The Ascension of Christ

There were four great events in the life of Jesus Christ. (1) His birth was unique, as He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary. “Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1Tim.3:16). (2) His death was wonderful; the sinless One was made sin and the Creator of life died. By His death He atoned for the sins of His people and reconciled them to God. (3) His resurrection which took place after three days was the conquest of death and the grave. (4) The fourth great event was His ascension up to heaven. It tends to be ignored. When did you last hear a sermon on it? Yet it is of great importance and loaded with significance. It is both tremendously encouraging to the child of God and threatening to the wicked.

History
To those who came to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus announced: “This is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Lk.22:53). It was the day of Satan’s triumph. No, rather it was the day of his defeat. His head was crushed. Christ achieved His purpose which was that “Through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb.2:14). From one viewpoint He died in weakness. He could not carry His own cross. Simon of Cyrene had to be compelled to help Him. On the tree He cried in agony: “My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mk.15:34). Yet Jesus also cried with a loud voice to show that He still had strength. He then said: “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus he gave up the ghost (Lk.23:46). He, Himself, dismissed His spirit to the Father. His death was different from every other, in that death had no claim upon Him. He offered Himself. It has been alleged that Jesus took a risk when He died but that is to undermine the person of Christ. He was in full control of what was happening. He says of His life: “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (Jn.10:18). Actually, the four great events in Jesus life are described in Scripture both actively and passively. Christ came and was sent, He died and was offered, He rose and was raised, and He ascended and was exalted.
Christ, having died, was buried and remained in the grave three days. Then there was a stirring in the realms of the dead. He emerged “the firstborn from the dead” (Col.1:18). Through Him we shall rise too and be able to declare: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1Cor.15:55). Over a period of forty days He appeared to His disciples, finally leading them out to the Mount of Olives where He raised His hands over them and, as He blessed them, He ascended before their eyes and a cloud received Him out of their sight. This was the Shekinah, the bright cloud of God’s presence. He had gone home and what a welcome awaited Him! If the prodigal was received home with feasting, music and dancing how much more the Son who was obedient unto death and saved an innumerable multitude at tremendous personal cost to Himself. Imagine the Father’s welcome as He says to Him: “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Heb.1:13)! Think of the wonder in the eyes of the angels as the great Hero returns. Consider the saints of the Old Testament overflowing with joyful appreciation for Him who loved them and washed them from their sins in His own blood (Rev.1:5).
In order to reflect on the meaning of the ascension it is helpful to consider the Messiah in His three offices.

Christ the Prophet
Moses said: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken” (Deut.18:15). In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”. Jesus is the great prophet, the Word of God, and He states that no one knows “the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Mat.11:27). Just before His death He tells His disciples: “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....He will guide you into all truth...for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you” (Jn.16:7,13,14). Jesus, in human nature, was limited in that He could only be in one place at one time. He could only teach a few people in one geographical spot. The Holy Spirit, however, is omnipresent and so is able to be in all the fellowships of God’s people and indeed in every Christian’s heart at the same time. Christ, before He ascended up to heaven, told His disciples to wait till the Spirit came upon them. He ascended and sent His Spirit who came ten days later, at Pentecost. The change in the disciples was immediate and dramatic. Before His ascension they were still asking “Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), but the sermon of Acts 2 shows a remarkable grasp of the Scriptures and the way of salvation. “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1Jn.2:20). The ascension is essential to the extension and development of the prophetic work of Christ. The Spirit of Christ now illuminates the Scriptures to the one who reads and accompanies the preaching with power so that Jesus says: “He that heareth you heareth me” (Lk.10:16).

Christ the Priest
The most important day in the calendar of Israel was the Day of Atonement. A goat was taken and the high priest placed his hands on its head and confessed the sins of the people. The animal was then killed because “the wages of sin is death” (Rom.6:23). Its blood was taken by the priest into the holy of holies in the temple and sprinkled on the mercy seat. Our great High Priest came to the altar but there was no suitable lamb apart from Himself: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb.10:4). He is the spotless One. Because He is God, His sacrifice is of infinite value and because He is man He can suffer. He offers Himself. He dies on the cross. But who will complete the work? He, Himself, rises and ascends up to heaven and takes His own blood into the holy of holies above and sprinkles it on the throne of God, transforming it into a throne of grace. Our High Priest never leaves the presence of God but remains there making continual intercession for us. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1Jn.2:1).
Part of the work of the priest was to apply the cleansing to the individual. Our High Priest sends His Spirit to apply to us the redemption which He purchased for us and so we are sanctified and cleansed. We cannot pray properly but the Priest gives us His Spirit who “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom.8:26). As we struggle with temptation we remember that we have an High Priest who can “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” for he was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb.4:15). His Spirit intercedes for us on earth and He intercedes in heaven. Without the ascension, the priestly work of Christ would fail.

Christ the King
Jesus prayed in the upper room “Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (Jn.17:5). He longed to have the promised kingdom. Satan tempted Him to bow down to him and he would give it to Him without the suffering but Satan was dismissed. Christ, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” (Heb.12:2). But having “made himself of no reputation” and having become “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross...God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Phil.2:7-9). Christ ascends to the throne of the universe. He sends His Spirit to subdue us to Himself and to rule and guide us.
Our Saviour died as a King. Pilate introduced Him to the crowd with the words: “Behold your king!” (Jn.19:14). See Him dressed with the old purple robe; the crown on His head is of thorns and the sceptre in his hand is a reed. He is battered and bruised and covered with spits. Nailed to His cross are the words: “The King of the Jews”. He wrestled with Satan, the prince of this world, and achieved the victory. He rose triumphantly from the dead, ascended up to heaven with Satan chained to His chariot, leading “captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men” (Eph.4:8). Angels fell prostrate before Him and the saints cast their crowns at His feet. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in” (Ps.24:9).
If you are a Christian, the ascension of King Jesus is tremendously encouraging. Our Lord says: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Mat.28:18-20). The all powerful One is present with His church by His Holy Spirit. He says: “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mat.16:18). Why are we so weak, frightened and depressed? If we are working for God we are on the winning side and must succeed. No matter how hardened the sinner is to whom we witness, remember that God’s grace is irresistible. Though the work appears at times unfruitful, there is a reward ahead. Though we feel often tired with our labouring for the Master, there is a rest awaiting the people of God. Though we often feel strangers in this world, He Himself has gone to prepare a place for us in the house of many mansions and will soon return to take us there. Then we will ascend as He has done and sit with Him in His throne and reign with Him for ever. “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” (Acts 1:11). Be strong in the Lord and work while it is yet today.
If you are unconverted, “God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Look to Him and be saved. There is salvation in no one else: “For there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema (accursed) Maranatha (the Lord comes) (1Cor.16:22). Jesus reigns and will judge. Make your peace with Him while you have yet time. Take Him as your Prophet, Priest and King.

Any comments or questions please E-Mail me or Rev William Macleod the editor.

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