The Ascension of Jesus Christ – Part 2
THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCTRINE, THAT IN GENERAL, “THE BODY OF CHRIST”, DOES NOT THINK ABOUT – BUT SHOULD!
LUKE 24:50 – “And He (Jesus) led them (The disciples) out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them”.
LUKE 24:51 – “And it came to pass, while He blessed them, HE WAS PARTED FROM THEM, AND HE WAS CARRIED UP INTO HEAVEN”.
LUKE 24:52 – “They WORSHIPPED HIM, and returned to Jerusalem with GREAT JOY”:
LUKE 24:53 – “And they were continually in the temple, PRAISING AND BLESSING GOD. Amen”
BEFORE THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS, THE LAST THING THAT CHRIST JESUS DID WAS TO BLESS HIS DISCIPLES. AFTER THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS, THE FIRST THING THAT THE DISCIPLES DID WAS WORSHIP HIM!
The two things, in the above sentence, always go together. For as we truly worship Him, we will share His blessings upon us. He not only opened the disciples lips to witness, but He also opened their hearts to worship and praise Him! Dr Luke opened his Gospel with a scene in the Temple (LUKE 1:8), and He closed his Gospel in the same place (LUKE 24:53).
But what a contrast, in the “Book of Luke”, between the unbelieving, silent priest and the trusting, joyful saints! Luke explained how Jesus went to Jerusalem and accomplished the work of redemption. His book begins and ends in Jerusalem. But in his next book, the “Book of Acts of the Apostles”, Dr Luke would explain how the Gospel traveled from Jerusalem to Rome!
THE ASCENSION WASN’T SIMPLY ABOUT CHRIST JESUS GOING HOME, BUT IT WAS ABOUT CHRIST JESUS BEING ENTHRONED!
The Psalms of “Enthronement” (PSALM 24, 47, 68, 110) feature the installation of the royal king, behind which lie the events in 2 SAMUEL 6 and 1st. CHRONICLES 13-16, where David brings “The Ark of the Covenant” (The presence of God), up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy. The Psalms portray an ASCENT to royal sovereignty, and the enthronement of God as king.
The ASCENSION of Christ Jesus was not mainly about what Jesus was leaving, but where He was going and why. The Scriptures repeatedly speaks of the ACSENSION, ending with Christ Jesus, “Being seated at the right hand of Father (PSALMS 110:1; ACTS 2:33, 34; EPHESIANS 1:20; 1 PETER 3:22). And this is no ordinary seat, as Jesus told the church, in “Laodicea”, in REVELATION 3:21: “To him that overcometh (Has conquered and) will I grant to sit with me in MY THRONE, even as I also overcame (Has conquered), and I’m set down with my Father in HIS THRONE”.
THE COSMIC (UNIVERSAL) SCOPE OF CHRIST JESUS’ KINGSHIP.
COLOSSIANS 1:16 – “For by Him (Christ Jesus) were ALL THINGS CREATED, that are in heavens (In the universe), and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIM”:
THROUGH THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS, HE IS RIGHTFULLY REIGNING AS KING OF THE UNIVERSE!
Christ Jesus is heir to the “COSMOS” (THE UNIVERSE) (COLOSSIANS 1:16). It was created by Him, through Him, and for Him. He maintains it and directs it to GOD’S APPOINTED GOAL! The reconciliation He achieved relates not only to the church but the entire universe (COLOSSIANS 1:19, 20).
COLOSSIANS 1:19 – “For it please the Father that in Him should ALL FULNESS DWELL”;
COLOSSIANS 1:20 – “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile ALL THINGS unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or THINGS IN HEAVEN”.
The Apostle Paul declares that “All fullness dwelt in Christ Jesus!” The word translated “FULNESS” is the Strong’s Greek word # 4138, “Pleroma”, pronounced (Play-RO- mah). It was a technical term in the vocabulary of the false Gnostic teachers. It meant, THE FILLING OF THE SUM TOTAL, OF ALL DIVINE POWER AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
The word “DWELL” is equally important. It means much more than merely “To reside in”; this form of the verb means “TO BE AT HOME PERMANENTLY”! The fact that it pleased the Heavenly Father that Christ Jesus had “THE PERMANENT FULNESS OF GOD” is proof that Jesus Christ is God!
EPHESIANS 4:8 – “Wherefore He saith, when HE ASCENDED UP ON HIGH, He led captivity captive, and GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN”.
EPHESIANS 4:9 – “Now that HE ASCENDED, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth”?
EPHESIANS 4:10 – “He that descended is the same also that ASCENDED UP FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS, THAT HE MIGHT FILL ALL THINGS”.
