May 21 Sermon: Triumph

It's good when we arrive at a destination, isn't it? It's good to finally get where we're going. We're glad that we end up safely where we intend to be. Now, we don't dwell on a safe arrival with every arrival that we do because it's not that often that we travel in significant ways. I don't rejoice every time I have a safe journey to the post office or the grocery store. I don't get out of the car and go, I'm safe. I don't call my mom and say, I made it. I don't do that when I walk the some 350 odd steps over here to work every day. It's not a big deal. But when it's a long journey, it's a different story. First, there is that sense that you are done with the trip. That's the part of the arrival that we perhaps like the most. No worrying about whether or not there's a stop to our spot to stop to get food or do other things that you have to do on a trip. 

You don't have to worry about that anymore. You have come to where you are and you are safe. And we also often think about how far we've come when we finally have that safe arrival we've been hoping for. We're grateful to have gotten there. These are just some thoughts that we usually think about when we know that we have arrived and that the trip is done. These are just simple thoughts. But the greater the trip becomes, the more that trip has been anticipated, the more we are excited about the arrival. And we do the same when we anticipate the arrival of others. We have people that we look forward to see when they are coming to see us. The anticipation for someone coming is great when that time finally comes for their arrival. We are so glad that what we were expecting has come to pass. Arrivals are a joyous thing. In this Sunday is one of my favorites to dwell on as I think about preparing a message. I've shared many times before that I think the ascension of Jesus is a doctrine of the church that we don't think about much, but yet it is the reality that we live in every day. 

It has ramifications for you and I each and every day as we sojourn in God's world. Now, we think about the crucifixion on a regular basis because we understand the importance of the substitutionary atonement of Jesus for us because we feel that deep need for forgiveness, for the offenses that we have committed against a holy God. So we think about that substitution. We think about the crucifixion on a regular basis. The resurrection is also something that we tend to think about a lot. In fact, every Lord's Day is a celebration of the resurrection, right? Every time we come to church, every Sunday, that is a remembrance of Christ's resurrection. We think about that all the time. And we think about the resurrection on a regular basis because we see grieving in the world. We lose people that we love, we lose people that we care about, and we look to that resurrection hope for eternal life. But it's not just about that and the hope that we have for the resurrection of our bodies. We also look at the world and we see that the world is broken. We see what Paul says, that all of creation is groaning in anticipation of its renewal. 

And we look at the world as it's broken around us and we might think about the resurrection and the fact that one day Christ will return and this resurrection, this renewal, not only the resurrection of our bodies, but the restoration of all of creation. One day all things will be set to right. We think about the crucifixion and the resurrection on a regular basis. But the ascension, is it something that we think about very often? I don't think. And yet, as I said, that is the state of reality that you and I live in every day of our lives. That Jesus is ascended, that he is seated at the right-hand of the Father in our very own flesh, and that he is there in this moment, right now, interceding for us. For far too much of my life, I didn't really consider the ascension. And when I did, my thoughts were basically, Oh, so that explains where Jesus is right now. He resurrected from the dead and I don't see him. So he must have ascended. That was the end of my thoughts. But there's so much more to the ascension than that. And it's my hope that our meditating on this historical event of the ascension today will be a source of peace and a source of joy and a source of hope for you as we consider the ramifications of it. 

Now, we know the general story of the Ascension pretty well. The accounts of it in the Gospels are pretty short, so they're very clear and easy to understand. Here in Acts, Luke tells us some important information about what it was that Jesus was doing in the time between his resurrection and where we find ourselves today, we see that Jesus is presenting himself alive to the Apostles that he had chosen. Now, this is a pretty important claim that Luke is making, and it's an important claim for us as we think about the ramifications of the ascension. Did Jesus actually raise from the dead? And Luke is telling us that this is important. Now, in our time, it's crucial for us to recognize the significance of what Luke is saying here because we often hear various interpretations and explanations regarding the meaning of Jesus' death and his resurrection. But many of those explanations differ greatly from what the Apostles taught. Those ones who were chosen by God and guided by the Holy Spirit to tell us what this all means. And we need to align ourselves with what the Apostles understood to be Christ's work, and what they taught, and what their testimony was, and how it's rooted in the scriptures, and how it is revealed to them by Almighty God throughout history. 

