamands was helpful here.
First presence:
The Ascension brings Jesus back fully into presence of God
The Ascension brings Jesus back fully into presence of God
Jesus presence with God brings his presence with us. When Jesus came in the incarnation. He took on flesh and limited aspects of his power and presence in the world.
The first piece of the ascension that is important is basic. To know that he is back in the presence of God and that has implications for us, look at Hebrews.
24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.
Jesus is returning to his glory. He humbled himself taking on flesh and now returns to where he came.
And shockingly he says it is better for you if I go.
How many of us would rather live now or be followers of Jesus?
7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
Presence everywhere. Now in prayer and in the Lord’s Supper and throughout our day and in our struggles and in our victories, we know Christ is present by His Spirit.
The Ascension now gives him all power and authority
The Ascension now gives him all power and authority
As he is leaving he says “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Sitting at the right hand is all about power.
The most quoted old testament passage in the nt. and one that is referenced constantly in terms of Jesus:
1 The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
This is thought to be a prophetic vision that David sees the Father speaking to Jesus.
So now his power and authority is restored and even surpassed by way of his victory.
Jesus not only limited his omniscience but also his omnipotence.
Right hand of God in the bible....means power.
6 Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.
Jesus is king.
Finally, Jesus position is about the full crowning of Jesus as King. As Jesus is crucified he is mocked as being king of the Jews, Clothed in the royal color and crowned with thorns. The vindication from death and the ascension brings Jesus to the place of king of kings.
This is known as the session of the Son.
This is what he is doing right now.
Matthew Bates:
“Jesus’s reign is a nonnegotiable portion of the good news. First, when the gospel is presented today by a preacher or teacher, most of the time this “Jesus reigns” portion of the gospel is either entirely absent or mentioned as an aside. The cross and resurrection get central billing, but Jesus’s kingship is tucked away offstage. We need to recover Jesus’s kingship as a central, nonnegotiable constituent of the gospel. Jesus’s reign as Lord of heaven and earth fundamentally determines the meaning of “faith” (pistis) as “allegiance” in relation to salvation. Jesus as king is the primary object toward which our saving “faith”—that is, our saving allegiance—is directed. Jesus reigns right now. Second, Jesus’s reign corresponds to the present epoch of world history that we find ourselves in now. The first six stages of the gospel refer to events in the past with respect to Jesus’s life story—for example, he has already taken on human flesh, died for our sins, and been raised from the dead. But if Jesus has been raised from the dead, then where is he now? And what is he doing? It shouldn’t surprise us if the answer proves to be fundamental to all aspects of Christian life today. Jesus is currently the enthroned king, Lord of heaven and earth, and he is actively ruling until, as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians, “he has put all his enemies under his feet” (15: 25).
2 things I want you to see here:
We are citizens of a different kingdom
our allegiance is to him first. This is a complete reordering for us.
last week with a friend, sharing about different challenges of ministry contexts. I think this is the one for us. Think Christianly. To have the mind of Christ.
His reign is through the called out ones. “You will do greater works than I.” How?!?! If resurrection is the public demonstration of the defeat of sin, death, and evil..... the ascension is Jesus’ continued reign over them.
Ascension solidifies his posture as intercessor
Ascension solidifies his posture as intercessor
Jesus is also standing in the gap. He is our great intercessor. In his bodily resurrection. He is physically, positionally, the one who brings us to God. We are in community with the trinity by our joining to him. Look at these two scriptures:
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
and here in Hebrews....
25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
The one who was with us now is completely for us. The one who is now again everywhere and all powerful is also the one who is completely for us.
What does it mean that he intercedes?
The weight of this statement would require some serious unpacking of levitical law and the role of priests in the Israel’s worship. For now, the levite priest was set apart by God and they would lead the people in sacrifices for sin and brokenness. They would make a way for atonement. Then only a certain line of Levites in the line of Aaron and Moses could be the high priest and go into the Holy of Holies. This was the most direct contact with God. The high priest was our way into the holy of Holies. He was the human representative that made a way to God.
Jesus hears our prayers. He is the one contending for us. He is the one who meets us in the Eucharist. He is the one who meets us in worship. And it is by Him that we are brought into the community of the trinity; Father, son, and Spirit
Holy of Holies = Presence
Right hand of God = Power
Standing in the Gap = Posture
Closing:
This week at Lakeview, I came away with a couple of observations:
First, the parking lot was full of obvious indicators of our recent denominational struggle. I was surprised to see busses, trailers, and vans sporting fancy new GMC logos…and of course they were parked next to UMC cross and flame logos.
Secondly, in worship, in prayer, on prayer notes left at prayer stations I heard of incredible brokenness. One man was serving was a counselor and when asked if he would be back next year, he jokingly said no way. Come to find out, he is dying from terminal cancer and likely will not live to next summer.
High school students sharing about hopeless drug addiction, depression, crippling fear.
These two images burned into my mind and I just couldnt help but weep.
I wept because of the witness we have given these young people. Not just the disaffiliation. But the hopeless, anxiety ridden, posture we have put forward through pandemic and through political cycles. I wept because the Church has covered up abuse, protected the powerful, and put more energy in fighting with eachother than in mission and evangelism.
I wept because we have not witnessed to the presence, power, and posture of King Jesus.
The Methodist church has only been in decline since its inception. Did you know that? Now, do you know what we have tried for 50 years? Church growth tactics. You know what has not worked…church growth tactics. If we try to grow for self-preservation then I imagine God will let us die.
However, if we give our allegiance to Jesus our King, if we witness with zeal, if we get serious about telling others of the reign of Christ, then God will lead us into exciting places.
Jesus at the right hand of the father has all power and authority in heaven and on earth, Christ is here, And he is the one who brings us into fellowship with the triune God.