I preached this sermon on April 22, 2001, the Sunday after Easter.
Introduction: Just last week we celebrated the resurrection of Christ. Just a few days prior, He went to the cross to die for sinners. And as Scripture makes clear, it was on the first day of the week that Christ was raised from the dead. Scripture says that He was on the earth for forty days after His resurrection and was seen by the disciples and many witnesses. Here he showed Himself as have a real physical body, giving proof to His real and bodily resurrection. During this time He gave final instructions to His disciples and commissioned them to go and preach the gospel. At the end of those forty days the Bible teaches that Christ ascended up to heaven. Both the Gospel of Mark and Luke end with the ascension of Christ, as well as the beginning of the book of Acts. Mark 16:19–20 says, “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Luke 24:49–53 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”
Now I would like for us to read our main text.
Acts 1:1–11 “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus 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: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 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. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly 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.”
After having considered the incarnation, life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ, I would like for us to consider the final three major events of the work of Christ: His ascension, His session, and His second coming. Some times the major events of Christ’s live are broken up into the categories of humiliation and exaltation. His ascension, session, and second coming are the last three events of his exaltation. These are not just factual, doctrinal truths, but they have great relevance for our daily Christian lives.
· The Ascension of Christ
1. Jesus went to heaven where all who are His followers will one day be.
John 14:1–6 “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, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
As a matter of fact, because of our union with Christ, Paul could say in Ephesians 2:5–6 “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Scripture teaches that all of God’s people died with Christ, were buried with Christ, were raised with Christ, ascended with Christ, and not sit with Christ in heaven. In a real sense we are already there, although now just in standing, not in experience. Christ’s ascension guarantees that we must one day enter physically in our glorified bodies into heaven. Heaven is the certain future home of everyone who has a saving relationship with Christ.
2. Christ returned to His home in heaven demonstrating His full deity.
Christ talked must about the fact that He came from the Father and that He would return to the Father. In this He was often charged with blasphemy by making Himself equal with the Father. But this was His claim, a claim that he proved to be true by His ascension. John 6:62 “Ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before.” John 14:12 “I go unto my Father.” John 16:5, 10, 28 “But now I go my way to him that sent me…I go to my Father, and ye see me no more…. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” Every prophecy of Jesus has or will come to pass. This proves the validity of all that he was and claimed to be. If He could be trusted with reference to this, then He can be trusted for everything.
3. Christ completed the work that He was sent to do.
Christ during His earthly ministry was continually “about the Father’s business.” The culmination of a life of complete obedience to and fulfillment of the will of the Father was the death of Christ. This having been successfully completed, which Jesus signified in his sixth utterance from the cross, “It is finished,” God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to the throne of glory at His right hand.
The author of Hebrews makes much of the completed work of Christ. Christ has accomplished all that is necessary for our salvation. Nothing can be added to it.
Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
Hebrews 10:12–14 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”
4. Christ sent another comforter.
John 16:7 “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 Holy Spirit could not be given until Christ left. In a sense the ministry of the Holy Spirit, though not visible, is more extensive than even the ministry of Christ’s will on earth. Christ’s ministry was limited to a given location where He was physically present, but the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit covers the entire world, everywhere that believers are.
· The Session of Christ
1. Christ now is enthroned at the Father’s right hand where He rules and reigns over all things.
I believe the most often quoted verse of the OT is Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Here the Father is speaking to the Son and telling Him to sit as His right hand until all enemies are put under His feet. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:25 makes reference to this when he says, “He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
Ephesians 1:19–22 “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.”
Regardless of what you think about the future kingdom of Christ, Scripture makes it clear that He is now currently reigning from the throne in heaven over all things and especially His church. What comfort should the people of God take that Christ rules and reigns!
2. Christ intercedes for His people.
This is a precious truth that I have mentioned here often but deserves to be mentioned here again. Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Hebrews 7:25 “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.” Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”
· The Coming of Christ
Acts 1:10–11 “And while they looked stedfastly 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.”
The second coming of Christ is mentioned hundreds of times in the NT. It is the most common theme and hope for the future of believers.
1. All will be submitted to the authority of Christ.
Philippians 2:9–11 “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.”
In the last day, all will be made to bow before the king, some willingly and others unwillingly, regardless Christ will be the supreme ruler and none can resist his authority. Scripture makes it clear that eventually everyone will be brought into subjection to Christ. Christ will conquer all, some by grace and some by wrath. How much better it is to submit to Christ now!
2. All pain and suffering will be done away will for the people of God.
Romans 8:16–21 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
3. All must give individual account to God.
In the end, everyone must give an account to God on his own. 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
Whether or not we survive until the return of Christ, only God knows. But regardless, each of us will meet God and stand before Him on that great day. There is life after death. Heaven and hell are real places, one of which you will spend all of eternity in without any chance to change your mind. This is very sobering truth. But truth that we must consider and to which we must take diligent heed.
Conclusion: We have seen the that the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was followed by His ascension into heaven, where He currently is seated at the Father’s right hand, and is soon to be followed by His second coming. But the most important thing that I want to leave with you this morning is that Christ is coming again. This is to be both a message of hope and encouragement for believers who are right with God and a message of warning for those who are living in sin and those who do not know God. Christ is coming, and we must all give an account before him. What will you claim in that great day as your hope of eternal life? Jesus said that there would be many in that day to whom He would have to say, “I never knew you; depart from me you workers of iniquity.” These were the ones who claimed their own righteous deeds as their acceptance before God. The only claim that will stand in that day is trust in and reliance upon the complete and perfect work of Jesus Christ as the only way of being right with God. One day, everyone in this room will stand before God. Are you ready to meet God?