He Ascended into Heaven
Nicene Creed Sermon Series #8
Ascension
May 6, 2007
This morning we continue our sermon series on the Nicene Creed. We consider the words “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. (Nicene Creed)
The text for the first devotion is:
“He was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19)
Looking at Jesus’ ascension from “down here”, we don’t see how it looked from “up there” in heaven. From “down here” the disciples saw Jesus get smaller and smaller, and finally saw him disappear entirely. But from “up there” in heaven Jesus got bigger and bigger, closer and closer as it were, until he entered heaven. From up there it looked like a glorious homecoming. The King James Version of the Bible translates this verse as “he was received into heaven.” I like the picture there. The word “received” indicates more than that Jesus entered heaven. Rather, it reminds us that the heavens welcomed him, that God welcomed him.
And, lest we have any doubt that God welcomed him, this verse also reminds us that Jesus was not only received into heaven but that he was even seated at the right hand of God, in a position of honor.
That’s important for us to consider this morning. It’s important because it assures us that God was pleased, well-pleased, entirely satisfied with Jesus’ work. And that is absolutely essential for us. Remember what Jesus’ work was. John says that the reason that he appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. And the devil’s work is sin. That’s a work that is seen all too often in our lives.
It’s seen—as we say in our confession of sins each Sunday—in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions. And it’s seen not only by those around us on occasion, but it is always seen by God—the same God who hates sin and declares it impure and unclean, the same God who says of heaven that nothing impure will ever enter it. (Revelation 21:27).
That would seem to leave us impure sinners without any hope. That would seem to leave us impure sinners to suffer the results of the devil’s work—death, eternal death in hell, outside the gates of the city of heaven.
But there is this: Jesus was taken up, received into heaven.
That, we might say, is not surprising—because Jesus was pure, right? Wrong. When God placed our sins on Jesus—and the Bible repeatedly says that he did just that, Jesus became the most impure person who ever lived, someone covered with the devil’s work, someone condemned to suffer the results of that work, someone condemned to suffer the wrath of God, someone condemned to suffer hell, someone shut out from heaven, someone who—far from being destined to sit at the right hand of God—was deserving of the backhand, the smackdown of God.
And that’s exactly what happened when Jesus suffered on the cross. Jesus was punished for his/our impurities, his/our sins. Jesus suffered hell.
But here, less than 6 weeks later, after having risen from the dead, Jesus is also received, welcomed into heaven by God the Father. Clearly his work has been completed. Truly your sins are forgiven and the devil has been defeated, for your Savior has been received into heaven in a royal, glorious homecoming
Hymn of Response: 174, verses 1-3: See, the Conqueror Mounts in Triumph
Who is he that condemns? 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. (Romans 8:34)
He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (1 John 2:1)
If you have a court date coming up, you probably want to get a lawyer—someone to intercede for you, someone to plead your case for you, someone who is able to go right into the judge’s chambers and talk with him—and if that lawyer just happens to be a friend of the judge, so much the better.
One might even argue that the guiltier you are, the more you are in need of a lawyer who can intercede for you, who can plead with the jury for you, who can at least get them to have some compassion on you and to give you a reduced sentence when you approach the bench for sentencing.
When we consider approaching the bench of the Judge of all, when we consider approaching God the Father, we certainly don’t want to represent ourselves. All our thoughts, words, and actions being as tainted with sin as they are, we don’t dare approach him our own.
Fortunately for us, Jesus’ ascension assures us that when we approach God—whether here and now in prayer or later on Judgment Day—we have a great defense lawyer interceding for us and speaking to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
And unlike a defense lawyer who stands on the other side of the bench and speaks to the judge across that bench, our defense lawyer is sitting right next to the Judge, at his right hand, whispering in his ear and pleading our case.
But maybe “pleading” isn’t the right word here. Because “pleading” sometimes has the connotation of not having a particularly good case, but simply hoping that the Judge will be swayed by some sort of compassion, perhaps swayed by the defense lawyer’s attempts to portray his client as sad and pitiable. But the fact is that when God judges he does so—as a good judge ought—based on the facts and not based on compassion.
Fortunately for us, our defense lawyer has a great set of facts with which to argue. He can truly plead that we are not guilty, that we are not deserving of punishment either here on earth or forever in eternity. He can plead that because he has already—and what sort of a defense lawyer this is!—he has already suffered the punishment we deserve. He has already wiped our record clean.
As a result, we know that we can come to the Father anytime because we come to him through Jesus and through his redeeming work. We can come to him in prayer, knowing that he will hear us because Jesus’ ascension assures us that Jesus is right there next to his Father, interceding for us.
