The Actual Event of Ascension Is Recorded In

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For the past 40 days we have been looking at the greatest person in History, Jesus Christ, as well as the greatest comeback in history, His resurrection from the dead. Unlike a temporary, largely unimportant event (e.g. arguably, a football team winning the Premiership) the resurrection of Jesus represents the turning point in history. As we have seen, at the time, the resurrection totally changed the lives of Jesus’ followers: Mary, the two on the road to Emmaus, the disciples, Thomas, Peter to name a few but it is also still changing our lives today.

If Day 1, Easter Day, is seen as the greatest comeback in history, then what followed on Day 40, Ascension Day, can be considered as the triumphant Crowning of the Champion!

The actual event of Ascension is recorded in:

- Luke 24:51 ‘While He was blessing them He was taken up into heaven’

- Acts 1:9: ‘He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight’.

In our lives, this important historical event does not receive the attention it deserves. We often focus on Jesus’ coming to earth (Christmas), his death and resurrection (Easter) and the coming of the Spirit (Pentecost) but more often than not we miss out the Ascension.

The Ascension is a hugely significant event within the New Testament. It shows Jesus going back to heaven after his redemptive work on earth was done. This is His coronation, where He is crowned King of Kings, Lord of Lords and ruler over all. It is a huge celebration and victory.

Now this event has important implications for us also, as we can now share in the spoils of this victory! And there are three central benefits for us which we will unpack today:

WE NOW HAVE NEW ACCESS TO THE FATHER

Something dramatically changed as a result of Easter that was completed at the Ascension. We see this promised in the words of Jesus to Mary Magdalene on Easter Sunday morning:

‘Go… to my brothers and tell them, I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ (John 20:17)

Prior to Easter, the main emphasis had been on God as the Father of Jesus. Now as a result of his death and resurrection, Jesus is saying that His Father has become our father, and His God has become our God and that He is now our older brother. Something fundamentally changed, and that change was realised at the Ascension. When we get a full revelation of God as our loving Heavenly Father everything changes.

[N.B. At this point Dave shared his own testimony which we have included for you below:

For example: I received ministry at the Cleansing Stream Retreat and had a revelation about the Father’s love I’ve never truly had before. I felt accepted just as I am without having to serve or do anything to earn it…I had a clear image of God bending down, attentive to me as a loving, compassionate father, there to nurture me and love me, even though He knows me inside and out and knows my failings. I was able to bask in His acceptance and truth that He loves me...People speak about ‘unconditional love’, and this is the first time I felt in my heart what full, unconditional love is like - it wasn’t just head knowledge. Now I feel God’s kindness, love and caring…I am confident and at peace to be myself, wanting to do what pleases God instead of doing things to earn the approval of people, and with that ‘full heart’ feeling I am free to love others and be myself without any worry.]

When we know God as our Father, really know it, then everything changes. This is not just based on feelings or one person’s experience; this is available to everyone who has accepted Christ. The Ascension guarantees us new access to the Father… but how?

- Firstly, Jesus removed the barrier between us and God. We read in Hebrews 1:3: ‘After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven’. Notice that in this passage it is recorded that He paid the price for sins and then ‘He sat down at the right hand’. This act of sitting down symbolises that His redemptive work was finished. He doesn’t have to do anything more, and neither do we. You and I now have access to our loving heavenly Father. It is a finished work and it is a completed work. We do not deserve it, we cannot do anything to earn it, but we can receive it. This signifies a big difference between Christianity and every other religion or system, as Christianity is based on the finished work of Christ.

- Secondly, He is now interceding for us at the Father’s right hand: ‘Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because He always lives to intercede for them’ (Hebrews 7:25). What does this mean? It literally means that Jesus is standing in the gap for us. Every time we have a need we can go to the Father, and not only do we have a right of access, but Jesus is personally interceding on our behalf guaranteeing that anything we need from the Father that is in His will, is going to be given to us. All the grace we need, all the mercy we need, all the strength we need - He is personally standing at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.

Therefore, because of this, we have a new bridge, a new way of access to come boldly before the throne of God:

‘Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…’ (Hebrews 10:19:22).

Oh what access we have, what confidence we can have in approaching the throne of God!