EPHESIANS 4:11 – “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers”;
EPHESIANS 4:12 – “For the PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS, for the WORK OF THE MINISTRY, for the EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST”:
In Christ Jesus’s ASCENSION, He publicly displays His conquest of His enemies, as in a “Roman triumphant victory procession” (2 CORINTHIANS 2: 14 – 16). Christ’s realm is universal. He has ASCENDED, far above the heavens and now fills ALL THINGS. He has passed through His territory and has won the authority throughout the universe and beyond.
By Christ Jesus’s ASCENSION, He establishes the “Church – The Body of Christ, granting GIFTS for its PRESERVATION AND ADVANCEMENT. NOW, ALL THAT HE DID AND NOW ALL THAT HE DOES, IS IN UNION WITH US.
HEBREWS 12:1 – “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race the set before us”.
HEBREWS 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the CROSS, despising the shame, and is set down at the RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD”.
(11). THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST JESUS TO HIS HEAVENLY THRONE, WAS BECAUSE HE “OVERCAME” THE WORLD AND AS A RESULT OF CHRIST JESUS “OVERCOMING” THE WORLD – ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY” – IS NOW AVAILABLE TO HIS DISCIPLES – IF THEY “OVERCOME” THE WORLD AND ARE NOT INSTEAD “OVERCOME” BY THE WORLD (JOHN 8:31; 13:35; 15:8)!
MATTHEW 28:18 – “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH”.
MATTHEW 28:19 – “GO ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”:
MATTHEW 20:20 – “Teaching them to observe ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: and, LO, I am with you always, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD (AGE). Amen”.
The word “LO” here in this verse is the Strong’s Greek word # 2400, “Idou”, which means “BEHOLD, SEE (IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE)”. The last place, where this word is found, is in REVELATION 22:12: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is WITH ME, to give every man according as his work shall be”.
BECAUSE CHRIST JESUS ASCENDED TO HIS THRONE IN HEAVEN, WHERE HE REIGNS AND RULES – HIS DISCIPLES ARE CALLED TO “GO” – IN THE “NAME” OF CHRIST JESUS – IN HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY AND “LO” (SEE – BEHOLD) HE IS WITH YOU ALWAYS – TILL THE END OF THE “AGE” – TO THE END OF THE BIBLE – AND BEYOND!
COLOSSIANS 2:9 – “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”.
COLOSSIANS 2:10 – “For ye are COMPLETE IN HIM, which is the head of all principality and power”:
JOHN 1:16 – “And in His FULNESS HAVE ALL WE RECEIVED, and grace for grace”.
EPHESIANS 1:18 – “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”.
EPHESIANS 1:19 – “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power TO US-WARD who believe, ACCORDING TO WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER”,
EPHESIANS 1:20 – “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised Him from the dead (THE RESURRECTION), AND SET HIM AT HIS OWN RIGHT HAND IN HEAVENLY PLACES (THE ASCENSION)”;
EPHESIANS 1:22 – “And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church”,
EPHESIANS 1:23 – “Which is his body, the fullness of him to build all in all”.
(12). THE ASCENSION AND ENTHRONEMENT OF CHRIST JESUS PROVIDES CARE FOR HIS SUFFERING PEOPLE, AS THEY BEAR WITNESS TO HIM!
We see this in ACTS 7, when “Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church.
ACTS 7:55 – “But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into Heaven, and saw the glory of God, and JESUS STANDING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD”,
ACTS 7:56 – “And said, BEHOLD, I see the heavens opened, and the SON OF MAN STANDING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD”.
ACTS 7:57 – “Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord”,
ACTS 7:58 – “And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul (Later to become the Apostle Paul)”.
ACTS 7:59 – “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”.
ACTS 7:60 – “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Died)”.
All of this should give us great encouragement! When we feel weak in ourselves, Luke reminds us that the EXALTED AND ENTHRONED CHRIST JESUS has given us His Spirit, who equips US with the power, boldness, and courage we need to accomplish the mission that God has given us.
Steven’s death was the impetus to go beyond the walls of Jerusalem and Israel, to preach the Gospel that they had been commanded by Jesus, in His “Great Commission”.
As we see “The Last Days” approaching and “The Second Coming of Christ,” we may feel fearful and cynical about evangelism and fear that no one will respond to our message, but Luke reminds us that the exalted Christ Jesus is the Lord and Savior, who grants repentance and forgiveness of sins. He is a king who seeks and saves the lost. This means we don’t have to MANIPULATE (COMPROMISE) the Gospel and that we can be CONFIDENT, that some people will, in fact, respond positively. If we are paralyzed with fear at the thought of the risks of taking Jesus to the hard-to-reach people, neighborhoods, and nations of the world, and tremble when contemplating the potential rejection or persecution, Luke reminds us that the exalted Christ Jesus cares for His suffering people and stands to welcome them home.
