Ascension 2020

Introduction 

I noticed something two weeks ago that will seem obvious to you. It was Mother’s Day and I had friends and family who were posting their live stream churches and many, if not most, were preaching Mother’s Day sermons. I’m certain the same will be true for Father’s Day (and I sure hope we’re gathering together by then!). The idea of Mother’s Day was introduced in 1908 and made an official holiday in the US in 1914. The first Father’s Day was celebrated in the state of Washington in 1910, but it wasn’t made an official US holiday until 1972.

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating Mother’s and Father’s Day as a church; we have in the past. But what is absurd to me is that those who would find the idea of not celebrating Mother’s Day at church unthinkable will gloss right over Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity without even a mention. On many Low Church Protestant calendars important liturgical holidays like Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity are woefully neglected and days like Mother’s and Father’s Day are non-negotiable. To be fair, following the liturgical calendar isn’t commanded in Scripture. The only calendar the New Testament commands is weekly corporate worship every Sunday, which would include Christmas and Easter. I would guess that every single Christian Church in the world would find it unforgivable to ignore Christmas and Easter. And yet, so many neglect Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity, which are just as important.

Friedrich Schleiermacher said that the ascension is dogmatically unimportant to the experience of the gospel. Those who refute Schleiermacher’s theology, stand in line with him here. Al Mohler rightfully notes that far too many Christians think the gospel is about the past and the future, but not the present. Ascension and Pentecost are how the gospel is about right now. If we find it helpful, or even imperative, as a church to celebrate Christmas and Easter, then we dare not ignore Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity. 

This past Thursday was Ascension Day, which makes today Ascension Sunday. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven (Acts 1.3). Why should we as a church care to celebrate Ascension? Why should this matter to you? 

Biblical Theology of the Ascension

The ascension is not just a New Testament doctrine. We hear echoes of the ascension as early as Genesis 5. In this first genealogy we read of Enoch: 

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him (Gen 5.21-24).

The end of Enoch’s life on earth is described: he was not, for God took him. Some might argue that God took him is a euphemism for death, but every other person in the genealogy is described as died. No, God took Enoch.

But it’s not only the Law that shadows the ascension; the Prophets do as well. In 2 Kings 2.11 we read about the end of Elijah’s life on earth: And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Like Enoch, Elijah was taken up into heaven.

Along with the Law and the Prophets, the Writings too declare the glory of the ascension. In fact, Psalms 120-134 are all superscripted: psalms of ascent. Liturgically, these were sung, as God’s people would make the “ascent” to the Temple to worship. The Temple was a place that they must go up to; ascend, because it is where God dwelt. We see an even clearer signpost in Psalm 110 where David writes YHWH says to my adoni sit at my right hand. There will be one who will be the lord of David who will ascend to the right hand of YHWH.

Of course we know that the Law, Prophets, and Writings are fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the 2nd person of the Holy Trinity who in his incarnation was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived in sinless covenant obedience, died in the place of sinners bearing the wrath of God, was buried, and resurrected on the third day victorious over death, hell, and the grave! That is the gospel, but it is an incomplete gospel because the crucified, buried, and resurrected Christ is also the ascended Christ. 

We read from the end of Luke’s Gospel and he gives us even more detail in Acts 1:

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1.9-11)

 Luke even gives us a glimpse of the session of Christ at Stephen’s martyrdom:

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7.55-56)

As Stephen takes up his cross, he is given a glimpse of Jesus Christ reigning at the right hand of God; he’s given a glimpse of the glory that will proceed his suffering.

As we saw in Acts 1 the ascension of Christ is inherently eschatological. To proclaim the second advent of Jesus is to proclaim his advent from somewhere. This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. When Jesus Christ returns he’s returning from his session at God’s right hand to which he ascended.

Christians have always believed and celebrated the ascension of Christ. In the Apostles’ Creed, the oldest and most venerated of creeds, we confess, “He ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father almighty.” The Nicene and Athanasian Creeds recapitulate the same. The ascension is a universal tenet of Christianity, which to deny is to deny Christianity itself.

That’s true because the ascension is the coronation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Easter was the day he won the war. The Ascension is when he goes up to the throne room of God to be crowned King. It is the official installation of Jesus Christ to God’s right hand where he rules and reigns forevermore. Patrick Schreiner, in his forthcoming work The Ascension of Christ notes, “The resurrection is how Jesus lives forevermore. The ascension is how Jesus reigns forevermore.”

Prophet, Priest, and King

And that’s why Christ Community Church must celebrate Ascension like we do Christmas and Easter. The right now-ness of Jesus’ care for you is his ascension and session. Human beings need a prophet, priest, and king to intercede the New Covenant between them and God. Jesus Christ is our New Covenant prophet, priest, and king because he died, resurrected, ascended, and sits at God’s right hand. 

The ascension means Jesus is the final prophet.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs (Heb 1.1-4).

God’s speech act through Jesus Christ is completed with his ascension and session. 

Jesus is the Word of God (John 1) who speaks to God’s people through the Word and sacraments. The Scriptures are the very word of Christ and Jesus is spiritually present in baptism and the Eucharist. But Jesus can only do that because he is at God’s right hand. Before the ascension if you wanted to hear Jesus speak you’d have to go to the Middle East. But because he’s ascended, his body is outside of time and space. The hypostatically unified body of Jesus of Nazareth is omnipresent. And so Jesus has a global prophetic ministry through his Word and sacraments. In 2 Peter 1, Peter writes that the prophetic Word (Scripture) is better than being at the transfiguration. Jesus prophetically ministers to his church through the Scripture. John Calvin said, “Scripture is the scepter through which the ascended Lord Jesus rules his church.” 

The ascension means Jesus is the final priest. Look at Hebrews 4:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4.14-16).

Jesus made the final sacrifice for our sin on Good Friday, but he continues to covenantally intercede for us now. Notice that we can draw near to God with confidence to receive grace and mercy because Jesus passed through the heavens. Jesus hears our prayers and prays for us himself because he ascended to God the Father and stands between him and us. 

The ascension means Jesus is the final king. In Hebrews 1 the author quotes Psalm 110 and argues that God did not say sit at my right hand to any angels, but to Jesus. Paul says after Christ’s death:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2.9-11)

Again, the ascension is the coronation of King Jesus. Since he ascended, King Jesus has been ruling and reigning over the creation. Right now many don’t acknowledge him, but they will when he returns to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new. But on that day he will be no more king of the world than he is now, he will simply be revealed. As Tim Keller said, “The ascension means that a human being rules the universe.”

And so the ascension beckons those hearing who don’t believe. You need a prophet, priest, and king before God. The Ascended Lord Jesus is that for you, if you will repent and believe in him. Trust in his life, death, and resurrection in you place and you will be saved. And for his church may the ascension encourage you. You do have a prophet, priest, and king. Jesus speaks God’s word to you through the Word and sacrament. He intercedes for you, and gives you mercy and grace. And he rules over every aspect of your life. He is the true benevolent sovereign who administers for God’s glory and our good.

Conclusion

The ascension is the coronation of Jesus Christ as the prophet, priest, and king of the world. My prayer this morning is that you might behold and believe in the ascended Lord Jesus. And if you think it’s important to say, “happy Mother’s Day,” or “happy Father’s Day!” If you can’t imagine going to church without saying, “merry Christmas,” or “He is risen indeed!” Then don’t forget to say, “Happy Ascension!”