Let’s rise right now and come to God in prayer, confessing our sins, confident that he will hear and forgive for the sake of Jesus, our intercessor¼
Confession of sinsAbsolutionSinging of 169, verses 1 and 2
"He [God the Father] raised him [Jesus] from the dead and seated him 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 the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:20-23)
That’s all fine and good, but wouldn’t it still be nice if Jesus had remained here on earth rather than going to heaven, if he had stayed right at our side where he would be able to help us?
The disciples had to feel more than a little helpless as they watched Jesus go. Their safety net was gone. The next time they encountered a storm on the Sea of Galilee, they weren’t going to be able to go to the stern of the boat, wake up Jesus, and say, “Lord, save us!” The next time they needed daily bread, they weren’t going to be able to give Jesus a few loaves of bread and some fish and be able to watch him turn it into an all-you-can-eat-(and then some) buffet.
Now he was in heaven, and they were still here on earth. So too are we here on earth while Jesus is in heaven. How nice it would be if he would have stayed here where he could help us!
But before we spend too much time wishing that Jesus had stayed here with us, answer this question. Where do you think a president’s friends want him—hanging out with them in their hometown so he can spot them a quarter to feed the parking meter or in the White House, in a position of real power, where he can really accomplish things for their benefit?
Jesus is in a position of power, a place whose power blows away the power of Wall Street and the power of Washington D.C. combined. Jesus is in heaven. And not only has he gone a place of power, but he himself has been placed in a position of power—seated at God’s right hand, where all things have been placed “under his feet” and where he is “head over everything.”
And then there are those 3 key words—“for the church.” Jesus is ruling with the best interests of his church in mind. He exercises that great power he received when he ascended, and he does so for the benefit of his church. We are—each one of us—part of that church.
We—each one of us—have access to that sort of power through prayer. We—each one of us—have the ruler of all ruling for our benefit. What great comfort, what great joy it gives us to know that Jesus has ascended to the right hand of God, where he rules all things for our good!
415, verse 2:
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
Although Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, we may also say that he is at the same time here with us. We may say that not merely because it’s a nice thing to think about. We may say that not merely because “we always have our memories.” We may say that not only because “he’ll always be in our hearts.” We may say that because Jesus himself has promised it. He promised his disciples that he would be with them always, and he promises us the same. Paul wrote that “He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens” but that does not mean that he has left us, for Paul goes on to say that Jesus did this “in order to fill the whole universe" (Ephesians 4:10). That kind of constant presence, that kind of omnipresence may be beyond our understanding, but what great comfort it still brings us to know that in Jesus we have a friend who is right here with us every day, in every way, throughout our entire lives.
“I am with you always” might be more accurately said, “I all with you all the days”—that is, in good days and bad days, in happy days and sad days, in days when we feel close to Jesus and days when it feels as though he’s a million miles away, in days we feel strong and days when we feel weak, in days when we conquer temptation and days when we succumb to it.
Yes, Jesus is with us all the days—every last one of them. We’re not alone. We have a friend—and his name is Jesus.
169, verse 3
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
There is still yet another reason why Jesus ascended into heaven. He ascended to heaven to get a place ready for us.
The thought of Jesus going to prepare a place for us is a stunning picture. Think of the last time you had someone really important at your house. How did you prepare? How did you want to make them feel?
You probably wanted them to feel the way I felt a number of years ago when I stayed at a friend's house for a few days. When I got there her mom showed me up to my room. Then she showed me that the refrigerator in the room was stocked with drinks. She told me to help myself to the candy dishes. She even showed me that she had found some books that she thought might interest me, and placed them on the nightstand. Since she knew I was studying to be a pastor, she had chosen books specifically for me, books on spiritual matters. I could tell that she had done everything she could to prepare the room especially for me. I don't think I would have been surprised to find a mint on the pillow.
Imagine Jesus taking the same kind of care as he prepares a room, a place in heaven for us! Imagine Jesus straightening, cleaning, and making sure that everything is just right. Now of course heaven does not need to be straightened and cleaned, but the point is that Jesus has prepared a special room, exactly for you, with you specifically in mind.
In fact, this has really been going on for thousands of years now. We read in Matthew that the kingdom--and the rooms--of heaven have been "prepared for you since before the creation of the world." (27:34).
How exciting to know that Jesus' love for us is so great that he is preparing a room in heaven especially for us!
175:5
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:3)
This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)
He who called his disciples “friends”, he who has made us his “brothers”, he who the “head” of the church would never leave his friends, his brothers, the rest of his body behind.
As the angels promised, as Jesus himself promised, he will descend one more time—this time to call us either from the graves where our bodies will be resting or from the sin-filled earth where our bodies will be living and to take us to heaven to be with him.
Knowing this, building our hope of our ascension on Christ’s ascension, how can we say anything but what John said in reply to Jesus’ words of promise in Revelation? Jesus said, “I am coming soon” and John replied with great certainty and great eagerness, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20). Amen!
173: On Christ’s Ascension I Now Build