The Session of Jesus

May 23, 1993

Ascension Sunday

Wollaston Church of the Nazarene

John 17:1-11
Acts 1: Ye shall receive power ...
Hebrews 12: 2,3

Introduction

[We are just one week away from "the Third Great Day" in the church's yearly calendar— the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost is a day the secular world has not (yet) learned how to commercialize. And as a result, much of the worshiping church almost ignores it. After all, we follow the culture much, much more than we want to admit. So if Hallmark doesn't know what to do about celebrating the birthday of the church, well, then— neither do we!]

[What difference does it make whether or not Jesus actually, literally, bodily rose again from the dead? What difference does it make that Jesus literally, actually, in His glorified BODY ascended into heaven, there to sit at the right hand of God the Father? When I am under pressure, misunderstood, what difference does it make WHERE Jesus is?]

If we could get use of a Star Trek time warp and by some miracle take the place of that first little group of believers in the year that Jesus died and rose again ... ... if we could be that group that actually experienced the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit which was the baptism and the birth of the church, the body of Christ... ... we would just now be three days into an historic prayer meeting.

I. JESUS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN

THE ASCENSION SEEN FROM BELOW AND FROM ABOVE

How WE saw it ...
"Just last Thursday we were on the mountain that rises east of Jerusalem, walking and talking with the risen Lord. We were getting used to the idea that He really has conquered death, and that He is Lord of Lords.
"But then this most awesome thing happened. Jesus had told us He was going to leave, and yet that He was not going to abandon us. There were angels there to explain it, but we still were pretty much amazed. For last Thursday there was a departure. Jesus said that we were to come back here to the Upper Room and wait, and pray, and that we would understand, would receive power to carry out His mission. Then while He was speaking He simply lifted off from the ground and a cloud of glory received Him and He was gone, out of sight.
"This would have devastated us a few weeks ago. But we have learned a little about trusting Him; we are here in this place in obedience to His command."
How HEAVEN may have seen it ...
Even if we had been part of that church-in-the-making there in the Upper Room, we could not have understood what was going on at the "other end of that Ascension Day journey" Jesus took that day.
We make a great deal of the coming of the son of God to this world as a Baby, and rightly so. Our imaginations have taken us to Bethlehem year after year. But we don't quite know how to deal with the return of the Son of God to his throne, to the glory he had before the worlds began.
This was a direct answer to the great High Priestly Prayer of John 17. Before Jesus prayed for the disciples or for us in that great prayer, He prayed that night for Himself. He said,
I have finished the work You sent me to do— now, O Father, GLORIFY ME WITH THE GLORY I HAD WITH YOU BEFORE THE WORLD WAS!
We need more poems like Christopher Wordsworth (1807-85)'s hymn;
See the conqueror mounts in triumph,
See the King in royal state,
Riding on the clouds his chariot
To His heavenly palace gate!
Hark! the choir of angel voices
Joyful alleluias sing,
And the portals high are lifted
To receive the heavenly King.
Who is this that comes in glory
With the trump of jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies,
He has gained the victory
He who on the cross did suffer
He who from the grave arose
He has vanquished sin and Satan,
He by death has spoiled his foes.
Thou hast raised our human nature
On the clouds to thy right hand
There we sit in heavenly places
There with Thee in glory stand;
Jesus reigns, adored by angels;
Man with God is on the throne;
Mighty Lord, in thine Ascension
We by faith behold our own.
Glory be to God the Father;
Glory be to God the Son,
Dying, risen, ascending for us,
Who the heavenly realm has won;
Glory to the Holy spirit;
To One God, in Persons Three;
Glory both in earth and heaven,
Glory, endless glory, be.
It is marvelous to catch glimpse of the joy in heaven that the Eternal Word has returned in Triumph.

II. JESUS IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER

THE SAVIOR AT THE THRONE OF GRACE

It is even more wonderful from our selfish perspective to realize what Jesus is doing there at the Throne.

Jesus is praying for YOU.
Jesus is sending His Spirit, by His Spirit He is Present with us
Jesus is "preparing a place" for His people. He came to earth to share our human frailty in order that through eternity we might share His eternal fellowship. Listen to the theology in that Christopher Wordsworth hymn again:

Thou hast raised our human nature —
On the clouds to thy right hand —
There we sit in heavenly places —
There with Thee in glory stand; —

Jesus reigns, adored by angels; —
Man with God is on the throne; —
Mighty Lord, in thine Ascension —
We by faith behold our own.

III. JESUS CONNECTS WITH YOU AND ME, WHERE WE ARE NOW!

OUR SOURCE OF HOPE AND JOY

IF WE BELIEVE THIS, THEN WE CAN LIVE WITH PERSPECTIVE: It helps in life if we can look above the problems and burdens of the day and know where we are headed.
In the recent book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, author Steven Covey says:
"I value my children. I love them, I want to help them. I value my role as their father. But I don't always see those values. I get caught up in the "thick of thin things." What matters most gets buried under layers of pressing problems, immediate concerns, and outward behaviors. I become reactive. And the way I interact with my children every day often bears little resemblance to the way I deeply feel about them. ( 105 )
Jesus, at the throne of grace, watching us, caring for us, praying for us helps us keep perspective on our goals, where we are headed. Even when we cannot see, we can trust that He can— and that he will "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
IF WE BELIEVE THIS, WE WILL SURVIVE LIFE'S BATTLES:
Look again at the familiar opening words of Hebrews 12, especially as they apply to the Ascension:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF FAITH, WHO FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME AND HAS SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
When the little kids in my house are insufferable, or when the boss that controls my paycheck (if not my career) is impossible to understand and unfair or when the other people in my school act as if I did not even exist....these may not be classic martyr-type cases of suffering. But they are suffering! They do represent pain! And when we experience pain and suffering and struggle, Jesus is THERE for us!
Suffering is the overlooked thread that runs through the scriptures. No one enjoys even thinking about the hard times, the opposition, the pain and the struggle.
The Ascension says several things to those of us who believe in the Christ when we come to the times of suffering and struggle. Jesus showed us how. He endured! Jesus cares, He prays for us NOW. Jesus assures us that suffering is temporary, but victory is permanent. [Finally, ] (Conclusion)
IF WE BELIEVE THIS WE WILL DO AS THAT EARLY CHURCH DID:
We know we cannot find that time-machine and change places with the disciples in the pre-Pentecost prayer meeting. But we can and we will obey the Lord's same commands:
1. We can... and we will pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit! Have YOU made that full and complete surrender to the will of God for your life? Have you asked and received the fullness of the Spirit?
2. We can... and we will do our best to let this world know that Jesus is alive. Even when we suffer, we will be faithful!
  Peter says (in our epistle lesson); "Don't think it is strange when things are tough! That is the way life is! As a matter of fact, things are sometimes tougher for Christians!"
3. We can... and we will live with Christ's RETURN in mind!
  The angels said, This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven! and Jesus Himself said, If I go I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also! So, if we are faithful in our pilgrimage there is an Ascension Day waiting for us, as well!

Prayer

Hymn Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart