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welcome to everyone it's good to be in the house of our God on this Sabbath day it's also good to see the Sun Shine as we reflect on the creation we reflect on the Creator who is most high and most blessed well as we begin our worship this morning you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 110 Psalm 110 well just say as you're turning there verse one is the most quoted or alluded to verse from the Old Testament in the New Testament in other words Jesus and the Apostles refer to Psalm 110 verse one concerning Jesus in a whole host of ways and in many different contexts beginning in verse 1 of Psalm 110 a psalm of David the Lord said to my lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool the Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion rule in the midst of your enemies your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning you have the dew of your youth the Lord has sworn and will not relent you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek the Lord is at your right hand he shall execute Kings in the day of his wrath he shall judge among the nation's he shall fill the places with dead bodies he shall execute the heads of many countries he shall drink of the brook by the wayside therefore he shall lift up the head amen well please turn with me in your Trinity hymnal to number 212 hymn number 212 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] glorious truth that our Lord Jesus has ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gives gifts to men it's going to be the subject matter of our sermon this morning the fact that Christ left this earth to go into the presence of the Father on the successful completion of this mediatorial ministry to save us from our sins a most blessed at theme and one that we ought to consider very often so let us pray to our God our Father in Heaven it is a great thought concerning the reality of our Lord Jesus Christ the fact that he lived in perfect obedience to the Father that he died as a sacrifice and substitute at Calvary and that he rose again and that he ascended on high that he's enthroned at the right hand of the Father and how we praise You God Almighty for the Blessed truth that we come to the Father through the son by the power of the Holy Spirit and I pray that our hearts would be drawn out in worship in praise and adoration to our great God so we look at this world around us on a beautiful day like today it leads us to consider the glory of God in his creation we see the way that you uphold all your creatures and all their actions and your sovereign Providence and it causes us to marvel as we reflect upon your goodness and your wisdom and as we come on the Sabbath day to rehearse the facts that Christ live for us and that he died and rose for us our hearts are drawn out as we consider the fact that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ certainly creation and Providence and redemption lead us to praise and celebrate in the presence of our great God we pray that you'd frame our hearts are right we know that you are holy that you are righteous that you are glorious and as we see ourselves in comparison we're just the opposite so we pray that our hearts would be framed with the fear of God with the healthy dose of trembling before you in your majesty does well God may it be mingled with great joy with the facts that you have indeed say das that you has have indeed forgiven us of our sins and given us a righteousness that avails with the father God give us grace give us the power of the Holy Spirit that we may worship you in spirit and in truth we pray that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions God we know and confess with the hem writer that we are prone to wander and prone to leave the god that we love so do forgive us for our transgression of your holy law give us forgiveness for that lack of conformity when we don't love you and we don't love one another as we ought cleanse us afresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ cause us to reflect upon the goodness of the word of God that assures us that forgiveness David said a few Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who can stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared we pray for any and all who come here this morning still in their sins we pray that today would be the day of salvation that that Ascended Christ would send forth the Holy Spirit that that Holy Spirit would bring conviction for sin and would set forth the glory of Christ before sinners and that today would be the day when men women boys and girls in this place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and find salvation we don't trust in their abilities we don't trust in their free will we trust in the power of God Almighty who makes men willing on the day of his power we pray father that you would bless this local church in terms of the the temporal and spiritual needs the Scriptures declare that we are to pray that you give us each day our daily bread to give us forgiveness and protection the Lord Christ tells us to call upon the father for both temporal and spiritual provision so we pray father for these things we know that you do not owe us we know that you are not constrained but we know that you are a God who is gracious and a God who is merciful and a God who does love to give good gifts to his children so please satisfy the needs that we have please provide for us and please cause us to be an ever thankful and an ever dependent people upon the mercy of God Almighty we pray for other churches thanking you that we're not alone in this city we pray for our brothers and sisters gathering together today we pray that their pulpits would be blessed with the presence of God that the Spirit would be at work to save sinners to sanctify saints and to do great and glorious things and the extension of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ on this earth we pray for churches throughout this nation god we pray that you would give all of your people the grace to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and give us boldness to hold forth the word of truth for certainly as we look around us we see so much need and so much wickedness and so much depravity our hearts say with the prophet in your wrath remember mercy and send forth your glorious word may it run swiftly may it be glorified and may it return unto you having accomplished the purpose for which you sent it be gracious to those in other nations that suffer for the cause of God and truth in ways that we can't even imagine we pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters that you would undertake on their behalf that you would be their portion and loft in the midst of suffering that you would grant them grace to persevere even under such oppression and may they testify concerning the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Christian gospel which is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through Jesus Christ the Lord we thank you for hearing us we pray now that you would continue with us bless those who are unable to be with us this morning be with the new Feld's encourage their hearts and strengthen them physically be with others God that our providentially detained or hindered or suffering through various issues that are not only to you we commit them to you into the word of her grace and pray she would continue with us now and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well you may turn with me again in your Trinity hymnals to him number 600 will use a familiar tune hymn number 600 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] we could turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke for our scripture reading we find ourselves in Luke chapter 10 Luke chapter 10 I'll begin reading in verse 1 after these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two before his face into every city in place where he himself was about to go then he said to them the harvest truly is great but the laborers are few therefore pray the lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest go your way behold I send you out as lambs among wolves carry neither money bag knapsack nor sandals and greet no one along the road but whatever house you enter first say peace to this house and if the son of Peace is there your peace will rest on it if not it will return to you and remain in the same house eating and drinking such things as they give for the laborer is worthy of his wages do not go from house to house whatever city you enter and they receive you eat such things as are set before you and heal the sick there and say to them the kingdom of God has come near to you but whatever city you enter and they do not receive you go out into its streets and say the very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you nevertheless know this that the kingdom of God has come near you but I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that City woe to you corazon woe to you bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago sitting in sackcloth and ashes but it will be more tolerable for tyre and sidon Sidon at the judgment than for you and you Capernaum who were exalted to heaven will be brought down to Hades he who hears you hears me he who rejects you rejects me and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me then the seventy returned with joy saying Lord even the demons subject to us in your name and he said to them I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and said I thank you Lord Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes even so father for so it seemed good in your sight all things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows who the son is except the father and the who and who the father is except the son and the one to whom the son wills to reveal him then he turned to his disciples and said privately blessed are the eyes which see the things you see for I tell you that many prophets and Kings have desired to see what you see and have not seen it and to hear what you hear and have not heard it amen you see our Lord Jesus Christ is acting consistent with his role as mediator he came into this world sinners to save and he tells his disciples specifically the harvest truly is plenteous or few therefore pray the lord of the harvest to raise up laborers we see that in response to that Jesus then takes these men and sends them out to preach the gospel to every creature specifically here the mission to Israel will see in Matthew 28 it's expanded to encompass the entirety of the earth go therefore make disciples of all the nations the Christ tells them to go to preach to tell man to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation for the forgiveness of sins for that righteousness that ultimately avails with God and it's intriguing if you notice specifically in verse 17 says then the seventy returned with joy saying Lord even the demons are subject to us in your name there was a certain degree of happiness and delight that their ministry had been successful there was a degree where they had seen most incredible and most illustrious things and their rejoicing in that and our Lord Jesus takes the occasion to tell them not only something of Satan's fall which is a most blessed truth but then he tells them in verse 20 nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to your name to you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven I don't need means don't rejoice at all I think it's idiomatic don't rejoice in this over and above everything else he says rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven I've always taken a great deal of comfort from this particular passage because I think at times our joy is very often connected to what we do in other words if we're successfully serving the Lord we're happy campers but if we're in the depths of depression and sorrow were not happy campers if we understand our Lord's words in this tax we ought to always be happy campers I don't mean we'll always be peppy with a smile on our face but they'll always be that joy in the heart of a man when he knows that he's right with God that's what Jesus says don't rejoice and that you've seen these mighty exploits but rejoice that your name is written in heaven rejoice not in what you perform our conductor do but rather rejoice in the predestinated sovereign electing grace of God Almighty who has inscribed you upon the book of life and there is none who can take you out of the hand of the Savior rejoice in that that Romans 8 reality that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord I would suggest that most of the occasions in our life that are punctuated by sorrow and depression it's when we're looking at ourselves instead of looking at the one who is altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 brethren this is the joy that lasts sovereign grace election predestination blood atonement through the Lord Jesus Christ and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit effectually calling us unto himself and then keeping us guaranteeing us that final Redemption it's the triune God that is the source of comfort and joy and blessing and for the people of God certainly not the people of God if we look to ourselves we will always be downcast so listen to Jesus this morning nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven there may be a day when the spirits are not subject to you there may be a day when outward circumstances are not working in your favor what are you gonna do then you're gonna lose it and fall apart and come unglued no look to the one who always keeps you in the palm of his hand well let us pray our Father we thank you for this blessed truth that Christ sets forth to us now give us grace to receive this give us grace not to measure our happiness or contentment our joy on our performance because it will always be miserable give us grace to focus on the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit the Lord God Almighty of our salvation and encourage our hearts and strengthen us and build us up and our most holy faith and cause us to be thankful always to rejoice always in the reality that Christ is our Lord and our Savior and we pray this in his most blessed name amen well for our final hymn before we look at the preaching of God's Word you can turn to 219 hymn number 219 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Acts the Acts of the Apostles are focused this morning as I mentioned is on the ascension of our Lord Jesus verses 9 to 11 but I'll read beginning in acts 1 at verse 1 the former account I made aa Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up after he through the Holy Spirit had given Commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God and being assembled together with them he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the father which he said you have heard from me for John truly baptized with water and she shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now therefore when they had come together they asked him saying Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel and he said to them it is not for you to know times or seasons which the father has put in his own authority but you shall receive power the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth now when he had spoken these things while they watched he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel who also said men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven this same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven amen well let us pray father we thank you for this written record of the life and Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the Ascension God may we see the significance of it not only theologically but practically for our own lives as your people we pray for the ministry of the holy spirit that spirit promised to the disciples and a in a unique and powerful way on the day of Pentecost that spirit that is that does proceed from the father and the son we pray for his ministry and his blessing and his guidance and leadership even now as we consider the glory of Jesus Christ again forgive us for our sins and our transgressions and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well last time we looked at the prologue verses 1 2 3 what Luke says concerning the former account Oh Theophilus this connects us not only to the book of Acts but to the book of Luke the Gospel of Luke Luke wrote both they were two volumes of a set that circulated in the early church until such time that the four Gospels were gathered together and then we have Luke and acts being distributed separately but Acts is written by Luke Theophilus is the same man who is addressed in both books both in the Gospel of Luke and here in the book of Acts and as well we noted this thematic link when he says in verse 1 the former account I made aa Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach the book of Acts continues to show us what Jesus does and teaches he doesn't do it locally present with his disciples but he does it from the right hand of the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit through his truth through the agency of those apostles of Christ is present with his people again not physically and not locally and that's what we learn here from the Ascension but he is nevertheless with us even to the end of the age based on or after that prologue weary huh rehearsed the Commission given by Christ to the disciples they were to tarry or wait in Jerusalem until they were given power from on high specifically the Holy Spirit and having been armed with or clothed with that power from on high they were to go and witness to Christ to testify to Christ first in Jerusalem and then Judea Samaria and then to the ends of the earth that was their mission that was the comprehensive plan that is the means by which God fulfills the promise to Abraham remember this is no new thing this is consistent with what God has always said that in Abraham specifically in his seed the Lord Jesus Christ all the nations of the earth would be blessed and so the book of Acts records for us how that began so let's look at this ascension that taking up of our Lord into heaven three things we're going to notice first of all the Ascension of Christ in verse nine the fact of its stated secondly the explanation given by the Angels in verses 10 and 11 and then I want to draw out some theological significance of the Ascension but note first with reference to it verse 9 and now when he had spoken these things while they watched he was taken up and a cloud received in that out of their sight notice in verse 2 until the day in which he was taken up we see this also repeated for us at the end of the Gospel of Luke and then again at the end of the Gospel of Mark we see Christ taken up he returns back to heaven there are previous references to this in Scripture we see it in Psalm 68 the Apostle Paul applies that to Jesus in Ephesians chapter 4 the passage that I read at the outset of worship yahweh said to my lord sit at my right hand until i make your enemies your footstool that was a prophetic testimony concerning not only the resurrection but the Ascension and enthronement of our Lord Jesus Christ we see it throughout the Old Testament a references to the old in the Old Testament and we see it throughout the Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ specifically in the Upper Room discourse he tells his disciples that he is going back to the Father he tells his disciples that it's to their advantage that he goes back to the Father he mean by that he means that he will send another comforter even the Holy Spirit that will be with them that will aid them and guide them and help them in their ministry but Christ spoke often of returning to his father and so we see in the first place of fulfillment of the Scriptures not only the Old Testament tax but the words of our Lord Jesus Christ he said he would go back to the Father and this is played out right before the eyes of the disciples in this particular instance now notice what Luke says in verse nine now when he had spoken these things I doubt he trailed off mid speech I doubt he was in the middle of a sentence and then he was taken up I think Luke's concern is to tell us this while he was or having discussed these truths with his disciples them having been equipped he now is taken up and what are the things that Jesus had discussed what were the things that occupied the mind of Christ prior to his ascension on I we have seen it he spoke to them concerning the power in the presence of the Holy Spirit he spoke to them concerning the the the presence of definition of God's holy kingdom and he spoke to them concerning their particular mission in other words we often wonder what does a man say when he's about to leave his family I mean if I was about to die I'd call my family together I'd like to think I wouldn't talk to them about what my favorite Chinese restaurant is or what my favorite place to take the car to get serviced is or you know I don't think that would be I'm hoping it wouldn't be the sorts of things that would occupy my 11th hour I'd like to tell them to fear God to keep his Commandments to walk in obedience to the Lord to make the Lord Jesus Christ the way the bridegroom sees them with a bride season as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 may he be that that chiefest in your own heart and affection I'd like to think that would occupy most of us in our last instructions to our children Christ says to the apostles don't start revolution don't topple the earthly government don't march against the political powers now there might be a place for all of that amongst individual believers but in terms of church as Church she needs the power in the presence of the Holy Spirit and she needs to preach the gospel of the kingdom to Jews to Gentiles to all men everywhere that's the marching orders that's what dictates that is prescribed by God in the book of Acts this is what we must be about the kingdom of God in its beauty the kingdom of God in its extension visibly expressed in the local church and preaching testifying witnessing we teach the whole Council of God Jesus says teach people to believe or observe all that I've commanded that means political theory that means Kings that means monarchy that means principles of warfare certainly we teach all that stuff with a focus on shaping the disciple of Christ in a me and in a manner that is consistent with the written word of God you see Christ spoke these things and then he was taken up from that now know specifically the essential ascension rather was visible and this has brought out to us conspicuously bailu you know you meet these people at times that have sort of an understanding or actually have no understanding of Christianity and they think it's like so many other religions that it's just an idea well it doesn't matter if it's true it's you know what matters is what it produces I think unfortunately we get that in our own heads at times it doesn't really matter if Jesus rose from the dead it just matters how we live in light of that thought no it really matters that Jesus rose from the dead it really matters that God created the heavens and the earth it really matters that Christ was crucified it really matters that blood atonement is the only way taught by God in terms of our acceptance within it it really does matter and Luke makes it conspicuous with three references that the disciples watched this event it wasn't an idea it wasn't mass hysteria they hadn't shared the same drug trip they actually observed this Christians don't give away the theological form don't begin to entertain the thought that the facts don't really matter but it's the consequences if there are no facts there's never going to be consequences if there is no true doctrine there's never going to be true practice just because somebody doesn't nice thing doesn't necessarily mean that they're accepted by God notice specifically within the context it says so that it says while they watched in verse nine while they looked steadfastly toward heaven in verse 10 why do you stand gazing into heaven verse 11 then at the verse at the end of verse 12 we'll come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven you see it wasn't a fable it wasn't counting li devised it wasn't you know made up one commentator Barrett says the use of blah pain which is the word to see places the Ascension in the same category of events as any other happening in the story of Jesus which they saw like they saw Jesus die they saw like they saw Jesus buried they saw like they saw Jesus eat fish and honeycomb with them they saw it they witnessed it it's interesting it was more than two certainly I think the presence of these two men I think they're angels again confirms that Deuteronomy 19:15 we don't receive the testimony in a witness situation except on the basis of two or three witnesses we have a whole raft of witnesses concerning the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ but it was visible it was real it was an observable thing Daniel Bach says the event is portrayed as one that was seen by the Apostles with three different verbs for seeing appearing in verses 9 to 11 to emphasize the point a second thing we ought to appreciate it's that his movement was local and by that I mean he moves from one place to another there's a group called the ubiquity reans and that simply means that the physical mass of Jesus is everywhere present no he was ascended or he left or he went up into heaven according to his humanity his deity is immense it fills all things says why in John 3:13 he can say just as the Son of Man is in heaven right now as Christ is on earth he is both God and man in this context so what is locally translated is this humanity he goes back to the Father he sits enthroned at the right hand of God Most High his physical mass is not everywhere present this has effect upon the way we do the Lord's Supper the problem with Romanism and the problem with Lutheranism is they have a defective view of the body of Jesus Christ if it is locally present then that destroys the hypostatic Union now if I've already lost you I'll try and pick you back up in just a moment but for those who are following we cannot mess with the person of Jesus Christ we must imbibe the doctrine as it's taught in Scripture as it's codified at Cal sit on as it is recodified in our London Baptist confession of faith if we're wrong on who Jesus is we're wrong on everything Christ went to heaven there was a local movement now notice the Ascension was glorious look at what it says he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight now there might be a whole host of ways to understand clouds fat clouds are used in Scripture in a whole host of ways but I think the idea is is glory I think that's what we ought to appreciate here remember on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 17 what what enveloped Jesus was a cloud and those of you who read the Old Testament you'll know that that God's presence among Israel was oftentimes represented it represented by a cloud we call that the Shekinah glory remember in Exodus chapter 40 they they finished the construction of the tabernacle and the glory of God descends and it's and its presence there and it's present there and it's manifested in this cloud problem was nobody could go in not even Moses himself hence the Book of Leviticus that tells us how they can go in it's through blood atonement it's through a burning altar it is through the means that God is ordained that man meets with God in his tabernacle or temple but his presence is represented by a cloud and I think that's what's in view here Christ has received by this cloud it's a glorious thing I mean brethren imagine this you're talking to Jesus and he was taken up of course there's going to be a cloud of course there's going to be some glorious display of course because he is the media toriel king being taken back up by the father to sit and throne at the right hand this is the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ otice secondly the explanation given by the angels in verses 10 and 11 I realize it doesn't say angels it says men I would argue that they are angels appearing as men if you look at the gospel records you see similarly described angels and mark tells us that it was a man don't think there's contradiction I think the idea is is that these are angelic beings as they are portrayed appearing to the apostles as men and they interpret what just happened for the benefit of these apostles they interpret the significance of this and essentially tell them you need to go get at what he told you that question I think this speaks that notice specifically their question verse 10 while they looked steadfastly toward heaven again another seeing verb or another seeing statement as they looked steadfastly and why they look steadfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparel who also said men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven now on the one hand you know that question who wouldn't stand and gaze into heaven if they saw that you know go stand out on five corners someday and just look up I guarantee everybody walking by is gonna look up to it just happens it's the nature of the beast it's what we are we can't help but look up it's like standing in an elevator everybody stands toward the door they all face the door nobody ever faces the back we just don't do that do we you say well I do pastor oh good you're the you're the odd exception blessedly odd so in the one hand this question you know of course we're gonna look up our Lord our master our Savior has been taken up there might be more to the question though why do you stand gazing he's given you your marching orders obey Him wasn't this essentially Jesus response to their question concerning the restoration of Israel Lord says we're discussing the kingdom of God Lord are you going to restore the kingdom it is this time what does Jesus say you don't need to worry about that God's got that you need to go wait for power on high and go and make disciples of all the nations the same sort of thing is going on here why do you stand gazing at the sky we might you know sort of indulge in a little bit of applicational rhetoric and say you know we do that today as well we're gazing at the sky when we should be about the Lord's work I think we should gaze and do I think the tendency is for most of us either were gazing and not doing what we're doing and not gazing I think a genuine Christian response is one eye heavenward and one I earth way that's how we heard most serviceable to our God this is Paul's emphasis in Colossians chapter 3 what are we supposed to set our mind on where to settle ma our mind on the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father and is based on that reality we put to death the members on the on the earth it is based on that reality that we conduct ourselves toward one another in a godly way it's based on that eye toward heaven that we love our wives if we happen to be husbands we submit to our husbands if we happen to be wives as parents we don't abuse our children but rather we bring them up in the the fear and admonition of the Lord you see it as that gaze heaven that gives us the impetus for our conduct on earth and so the disciples are asked why are you gazing you ought to be about obeying Bach says the idea is it that they should not be surprised that the that the risen Jesus has lifted up into God's presence his departure means that they now have work to do they now have work to do Jesus command means that they are not to gaze into the heavens idly awaiting is returned but engage in the task Jesus has given them to do in the meantime now we've already seen a couple of truths concerning the Ascension in verse nine we note that it's visible we note that it's local there's a movement from Earth to Adam and we note that it's glorious the angels are gonna flesh it out even more and tell us some certain things about the Ascension first of all I've already met and the angels aren't witnesses to this event they along with the Apostles they along with all those who saw this are witnesses to this event brethren we are not following cunningly devised fables we're not following a story that happened in a galaxy far far away or in a fairy land where there's dust and Pixies and whatever there is we're following objective truth historical truth we're following facts and data and we give or are given the interpretation of that data so that we know the theology behind it now note the Angels identify the ascended one as this same Jesus notice in verse 11 men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven this same Jesus what does that mean that means the ascension was bodily it was bodily got to keep this in your repertoire with reference to a defense of the Ascension it was visible was local movement involved from earth to heaven it was glorious to be sure but it was bodily Christ makes this conspicuous after his resurrection especially in Luke's Gospel when he appears to the disciples and he says look I have flesh I have bones I'm not a phantom I'm not an apparition I'm not an idea I'm not a thought I am their same Jesus that lived upon you that was brutalized on the cross that ultimately died then entered into the tomb that same Jesus has risen from the dead now Luke is telling us that this same Jesus is ascended on high you see there is in heaven a particular person and his name is the Lord Jesus Christ see heaven isn't just this ethereal place of clouds Jesus according to his humanity is sitting at the right hand of the Father for those interested in ock and Elisha are also there physically as well it's not ethereal it's not super spiritual rather those men are their bodily in the presence of God Almighty Jesus ascension was bodily in nature our confession of faith says on the third day he rose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered with which he also ascended in to have them so the Angels confirm the event the Angels identified the one ascended as this same Jesus so this indicated the same Jesus who live the same Jesus who died the same Jesus who was raised the same Jesus who has now ascended on high the Angels don't stop there the Angels assure us of a second coming the Angels testify that this same Jesus is going to come again and all the things true of his ascension on I are going to be true of his coming and glory it's gonna be visible you'll see it it's gonna be bodily Christ the god man will stand or we will stand before him it's going to be glorious isn't it he will come within the glory of his father with all of his holy angels it's gonna be glorious indeed as well it's going to be true it's not the case that this is some idle tale made up by Christians as well the second coming of our Lord Jesus will be in like manner the end of verse 12th will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven bodily visible glorious Francis turreted I think summarizes a great statement or summer what gives a good stump summary statement concerning the Ascension he says we maintain that Christ went up locally visibly and bodily from earth into the third heaven her seat of the Blessed above the visible heavens not by a mere withdrawal of his visible presence or familiar intercourse but by a true and local translation of his human nature there he will remain until the day of judgment so that although he is always present with us by His grace and Spirit and divinity yet he is no longer with us by the bodily presence of his flesh again you need to insist upon this because it affects the way we view for instance the Supper we differ from Rome we differ from Luther on that they believe that the BAA the elements actually become the body of Jesus that's to divin eyes the humanity of Christ and you can't do that and end up with the christ end up with the same Christ we need to be careful so that's a brief exposition let's draw out some theological significance of the Ascension first the fulfillment of Scripture I think at times we sort of run through that I think at times we as Bible readers see you know all these references to the Old Testament in our New Testament we say well that's just sort of the means or manner in which they did things brethren every time there is a so that it was fulfilled it's not a blow our mind it's you know you know the prophet Isaiah described Jesus in the the most accurate way 700 years before Jesus never read isaiah 53 and said man how in the world could isaiah get it so right Daniel and his prophecies are so accurate that of course people say I couldn't before the fact he must have written after the fact but that's just the way that people dismiss that this is the thing that you'll meet with people have no idea what scripture says well you know the Bible is full of contradictions really show me you know some of these contradictions that you're always yammering on about I'd love to see that brethren we go on the offensive I told the Brethren on Wednesday night there's something called apologetics and in Christianity that doesn't mean saying I'm sorry somehow the way we often bring it about I'm sorry didn't mean to offend you we're afraid to pray at Tim Hortons because of what somebody might think what happened there the earth is Yahweh's and the fullness thereof the problem is people that Tim Horton's that aren't praying to Yahweh we're not the mess-ups in this equation here you know we need to apologize biblically that means defend the faith but I mentioned of the Brethren on Wednesday night one of the functions of Genesis 1 is polemical now apologetics means defend the faith polemics means to attack others not like Muslims guns blazing and swords wielded please don't go from here and efore up and you know promote the cause of Christ that is not what I'm suggesting polemics means we show the utter futility of every other way of thinking we'll see it with Paul later he stands before the civil rulers Festus says much learning is driving you mad he says I am NOT mad most noble Festus but I speak the words of chief and reason brethren there's a polemical edge that you and I should adopt again not to be obnoxious not to alienate everybody we ever met not to be that kind of person that nobody wants to be around at a dinner party and I'm not suggesting that but in terms of the Ascension of Jesus Christ and the coming again of Jesus Christ this has to do with the fulfillment of God's Word and if anything as Bible readers one thing we should all agree on is that God takes his word seriously fact in the psalmist Psalm 138 it says that he is magnified his word above his name brethren there is fulfillment of scripture here secondly the Ascension theologically instructs us concerning the completion of Christ's earthly ministry in Hebrews 9 11 and 12 we read but Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all I love this having obtained eternal Redemption next time somebody says well I think you can lose your salvation take them to a bruise please do yourself a favor you don't have to be as smart as John Calvin you just got to know a few places in the book of Hebrews he has obtained what eternal salvation you see the idea is is that if a sinner was actually saved and loses his salvation that isn't ultimately a reflection upon the sinner I mean I guess it is but we would expect that from a sinner wouldn't we MacArthur says if you could lose your salvation you would if a sinner is actually saved and then loses his salvation it impinges upon the integrity of the Savior himself God doesn't almost save God doesn't possibly save God doesn't partially save we have the short word in Hebrews 7 that he saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him in other words you come through the mediator Jesus to the Father and guess what you'll get acceptance you come to the Father through the mediator guess what you'll get forgiveness you got a burden conscience today you've been sinning all week you're engaged in things that you would hope your wives or your husbands or your children here parents would never find out I don't know your hearts God knows your hearts he knows what's up in each and every one of you the eyes of Yahweh are in every place beholding the good and the bad we don't say that to threaten you we don't say that to bash you it's not some sort of Santa Claus theology it is simply the reality God knows your heart and if you're burdened this morning and if you're loaded down with sin and if you're weighed and heavy come to the Father through the son and forgiveness will be your lot it's the most blessed thing isn't it you ever asked me what's the best thing about Christianity I'm gonna tell you the forgiveness of sins I always loved singing 580 my sin oh the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord say what you will about a Christian on their deathbed they got a smile on their face for this one reason their sins are forgiven not it isn't that what differentiates us are we going to heaven because we're good no if you think that you're in the wrong Church I'm gonna tell you flat out stay here because I want you to get you know sort it out but if you think you're heading to heaven because you're good you have misunderstood the Bible you have misunderstood the the entirety of it the glory of the gospel isn't that we accept Jesus into our hearts the glory of the gospel is that God has accepted miserable sinners through the redeeming work of his most blessed son and that salvation is available I know this is common ground this is a Dan to Beersheba moment for us in our church we traverse this often and I hope we do till I die at least and whoever you get to replace me I hope they continue to pound that drum salvation is free salvation is good salvation is glorious and salvation is available through Jesus Christ don't tarry remember God through Ezekiel why will you die in your sins why remember the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 55 what why do you spend your wages on that which does not satisfy why do you take the good resources God has given you and you throw it away why God says come and let your soul delight itself in abundance I remember preaching that text and saying that we're similar to the person that would rather eat from the bottom of a garbage can than enter into the restaurant where there's a great big steak and a lobster or crab or whatever it is that you like we would rather sup on that garbage at the bottom of the container when the Almighty God Himself is saying sit sup dine eat enjoy hope everyone who thirsts let him come without money without wages come by and eat the milk that that nourishes it and satisfies the water that refreshes and the one that exhilarates you have all that in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ I'll say with God through the prophet Ezekiel why will you die today why will you hear this sermon continue to reject it continue to resist it and go home on your way to hell we run fly what's Jesus say in Luke 10 don't rejoice that the spirits are subject to you rather rejoice that your names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life if there's anything that can cause a believer to you know kick his heels up and do holy flips it's that reality our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life remember david whirling about the Ark of the Covenant before Yahweh it embarrassed Michael what's David's response I'm gonna be even worse if that's the way you're gonna view this because I delight in my god you know we we do this hopefully we'll do this forever well not forever but until Jesus comes and we all drop dead and we all enter into the kingdom of God and we're there you got to think about this I mean think at times our services are set up or structured in such a way as to to squeeze this out the very end of the service it's all bets are off take a moment to contemplate when Lucas plays that piano after the service think about what pastor Butler has said you are rich you're bad you're miserable and don't say well you know he's just picking on I'm worse $100 worth John Newton had a famous saying I'm a great sinner but Christ is a great Savior I side with Newton on that one but think about it where are you at today should the Lord God call you call you to his throne on this day are you prepared to enter in are you ready to meet your maker can you invoke Hebrews 7:25 all that comes to the Father come through him he will be saved to the uttermost is that a reality in your life if it's not don't tarry don't wait don't stay don't stop don't say well you know I've been taught just believe the truth of the gospel so I think the devil gets in here sometime between the Amen and the play and you know the you know forget everything we just heard let's run around and scream like banshees and you know then the kids just something happens the devil gets in and it's very intriguing and Luke's version the parable that's sort of the parable of the soils whatever you want to call it he likens the activity of the birds getting seed to the activity of the devil lest they hear belief and are saved now I'm sure that in my past I've pointed out birds don't have malicious ends I don't think birds are perched on a pole today looking at some poor slob of a farmer thinking we're gonna eat up all his seed to put him into bankruptcy Birds just don't do that they just need to feed their little bird bellies they just do it so the analogy does break down that Jesus utilizes but it's consistent in the sense that when that seed goes out the birds come they gobble up and that's like the devil see the bird doesn't have a malicious end but the devil does John 8 Jesus says you are of your father the devil the desires of your father you want to do now who's he talking to the Jewish leaders at that particular time and how does he describe the devil he is a murderer from the beginning and a liar see something will come in between you in this sermon and say well you know if you do this if you looked at Jesus if you believe it may not work you believe in Jesus and you might betray the doctrine of election you believe in Jesus and it might affect some of your relation don't listen to the devil today listen to Jim Butler believe the gospel and know the joy of being found in him not having your own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is from God through faith that's beautiful remember the story of Martin Luther Martin Luther was at the point where he just couldn't stand god that's terrible to say isn't it God his righteousness his holiness is burning purity I couldn't couldn't conceive light of my own sin in my own wretchedness but he got a glimpse of romans 1 16 and 17 he says that was when paradise opened up because the righteousness of God in Romans 1 16 and 17 easy God's right yes it's God's gift of righteousness to needy sinners for in it for in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that just as it is written the just shall live by faith there is a righteousness of God which is his perfection his right neces justice but there's a couple of particular contexts romans 1 being one of them romans 3 or the romans I'm sorry 1st Corinthians 1 and Philippians 3 being other ones where it's the righteousness that God demands and that he gives to us in the gospel that's what you need to listen to that's what you need to hear resist the devil resist your own flesh resist your peers resist anything in anybody that would get in the way of you and the blessed Redeemer I think I've heard it attributed to Luther before something to this effect if Christ had a sword to my head I'd still come not that he dies but I'd still come remember that statement in John 6 68 after all of these professed disciples stopped following Jesus why because the gravy train dried up and Jesus showed himself as a preacher of what we call Calvinism or what we call reformed theology again anachronism it's Bible truth but Jesus fed the multitudes and the multitudes flock to him and then he starts talking to them about Sovereign Grace about the Spirit giving life about radical concepts like eating my flesh and drinking my blood now as a Roman Catholic but believing the truth of the gospel and it says many of his followers stopped what happens Jesus asks his disciples do you want to stop - I love Peters response some argue that it's even an expression of a weak faith on the part of feeder at this point I wouldn't care what kind of faith it is it's a beautiful statement he says Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life it's that beautiful listen to that don't listen to the devil don't listen to the lies don't listen to the pit and by all means please please please don't listen to your own hearts your hearts the worst guide on the face of the earth there is a way that seems right unto a man but it said its destruction Solomon tells us you're the worst person to trust listen to the Word of God again Luther I don't know why he's popping into my head because I'm preaching justification by faith it's good place for it feelings come and feelings go but feelings are deceiving my warrant is the word of God none else is worth believing don't trust your feelings Edward mote my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name it ain't sweet frames that bring you to heaven it's blood atonement it ain't a good devotional life that brings you to heaven it isn't a fulfilling Church life that will ultimately commend you to God it's the blood of the cross and this ascended Lord when he offered up himself to the Father the ascension testifies that the father was well pleased that is a theological significance as well we have the enthronement I was going to actually develop this point in some length but we'll wait till we get to acts 2 but the enthronement of Christ at the right hand of the Father in other words he ascended on high what's he do when he gets there he sits enthroned at the Father's right hand this is precisely the in acts 2 fact Luke uses a particular device so that we won't miss this Luke or x12 refers to the day in which he was taken up acts 2:1 that day of Pentecost what's Luke telling us the day of Pentecost is a result of the day that he was taken up other words because he was taken up he sends this gift of the Holy Spirit that's what Luke tells us in acts 233 the most amazing thing in acts 2 is not the speaking in tongues the amazing thing in acts 2 is the enthroned Christ at the right hand of the Father he's poured out this which you now see in here he has sent the spirit in fulfillment of his father's plan and purpose that which was prophesied by Joel this is testimony that Jesus is both Lord and Christ and he is the one in whom there is salvation the enthronement of Christ that has taught us by the Ascension there are other passages which highlight this reality Ephesians 1 22 23 Philippians 2 verses 9 and 10 God was pleased with the father he was exalted on high again not according to the you know as a as the second person of the Trinity but as the god man as the mediator as the theme through quod that's the one who has ascended on high who is seated at the right hand of the Father listen to John ad on Ephesians 1 he says the head that once was crowned with thorns is now crowned with universal sovereignty man this is good get this in your bones brethren get this in your heart the hand that was once nailed to Calvary's tree now wields the sceptre of unlimited Dominion the feet that were washed by the harlots tears and carried the Savior up the hill Calvary are now over everything that is he who lay in the tomb has now ascended to the throne of unbounded Empire that's going to be played out remember the issue isn't is Christ now absent Christ is present by the Ascension enthroned at the right hand of the Father Peter's sermon in the book of Acts chapter 2 indicates this is the vantage point from which he continues to do and teach just like the former account the awfulest of all that he began both to do and teach this is most blessing and of course the glory given to Christ as a result of his mediatorial work this is theologically significant if we're genuine believers it will be theologically significant I think we're taught effectively by the state and by our life experience to say what you're gonna do for me it's all about us isn't it how you get a benefit mean I think this finds shape and Christian preaching we're all sermons are tailored just to you it's all about you you'll be a better you you be a better this you'd be a better that I want you to be well adjusted and stable not that I don't don't go out and lose it be well-adjusted and be stable by all means but brethren there is something glorious to the people of God concerning the god word nature of gospel truth in other words that our Jesus was exalted that our Jesus was glorified that our Jesus is magnified makes the heart of his people say praise God Almighty we want our Jesus to be held in esteem we want our Jesus to be lifted on high we want our Jesus to have that unbounded Empire John 17:5 and now Oh father glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was Philippians 2:9 therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name 1st Timothy 3:16 God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen by angels preached among the Gentiles