The Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ
Acts 1:9-11
9 And when he
had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight.
10 And while
they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel;
11 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.
Introduction:
The Ascension as an
under-emphasized doctrine
The Ascension as an
unappreciated doctrine
The Ascension as a supremely
important and eternally significant doctrine[1]
Outline:
I. The Ascension of the Lord
Jesus Christ as a Supernatural Historical Event (1:9)
II. The Ascension of the Lord
Jesus Christ as a Perplexing Personal Experience (1:10)
III. The Ascension of the Lord
Jesus Christ as an Essential Eschatological Episode (1:11)
I. The
Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Supernatural Historical Event
(1:9)
9 And when he
had spoken these things, while they beheld,[2] he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of
their sight.
1 Tim. 3:16 - And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Old Testament:
Ps. 68:18 - Thou
hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received
gifts for men; yea, for the
rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Eph. 4:8 - Wherefore
he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men.
Ps. 110:1 - The LORD
said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool.
Pre-Crucifixion:
Jn. 6:62 - What and
if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Jn. 7:33 - Then
said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. 34 Ye shall seek me,
and shall not find me: and where I
am, thither ye cannot come.
Jn. 13:33 - Little
children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said
unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
Jn. 14:28 - Ye
have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said,
I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Jn. 16:5 - But
now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest
thou?
Jn. 16:10 - Of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Jn. 16:16 - A
little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall
see me, because I go to the Father.
Jn. 16:28 - I came
forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world,
and go to the Father.
Jn. 17:11 - And
now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.
Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that
they may be one, as we are.
Lk. 9:51 - And it
came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he
stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
Post-Resurrection:
Jn. 20:17 - Jesus
saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to
my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Other Ascension Accounts:
Mk. 16:19 - So
then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and
sat on the right hand of God.
Lk. 24:50-52 - 50 And
he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed
them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from
them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and
returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the
temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Can it be that some usages of "raised up", or terms for
"raised up" ("taken up") embrace not just Christ's
resurrection, but also His ascension?
Cp. esp. Acts 2:24, 32; 3:26.
Other incidents of being "taken up":
Cp. Enoch and Elijah, the
rapture, and also the two witnesses of Rev. 11:12
1 Th. 4:17 - Then
we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rev. 11:12 - And
they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they
ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Q46: How
dost thou understand these words, "he ascended into heaven"?
A46: That Christ, in
sight of his disciples, was taken up from earth into heaven; (a) and that he
continues there for our interest, (b) until he comes again to judge the quick
and the dead. (c)
(a) Acts 1:9; Matt.26:64; Mark
16:19; Luke 24:51.
(b) Heb.7:25; Heb.4:14;
Heb.9:24; Rom.8:34; Eph.4:10; Col.3:1.
(c) Acts 1:11; Matt.24:30.
II. The
Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Perplexing Personal Experience
(1:10)
10 And while
they looked stedfastly[3] toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by
them in white apparel;[4]
1 Tim. 3:16 - And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Lk. 24:4 - And it
came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Jn. 20:12 - And
seeth two angels in white sitting,
the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had
lain.
Acts 1:2 - 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:
Acts 2:7 - And
they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all
these which speak Galilaeans?
Acts 13:31 - And he
was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,
who are his witnesses unto the people. (Paul in the synagogue at Antioch in
Pisidia on the sabbath day, with Barnabas.)
The
preaching of the Apostles:
Acts 2:24 - Whom
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not
possible that he should be holden of it.
Acts 2:29-36 - 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto
you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre
is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing
that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins,
according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was
not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus
hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being
by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise
of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said
unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes
thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord
and Christ.
Acts. 3:21 - Whom
the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Acts 3:26 - Unto
you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in
turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Q47: Is
not Christ then with us even to the end of the world, as he has promised?
(a)
A47: Christ is very man and very God; with
respect to his human nature, he is no more on earth; (b) but with respect to
his Godhead, majesty, grace and spirit, he is at no time absent from us. (c)
(a) Matt.28:20.
(b) Heb.8:4; Matt.26:11; John
16:28; John 17:11; Acts 3:21.
(c) John 14:17-19; John 16:13;
Matt.28:20; Eph.4:8,12.
Q48: But
if his human nature is not present, wherever his Godhead is, are not then these
two natures in Christ separated from one another?
A48: Not as all, for since the Godhead is
illimitable and omnipresent, (a) it must necessarily follow that the same is
beyond the limits of the human nature he assumed, (b) and yet is nevertheless
in this human nature, and remains personally united to it.
(a) Acts 7:49; Jer.23:24.
(b) Col.2:9; John 3:13; John
11:15; Matt.28:6.