WE NOW HAVE A NEW IDENTITY IN THE SON

If I was to ask you ‘Who are you?’ you would probably tell me your name, where you come from and what you do for your job. None of that is wrong but I believe that one of the most important things that God’s people need to know is that because of the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus we are not just forgiven sinners with access to the Father, but we are a new people with a new identity in Christ. Now as a result we don’t just relate to Jesus as an earthly prophet or miracle worker, but we understand that everything that happened to Christ, has also happened to us. There are three key points to pick up on which are found in Ephesians 1:19-21 and 2:6:

- Firstly, Paul prays that not only might we get an understanding of our new identity but also that our eyes shall be opened to the great power that is available to us.

‘I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead

Let’s pause there for a moment. The same power that raised Christ from the dead and conquered the enemies of God is available to us today when we become a Christian. But Paul doesn’t stop there:

- Secondly, we can now go, pray and act in the authority of Christ. The passage in Ephesians continues:

and seated Him [Jesus] at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in this age but also in the age to come’

There is no other authority that can rival Jesus Christ. There is no political leader, spiritual principality, or philosophy that can challenge the complete sovereignty and victory of Christ, ruling over all things. So our new identity means new power, new authority and

- Thirdly, a new position. Let’s look forward to Ephesians 2:

‘And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus’ (2:6).

This is a staggering notion! That Christ has been raised from the dead and seated with the Father, but amazingly so too have we! This may be hard for us to imagine – because physically we are still here on earth, but spiritually are seated.

This new identity, should dramatically affect the way we view life:

‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died (to your old life) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory’ (Colossians 3:1-4).

WE NOW HAVE A NEW INTIMACY WITH THE SPIRIT

One of the huge benefits of the Ascension is that it paved the way for Pentecost 10 days later, the outpouring of the Spirit. We hear in John (16:7) Jesus telling us

‘But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you’.

How can it be good for Jesus to go away? Many people say: ‘if only we lived on earth when Jesus was here: earthly ministry, miracles, feeding of 5000, sermon on mount – then I would believe and my life would change’! Do you think that after having been through our 40 Days series and looking at his post-resurrection appearances, that it would have been so much easier to believe after seeing him physically, in person?

But there are two big problems with Jesus staying on earth:

1) He was limited in his Presence. Even in his resurrected state and able to suddenly appear, He nevertheless could only be in one place at one time. He could not be at the Garden of Gethsemane, the Road to Emmaus, a room in Jerusalem, beside the Sea of Galilee and on a mountain all at the same time! Therefore, he had to appear to them, one person or group at a time.

2) He was alone in His Power. During His earthly ministry and the 40 days after the resurrection, He was the only one with the knowledge and the power to change lives – if you met Him, you were healed. On a few occasions, He gave His disciples a temporary power and authority – but they did not possess either the message or the miraculous power needed to spread the good news long term.

The Ascension of Jesus solved both problems, because as a result, the Spirit was released in His place on the Day of Pentecost:

‘And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth...you know him, he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you’ (John 14:16, 18).

Now, we are never alone – because we have the Spirit (who is never limited – because He is ‘Spirit’ and not earthly) who will be with us forever, not just with us, but in us. And because the Spirit is one with God the Father and Jesus the Son, it was possible for Jesus to say: ‘I will come to you’. In other words, through the Holy Spirit we can have Jesus always with us – no matter where we are on earth! Because of the Ascension, and the coming of the Spirit, Christ is now eternally present with us - we are now just waiting for his Second Coming when He will also be physically present with us.

Testimonies

The great news is that because Jesus has won the greatest victory through his death and resurrection, and has been crowned and is reigning through His ascension, our lives can be changed today. We now have a new access to the Father, a new identity in the Son and a new intimacy with the Spirit. Over the past 40 days we have had wonderful stories of what the Lord has done.

[N.B. At this point you may wish to share testimonials by a way of celebration as to what He has done for us, but also as a reminder of what he now continues to do today]

Prayer

Finish with a prayer of thanksgiving and welcoming the Lord to do more through his spirit.

All Scripture references are from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised (NIV) copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publisher, a Hachette UK company. All rights reserved.