Instead of thinking about the modern opinions of man. Even Luke here emphasizes this by highlighting how Jesus presented himself alive to the disciples after his suffering, providing them, as it says here, with numerous proofs and teaching them. Now, the denial of the resurrection and the denial of the meaning of Jesus's physical resurrection is not a new phenomenon that is just happening in our time. It's not limited to what we experience today. Throughout history, there have been those who deny the truth of the resurrection. But thankfully, God has raised up faithful defenders of the faith who proclaimed the truth that Jesus is a genuine savior, who lived, died, rose again, and ascended within the context of real historical time and space. And as a result, we can place our trust in Jesus as the one and only true savior, because what he did was come in time space history to save people who live in time space history. And this is an important, important distinctive of Christianity. It's important that what we believe actually took place. Because in most religious stories, it doesn't matter if it ever actually happened. It doesn't matter. The teachings, they would say, have spiritual significance, and that's all that matters, is that it helps us to ascend to higher spiritual realities. 

We are able to ascend spiritually. But Christianity teaches a restoration of creation, a restoration of the physical and victory over actual physical death. Because that's our problem, isn't it? Our mortality is the issue. Sin and death are our real problem. They are real things. And so Jesus came in real history to rescue us from these very real problems. And if the story that tells of this victory didn't actually take place and it just has spiritual significance, then you and I have no assurance that we will be resurrected from the dead. We have no assurance that creation will one day be restored. And so that is why Luke is deliberate to let us know that Jesus presented himself alive by many proofs and presenting himself as alive. He wants us to know that this isn't just a spiritual story with heavenly, otherworldly, out there somewhere significance. Luke wants us to understand that the story that he's about to tell has ramifications for this world and for the future of this world. So Jesus not only provided proof to his disciples, but he also taught them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. Now, we've seen that this is the message of Jesus as we've been going through the Book of Luke, right? 

They were preaching and teaching that the Kingdom was near. They were preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God. Well, He is still doing that even after his resurrection. And we are being informed that the Kingdom of God is what all of this is about. And we're going to see that as we get deeper into what Jesus is saying before he ascends into heaven. And so as we move on to verses 4 through 8, we find something interesting here. Jesus tells them to stick around Jerusalem and to wait. And the reason that they're to stay put is because the Holy Spirit is going to come on them in a very short period of time. And what we see with this is that there is a very clear plan. Jesus isn't wandering around post resurrection, wondering what he should do. Jesus isn't out in the countryside, so I've resurrected from the dead. What's next? What's the plan? Now, at times we might feel like maybe all that happens from Good Friday on is a reaction to the people rejecting Jesus. Well, they didn't listen to Jesus. They crucified him. What is God going to do now? 

They killed the Messiah. We naturally might think that way. God was taken aback by the way the people rejected Jesus. But what we see here is that there is a purpose to everything that's happening. And Scripture is very clear. The cruc, the resurrection, the ascension, and what we're going to look at next week, Pentecost, are not God reacting to bad stuff that's happened. This is the plan. This was the plan all along. But we see as we look at the questions asked by the disciples here, that they aren't in the know as to what the plan is. They ask, Lord, is it time? Is now when you're going to overthrow the Roman soldiers and the Roman authorities, is this the moment that we've been waiting for as humans who don't understand your mission? Because they desired an earthly kingdom, but that's not what's going to happen. Jesus isn't going to take a throne in Jerusalem. He's going to ascend to a heavenly throne to be a heavenly king over all the nations, over all the earth. And this is the divine plan, my friends. This was what was intended all along. Now, they can't know specific times and seasons, we read, that were established by the Father. 

Instead, they're going to be a part of something greater than anything that they could comprehend. They could comprehend a Messiah who took them down into Jerusalem, got a throne and set up an earthly kingdom. They could comprehend that. But what they were about to experience was going to be something far greater than what they were wanting. They are going to receive the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit and they will become witnesses of Jesus to the farthest reaches of the earth. And so there it is, spelled out clearly for us. The ascension of Jesus signifies the proclamation of the message. And this is where you and I come in. We are the outcome of the gospel's journey from Jerusalem and Judea to the ends of the earth. The message of redemption and salvation in Jesus Christ extends far beyond the limited geographic area that they think Jesus is going to rule over. They think it's going to be this little thing. But now the Kingdom of God has come near even to people where we are right now in the 21st century. This gospel message encompasses the entire earth. Jesus is going to be a heavenly king, and right now is a heavenly king because his kingdom knows no boundaries. 

