The Blessings of Christ’s Ascension

 

Sermon for Ascension, May 13, 2021

Clap your hands, all you peoples!  Shout to God with the voice of triumph!  For the LORD Most High is King over all.  Amen.

Mark 16:14-20  ¹⁴ Later, he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table.  He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.  ¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  ¹⁷ “These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons.  They will speak in new languages.  ¹⁸ They will pick up snakes.  And if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them.  They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.”  ¹⁹ Then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.  ²⁰ Those who went out preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (EHV)

The Blessings of Christ’s Ascension

1. His presence

2. His promise

3. His work

4. His world

Dear friends in Christ,

            Do you have your feast prepared for your celebration after church tonight?  Did you wrap gifts and send greeting cards to proclaim your joy in the Ascension of our Lord?  Certainly, you must have spent the last couple weeks getting ready for Ascension, correct?  No? 

Well, sad to say, the Ascension of our Lord is about the most neglected event of our times.  There is no national recognition.  Most people don’t even notice the day.  Church attendance to celebrate Christ’s ascension is often on the slim side, if the congregation even gathers.  But, those who ignore this event miss out on something special: The Blessings of Christ’s Ascension.  Therefore, it is my privilege to tell you that in His Ascension, we are blessed with Christ’s presence, His promise, His work, and His world.

The first Blessing of Christ’s Ascension is His presence.  Does it sound a bit strange to hear that Christ gives us His presence by leaving this world?  Well, bear with me.  Mark tells us, “Later, he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table.  He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”  Jesus blessed those disciples with His presence but look at what He found.  Jesus found eleven men who didn’t believe the early eyewitnesses to His resurrection.  Even Peter and John who had seen the empty tomb were still doubting.

Have you ever had doubts about whether Jesus was raised from the dead?  The majority of people in our world mock Christians for believing that Jesus is alive.  Because resurrection from the dead isn’t something we see, the skeptical nature assumes that it’s not possible.  However, our risen Savior made sure that many eyewitnesses saw Him alive in the flesh after the third day in the tomb.  To remove any doubts about Jesus being resurrected as our Savior, He gives us the testimony of His presence.  Between His resurrection from the grave and His Ascension to heaven, Jesus appeared to hundreds of eyewitnesses so that they could confirm that He has risen and lives.  Therefore, you and I should be absolutely confident that everything Jesus promises is true.

Yet, there is more to the presence Jesus gives us than just His physical presence during those forty days.  Mark reports, “Then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.”  Now consider; if Jesus had remained physically on this earth, how many of us would have the opportunity to meet with Him?  If we had need for His care, how far would we have to travel to receive His help?  When guilt for our many sins troubles us, how difficult would it be to go to Him to hear Him proclaim that we are truly forgiven? 

My friends, Jesus returned to His Father’s side to take up the divine power and glory He had set aside to become our Savior.  He is there now interceding for us.  Victorious over sin and death, Jesus ascended to reign as King of all creation and as our King, He takes care of our every need and answers our every prayer.  Furthermore, Jesus testifies to the Father that He has paid for all our sins and by the simple fact that we believe in Him, we are counted as righteous.  With His ascension, Jesus promises, “Surely I am with you always until the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)  Because we need Him, Jesus is always with us in His Word and He meets with us in our prayers.  Thus, by returning to His Father’s side in power and majesty, Jesus made Himself available to us no matter what road we walk in this world. 

In addition to the blessing of His presence, Jesus gave the Ascension blessing of His promise.  He said, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons.  They will speak in new languages.  They will pick up snakes.  And if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them.  They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well."  Jesus promises that all who believe in Him as their Savior have eternal life assured to them. 

It is in our nature to want to know how we can please God and be saved, but here, Jesus confirms that He has done everything needed for us to be saved—there is nothing we have to do to gain salvation—just believe and receive.  Of course, with that promise comes the warning that those who do not believe will be condemned.  Those who refuse Jesus’ gracious work, and invitation to believe in Him, forfeit the salvation Christ won for all. 

Now some may complain, “Why doesn’t Jesus give us the rest of this promise, that we can perform miraculous signs?”  Yet, I tell you that Jesus gave those signs to show the world that His words are true, and that the disciples He chose were telling the truth for Him.  The need for these signs has been accomplished, so rather than complain about not receiving more of these signs today, understand that the signs Jesus gave through His chosen witnesses give us confidence in the words He had His disciples record for us: words God intended would give us faith, hope, and everlasting life.

Along with these first two Blessings of Christ’s Ascension, Jesus also gives us His work. “He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  Jesus could have found other ways to bring people to faith, but He gives His followers joyous, meaningful participation in spreading forgiveness and salvation to everyone we meet.  So, what did the disciples do with Jesus’ instruction?  Mark tells us, “Those who went out preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” 

Along with the joy of telling the world what Jesus has done to save us, He blesses us with the assurance that we do not do this work alone, but He is right here with us as we do the Good News telling He has prepared for us to do.  Remember Jesus’ promise, “In fact where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am among them.” (Matthew 18:20)  Doing the work of telling the world of the salvation accomplished for us brings Jesus right back among us.  Do you want to be with Jesus?  Join together with your fellow believers in prayer, repentance, praise, and worship for in these things, Jesus is right here in the middle of our group.

You and I are never alone as we do the work He gives us, for He works with us.  Therefore, I ask you, as we do His work, do we not also participate in the signs He promised?  As we proclaim His Word and the Holy Spirit brings some lost soul to faith, isn’t the devil driven out of that person’s heart, and the soul is healed and given new life?  As we proclaim salvation to the lost, do we not speak the new language of the Gospel and join in singing with the angels the heavenly song of praise, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,” (Revelation 4:8) and “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12)  Truly Christ’s ascension brings us many blessings.

Still, we have one more Blessing of Christ’s Ascension: His world.  Jesus ascended to heaven as the first of all God’s children who will rise from the dead and be taken to heaven to live with our God and Father for all eternity.  The salvation Jesus won for us would ring pretty hollow if we had to endure forever the pains and sorrows of this world.  However, Christ’s ascension proves that His promise to take us home to heaven is also certainly true.  In John’s Gospel account, we hear Jesus promise that “In my Father’s house are many mansions.  If it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am.” (John 14:2-3) 

Before He even went to the cross to die for us, Jesus foretold His return to the Father.  At His ascension we see that promise fulfilled.  In the book of the Revelation, John recorded his description of the vision he was given of Jesus’ promises fulfilled.  John reported seeing thousands upon thousands of people from every tribe, land, and nation gathered around the throne of God.  So, who were those people in that vast throng around God’s throne?  The elder assured John, “These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14)

My friends, all who believe in Jesus and the salvation He won for us are members in this vast throng who, cleansed by Jesus’ blood, will spend eternity in God’s presence.  There, we will live and reign forever with our Lord and Savior and King.  Jesus’ world is His glorious home in heaven; a home that He will share with His redeemed for all eternity.

Dear fellow brothers and sisters of Christ Jesus, we rightly celebrate Christmas and Easter with great joy.  But don’t forget the Ascension.  As we gather to celebrate Christ’s return to the Father, we celebrate again all the blessings we have been given through faith in Jesus.  There, on that hill outside of Jerusalem, we were forever blessed with Jesus’ presence, His promise, His work, and His world.  Through faith in Christ Jesus, we receive the Blessings of Christ’s Ascension.  Amen.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you.  Amen.