believed on in the world received up in glory praise God Almighty that the father was pleased with the sons work and as a result he ascends on high he leads captivity captive and he gives gifts to men praise God Almighty that Christ did what he did and now he has assumed that position of absolute unrivaled unparalleled sovereignty those are some theological significance is don't know if that's correct but that's what I got that we need to consider and contemplate in terms of practicality we'll close this is for you and me the enthronement of Christ you know how we benefit the most by our knowledge of theology we benefit most knowing Jesus the enthronement of Christ means the ascended lord is the giver of the Holy Spirit acts 233 having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see in here as well the ascendant Lord is the adverb present with his church Lord how is he ever present how does he fulfill the stipulation in Matthew 28 and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age he's not physically locally present among us but he is spiritually he is by spirit and word a love Heidelberg catechism here it says is not Christ then with us even to the end of the world as he hath promised Christ is very man and very God with respect to his human nature he has not more on earth but with respect to his Godhead Majesty Grace and spirit he is at no time absent from us he's always with us he wasn't lying your Jesus is present with you you can have things even sing weird hymns about it or sing or think we're you know I have a check accepted Jesus into my heart you know like this little Jesus is living in my that's not what it means we know his presence by his spirit and truth we come to celebrate the supper we don't need a change in the tokens we don't need an other nest to the bread why wouldn't have to doubt Christ's presence his spirit is with us and in this we greatly rejoice a second practical benefit of the inn of the Ascension of Christ his intercession now intercession kids means that Jesus prays for us if you ask me to pray for you I probably need to tax myself as I'm getting older that seems to be the best way to remind myself I typically look at my phone if I have a text from Jim I pay attention Jim Jim pray okay if I write it down I might write it in my book and I'll try and pray but I can't tell you with a hundred percent infallibility that I've always ever always done that Jesus can he does intercede for you you know your best intentions and I always wonder about this you're these radio programs and the people say we're praying for you every day really you're praying for that entire listening audience every day don't make promises your brain can't fulfill be very careful about that brethren if you tell somebody I'm gonna pray for you pray for them next available moment pray for them but all that to say you still may not Jesus always lives to make intercession is this a practical benefit of the Ascension or what who is he who condemns it as Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us Romans 8:34 Hebrews 7:25 therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come now I'll come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them first John 2:1 and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous he's our intercessor he is our benefactor Calvin said as faith recognizes it is to our great benefit that Christ resides with the father for having entered a sanctuary not made with hands he appears before the father's face as our constant advocate and intercessor thus he turns the father's eyes to his own righteousness to avert his gaze from our sins he so reconciles the father's heart to us that by his intercession he prepares away and access for us to the Father's throne he fills with grace and kindness the throne that for miserable sinners would otherwise have been filled with fear and dread I love that and then finally we ought to appreciate with reference to our passage that the Ascension is the pledge of our glorification in other words because Christ ascended you can't separate any of the elements of Christ's work he lived he died he was raised he ascended and then he wasn't thrown at the right hand of the Father he has this current session so you know to take out any of those elements collapses the entire team but right brethren there is this special pledge with reference to the Ascension this was the glorification of Jesus this pledge is ours it's because of this that will ultimately be glorified because of this that will ultimately be in heaven because of this Paul in Romans 8 can say those who mean the eCall the justified and those who he justified he he clarifies one day our heads will wear crowns not because they're worthy but because Christ is worthy one day we'll enter into that place where there's no more sorrows no more pain no more tears no more death because of what Christ went through all that is ours is because of Jesus Christ he is the pledge of our glorification I will ask you again to consider this the tax teaches that Jesus is coming again in like manner visibly bodily gloriously he is coming again for the believer that I hope promotes encouragement that promotes comfort doesn't it my Jesus is coming again I know that this is happening in the US I know this is happening in Canada I know this is happening in North Korea I know that this is happening in Iran I know the turkey and it can be unraveling at times can it you just want to say forget it we won't go move to Costa Rica and there I'll find out they got issues right going to lay on the beach somewhere but my Jesus is on the throne and my Jesus is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead so you see its comfort its courage meant it's stabilizing to the people of God I hope if you're not a Christian here this morning it's terrorizing to you I don't want to terrorize you in some ungodly way but terror and fear are good motives to flee to the Savior he is coming again in glory to judge the living in the death not the only motive but it's certainly a motive would to God everyone would be converted at a thought of the loveliness of Jesus but sometimes us hardened hearted sinners need the thunder of Sinai and the threat of judgment to cause us to see our state before a holy God and cause us or promote in us a desire to flee to the Savior may that occur by God's grace today may sinners come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior may they know the blessing to be found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that which is from God through faith well let us pray our Father we thank you for your written word and we thank you for this doctrine of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and I pray that it would indeed speak comfort to our hearts as your people that it would speak terror to the hearts of those who are not your people and that today they would flee to Jesus they would believe on Jesus they would listen to what Paul and Silas told the Philippian jailer believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved everywhere in all places scripture holds forth to us justification by faith in Jesus Christ abraham believed God it was accounted unto him for righteousness may we see this and appreciate this and as Christians may we rejoice in this and may non-christians look unto Him and live and we ask this in the name and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's turn in our Trinity hymn book to the doxology and we'll stand and sing praise to our triune God it's page roman numeral six in the hymn book [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen well please be seated