III. The
Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ as an Essential Eschatological Episode
(1:11)
11 Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing[5] 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.
1 Tim. 3:16 - And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Q49: Of
what advantage to us is Christ's ascension into heaven?
A49: First, that he is our advocate in the
presence of his Father in heaven; (a)
secondly, that we have our flesh
in heaven as a sure pledge that he, as the head, will also take up to himself,
us, his members; (b)
thirdly, that he sends us his
Spirit as an earnest, (c) by whose power we "seek the things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, and not things on
earth." (d)
(a) 1 John 2:1; Rom.8:34.
(b) John 14:2; John 17:24; John
20:17; Eph.2:6.
(c) John 14:16,7; Acts 2:1-4,33;
2 Cor.1:22; 2 Cor.5:5.
(d) Col.3:1; Philip.3:14.
Heb. 4:14 - Seeing
then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
Heb. 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:
1 Pet. 3:22 - Who is
gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and
powers being made subject unto him.
Conclusion:
Dan. 7:13-14 - 13 I saw
in the night visions, and, behold, one
like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of
days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages,
should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Mt. 25:31 - When
the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mt. 28:3 - His
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Mk. 13:26 - And
then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and
glory.
Lk. 21:27 - And
then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory.
Rev. 1:7-8 - 7
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all
kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Now in order to get the trajectory
of this book let us turn from these verses to the end. Let us stand together and turn to Acts 29.
[Sermon preached by Pastor John T. "Jack" Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA on Sunday, June 23, 2013.]
Appendix: Heidelberg
Catechism, Lords Day 18[6]
Q46: How dost thou understand these words,
"he ascended into heaven"?
A46: That Christ, in sight of his
disciples, was taken up from earth into heaven; (a) and that he continues there
for our interest, (b) until he comes again to judge the quick and the dead. (c)
(a) Acts 1:9; Matt.26:64; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51.
(b) Heb.7:25; Heb.4:14; Heb.9:24; Rom.8:34; Eph.4:10;
Col.3:1.
(c) Acts 1:11; Matt.24:30.
Q47: Is not Christ then with us even to the end
of the world, as he has promised? (a)
A47: Christ
is very man and very God; with respect to his human nature, he is no more on
earth; (b) but with respect to his Godhead, majesty, grace and spirit, he is at
no time absent from us. (c)
(a) Matt.28:20.
(b) Heb.8:4; Matt.26:11; John 16:28; John 17:11; Acts
3:21.
(c) John 14:17-19; John 16:13; Matt.28:20; Eph.4:8,12.
Q48: But if his human nature is not present,
wherever his Godhead is, are not then these two natures in Christ separated
from one another?
A48: Not as
all, for since the Godhead is illimitable and omnipresent, (a) it must
necessarily follow that the same is beyond the limits of the human nature he
assumed, (b) and yet is nevertheless in this human nature, and remains
personally united to it.
(a) Acts 7:49; Jer.23:24.
(b) Col.2:9; John 3:13; John 11:15; Matt.28:6.
Q49: Of what advantage to us is Christ's
ascension into heaven?
A49: First,
that he is our advocate in the presence of his Father in heaven; (a) secondly,
that we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that he, as the head, will
also take up to himself, us, his members; (b) thirdly, that he sends us his
Spirit as an earnest, (c) by whose power we "seek the things which are
above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, and not things on earth."
(d)
(a) 1 John 2:1; Rom.8:34.
(b) John 14:2; John 17:24; John 20:17; Eph.2:6.
(c) John 14:16,7; Acts 2:1-4,33; 2 Cor.1:22; 2 Cor.5:5.
(d) Col.3:1; Philip.3:14.
[1] A Selection of Catechisms and Confessions on the
Ascension of Christ: Gadsby
Catechism Q.36; Spurgeon's Catechism
Q.27; Baptist Catechism Q.32; London Baptist Confession (1689) 8:4; First London Baptist Confession
(1644/1646); Heidelberg Catechism,
Lord's Day 18, Q.46-49; Westminster
Shorter Catechism Q.28; Westminster
Larger Catechism Q.51; Westminster
Confession 8:4.
[2] Textual issue. See F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles:
The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
n.d.; 1973 reprint of 1952 ed.), pg. 71.
[3] See Bruce, ibid.
[4] Textual issue on final two
words. Rare word for "apparel".
See also Bruce, op. cit., pg. 72.
[5] See Bruce, op. cit., pg.
71, on this verb.
[6] This is the
most extensive treatment of this subject found to date in any of the Reformed
catechisms and confessions. John T.
Jeffery (23 JUN 2013)
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