The Ascension of Christ part 1

The ascension is the Christian teaching found in the New Testament that the resurrected Jesus was taken up to Heaven in his resurrected body in the presence of His followers occurring forty days after the Resurrection.  In the Biblical narrative, an angel tells the watching disciples that Jesus’ Second Coming will take place in the same manner as his Ascension.  Now, when we talk about the life of Jesus and we talk about the person of Jesus Christ, there are so many great events in His life.  The birth of Jesus -- everything that surrounds the birth of Jesus: the announcement of angels, the star, the coming shepherds -- what an amazing event that was, the birth of Jesus Christ!  The baptism, what a powerful event that was when John baptized Jesus in water and the Father spoke, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”  What an event!  His first miracle: Jesus turning water into wine was a powerful event.  But I say that Jesus saved the day.  Amen.  They ran out of wine, and Jesus turned water into wine.  At His triumphant entry, they cried, “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” was a powerful event!  The death on the cross, where Jesus’ words were, “It is finished.”  Then at His Resurrection, the stone was rolled away, and the angels said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He’s not here, but He is risen!”  

Today I want to talk to you about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus leads them out to Bethany, and He ascends to sit at the Father’s right hand.  Out of all of my years of ministry in looking at the Ascension, I believe it is a subject that is often overlooked.  I have not heard too many messages about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I have been preaching for 30 years.  Some weeks ago now, I was in a church where I was going to preach.  The service was getting ready to start, and somebody walked up to me asked, “How long have you been preaching?”  I said, “Well,” I started thinking. I said, “Well, it’s going close to 30 years.”  He looked shocked.  “Wow, you’ve been preaching almost 30 years?”  I said, “Yeah, yeah, about 30 years.”  Then he said, “And that’s the best you can do?”  Well, I have been preaching for a little while, and when I look at this subject today on the Ascension, I oftentimes think out of all of the days, all of the events of Christ, this powerful event this day is often overlooked.  There are so many powerful truths that I want to bring out to you today in this lesson.  

Now, when I look at the Ascension, I want to start by giving you ten Scriptural lessons about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.  

(1) First, Jesus is going to be restored to His original glory.  The Bible says in John 17:5, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”  So lesson number one is Jesus is going to be restored to His original glory.  

(2) Lesson number two is this: the exaltation of Jesus Christ.  He is going to have a name which is above every name.  Philippians 2:9-11 states, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Praise God!

(3) The third lesson that we learn in the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is this: After His Ascension, the Holy Ghost is going to be sent.  Praise the Lord!  John 16:7 says, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”  The third lesson is the sending of the Holy Ghost.  

(4) The fourth lesson in the Ascension that we learn is that it is a mark where Jesus begins to prepare our heavenly home.  In John 14:1-3: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you,” He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”  Praise God! Jesus has ascended, and He is preparing a place called Heaven for every one of us who are Christians.    

(5) The next lesson, the fifth, we learn about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is that Jesus is going to pass the work of evangelism on to His followers.   Acts 1:1-2 states, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began,” He began, “Both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.“  But then, later in that same chapter, verse 8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  So in His Ascension, Jesus passes evangelism to the church, on to His followers.  Because of the Holy Ghost, we can do the work of an evangelist.   

(6) The next lesson, the sixth, that we learn about the Ascension is that Jesus becomes head over the church.  Ephesians 1:22-23: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.”  Ephesians 5:23 states, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” So at the Ascension, the lesson that we can learn is that Jesus becomes head over the church.  

(7) The seventh lesson that we learn about the Ascension is this: Jesus triumphs over Satan.  1 John 3:8 reads, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”  

(8) The eighth lesson that we learn due to the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is that Jesus gives ministries to men.  Ephesians 4:8 states, “Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”  Verse 11: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

(9) The ninth lesson that we learn because of the Ascension of Jesus Christ is that He will begin His eternal heavenly high priestly work.  Praise the Lord.  Hebrews 7:24-25 reads, “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”  

(10) The last lesson of the Ascension today is that Jesus guarantees He will come back for His church.  Acts 1:10-11 states, “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

There are some lessons that we can learn about the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ:

(1) His ascension exalts him.

(2) He is crowned as Lord.

(3) He sends the Holy Ghost.

(4) He begins to prepare our eternal home.

(5) He takes the headship of the church.

(6) He defeats Satan.

(7) He passes evangelism and ministry to His followers.

(8) He begins the blessed work of intercession on behalf of His people.

(9) He stands ready to return in God’s perfect time.

Jesus Christ is coming again.   Amen