His kingdom transcends time, size, ethnicity, language. Jesus reigns, and that is the heavenly purpose of what we're going to see in just a couple of verses with his ascension into heaven. The Kingdom of God permeates every corner of the earth. Jesus is the light of the world and his kingdom extends this light everywhere and it reaches into every place. The word of God goes forth and as God leads his people to faith, the Spirit ushers them into the Kingdom and darkness is dispelled and life is bestowed. This is the grand message of the gospel. This is the message of the Kingdom of God. So this is the divine purpose behind the ascension. Now, certainly, the ascension is a story of departure. We see that. But more significantly, this is a story of arrival, a rival of Jesus at the right-hand of the Father, marking the fulfillment of God's plan to redeem a chosen people for himself. In just a few moments, as we consider the significance of this, as we think about how we apply it, we're going to think about this some more. But it's vital that we remember that there is another part of this plan. 

Jesus departs Earth and arrives at the Father's right-hand. But we also know that there is another departure coming and there is another arrival on earth when Jesus returns at the end of history to judge the living and the dead. And we see this part of the story told in verses 9 through 11. Now, we've seen the historical reality of Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension. But we are told here that we await another future historical reality. The ascension of Jesus was a remarkable event, and he shared these truths with his disciples, and then he departed from their sight, we read. But however, two angels remind them of an important truth. They should not stand there and just gaze into heaven. They had a task that was set before them. Jesus had commanded them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit. T hat is when their mission is going to begin. That's when the real story starts. And also what do these angels reveal? They reveal how Jesus is going to return. He will descend in the same manner as his ascension. And this event will not be concealed, but rather visible and physical. 

The return of Christ is not a secret. We see that here. Now, throughout Scripture, we learn that at the culmination of history, Christ will return to deliver his kingdom to the Father, thereby consummating the plan of God. U ntil that time, we see that the disciples have a vital task at hand to spread the gospel of Jesus, to proclaim his death until his return and to make disciples. In other words, through their proclamation and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, they will be fruitful and multiply the Kingdom of God. God's plan entails the advancement of his Kingdom, and it unfolds through the work of his people who go out and proclaim the good news. And although the future holds glorious events when Christ returns, we see here that there's work to be done before Jesus returns to deliver his kingdom to his father. So consider this, if the Apostles had simply stood around and stared into the sky, waiting for him to return the rest of their lives, would you and I be worshiping here today? The disciples were told by these angels, and they understood that passively watching and passively waiting for the return of Christ is not the plan. 

The plan is for the servants of God to take the message into the world. Waiting for the end of history is not something that the people of God are to do passively. We have work to do. We actively go into all the world as Jesus commands, knowing that he uses us to fulfill the purposes of this Kingdom. And as we dwell on these truths for application today, I want us to consider how we're blessed to do the work of our ascended King. Now, a few weeks ago, I was working ahead on putting together this service. And traditionally, on this Sunday, we have recited Heideberg Catechism, Question and Answer 49. And it talks about the benefits of the ascension for the people of God. Now, I had actually put that slide in the presentation, found it, slid it in, and was going to move on. And then my brain clicked and I said, Wasn't there something? When I was studying the Westminster larger Catechism a few weeks ago for my exam that I really liked from the Westminster regarding the Ascension. So I went back and looked at it. And when I looked at it, I decided that I was going to make that our confession of faith this morning because I wanted us to see what it was that stuck out to me there, what moved me and gave me great peace and comfort as I thought about the ascension, as I thought about that truth of the resurrection of Jesus and the ascension of Jesus and what it means for us. 

So as we look at question 54, we'll recite it a little bit later, it says this, How is Christ exalteded by sitting at the right-hand of God? Well, it answers this question here that he is sitting at the right-hand of God as the God man. As the God man. In other words, he is there for us in our very own flesh, not as an ethereal presence, but as an actual advocate in our flesh with the Father. Not only that, but he is advanced, we read here, to the highest favor. Once again, this is in our very own flesh. Someone who has our flesh is in the highest favor of God, and we are united to him. So that means that humanity has an exalted place because of what Christ has done. And we also see here that he has authority over all things in heaven and on earth. But what moved me is what is the next part the most. And it gave me great comfort. There Christ gathers and defends his church. He subdues her enemies and provides his ministers and people with gifts and graces and inner seeds for them. I find such comfort in this because it spells out for us that Jesus is at the right-hand of the Father, but he's not sitting there passively, is he? 

He is doing something. He is active. We get the idea of kings being lazy, right? We have the imagery of a king on a throne getting fat and lazy, sitting on a golden throne with a golden crown, and they've got the life because they don't have to do anything. That's how we naturally think of kings. But here we see that King Jesus isn't sitting at the right-hand of the Father twiddling his thumbs. Boy, I wish the second coming would come so I'd have something to do. That's not what's happening. All these things listed here are a blessing to us as the covenant people of God. Jesus is doing something for you. He's doing something for me right now at the Father's right-hand. He gathers his church. He brings his people to himself. He goes and gets them. They are his and he claims them. But not only does he gather them, but listen to this, he defends them. He defends his church. And of course he does. The church is his bride. He loves her. He purchased the church with his own blood. And when we're discouraged and it seems as though the world has overcome, and maybe the world will even overcome the church, we need to remember that Christ is our great defender at the right-hand of the Father. 

And for some reason, the words that just impact me the most here are that he subdues her enemies. The enemies of the church will not prevail over the church. Jesus said that he would build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail. Despite what we think about the state of the world, we know that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church of Christ. He will defend his covenant people and he subdues the enemies of his bride, the church. Jesus has not left us to ourselves. We have his word to proclaim and the Spirit to work through that proclamation. The larger Catechism here states this so beautifully and succinctly for us. He gives his people gifts and graces. He blesses us with gifts as we make our way in this world as his servants. And maybe the best statement for us in all of this is that he is at the father's right-hand, ascended to intercede for us. We have this advocate with the father in our very own flesh who is actively going to God the Father for us. Our intercessor is there on our behalf, again in our very own flesh, actively at work for our good and for his glory. 

And as we make our way in this world, it's easy for us to be discouraged. It feels as though the world has overcome and that the Prince of darkness is the one who reigns. But despite what we think the state of affairs in the world is, Jesus reigns because he ascended into heaven and he is seated at the right-hand of the Father. He is our King. This isn't just words that we say in the Apostles' Creed. He actually physically ascended and reigns at the Father's right-hand. In his ascension, Jesus has arrived. Remember, the ascension is not just a departure story, it's an arrival story. He has arrived where he intended to be. It is a story of triumph. And he is there right now for you. And we can faithfully serve him, knowing that like the disciples, we have a task set before us. But it isn't a task that we're expected to do on our own. God blesses us with gifts and with graces. We have the Holy Spirit to bless us as we desire to be his faithful servants in the world. And as we serve him, we're blessed to see in this passage that we know how the story ultimately resolves. 

Jesus will return in the same manner in which he departed. We have an assured outcome. Jesus will come back to deliver his kingdom to the Father. And so may we obey his commands to make disciples. May we step out into the world this week, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, this gospel of Christ's life, death, resurrection and ascension. And we know that this calling is to make disciples. So may we depart here today, equipped with the gifts and graces that he has given us, that we might be steadfast in doing his work. And we can do this confidently knowing that our magnificent King reigns on his throne and he has equipped us for what lies ahead. Amen. Let us pray. Almighty and ever lasting God, we thank you for the great truth of the ascension, that Christ is not only risen but ascended on high and He is where you have intended for him to be for the good of His people. May we find joy in the ascension this week as we know that we have one who defends us, who subdues our enemies and intercedes for us. May this good news motivate us to share the gospel, that others might hear and believe, that disciples might be made, that Christ might receive all the glory for who He is and what He's done. Amen.

This message was delivered on May 21, 2023 by Pastor Mark Groen at First Reformed Church in Edgerton, MN. First Reformed is a congregation in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.