Jesus' Ascension: Between Heavenly and Earthly Visions (Acts 1:9-11)

“It was not long afterwards that [Lord Jesus] rose into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, leaving them staring after him. As they were straining their eyes for another glimpse, suddenly two white-robed men were standing there among them, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as he went, he will return!’”
(Acts 1:9-11, The Living Bible)

In John 1:14 we read that the Word became flesh and dwelt among men. In John 16:28 Jesus said that He had “came from the Father into the world and will leave the world and return to the Father.” Jesus came a long journey into this world to do His Father’s will. Here Jesus is going back to heaven, to His Father. Jesus loves His Father and we know that the Father loves His Son. This love exchange should make us very glad because indeed, God is love!

The apostles were so surprised that they stood there staring in amazement up into heaven. So two angels (two white-robed men, no doubt were angels) appeared to them and told them plainly that this very same Jesus would come back again in the same way as He had gone into heaven. “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (NIV). What can we understand from this passage? I want to quote John R. Stott commentary in The Message of Acts (1990) here:

First, Jesus will come again. “He has gone, and they must let him go; he will return in his own good time, in the same way… There will be important differences between his going and his coming. Although his coming will be personal, it will not be private like his ascension. Only the eleven apostles saw him go, but when he comes ‘every eyes will see him.’ Instead of returning alone (as when he went). Millions of holy ones – both human and angelic – will form his retinue. And in place of a localized coming (‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’), it will be ‘like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other’” (page 50).

Secondly, the angles implied, until Jesus comes again, the apostles must get on with their witness, for that was their mandate. “There was something fundamentally anomalous about their gazing up into the sky when they had been commissioned to go to the end of the earth. It was the earth not the sky which was to be their preoccupation. Their calling was to be witnesses not stargazers. The vision they were to cultivate was not upwards in nostalgia to the heaven which had received Jesus, but outwards in compassion to a lost world which needed him… First, Jesus returned to heaven (Ascension). Secondly, the Holy Spirit came (Pentecost). Thirdly, the church goes out to witness (Mission). Fourthly, Jesus will come back (Parousia)” (page 51).

Obviously for us today, we must remember these 2 important truths: #1 Heavenly vision: Our hope is sure! Jesus is alive and He will come back again to unite us to have fellowship with the loving Father.  And #2 Earthly vision: Between Jesus’ going and coming, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we must go into the world for Jesus! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Young Men, Consider the Ascended Jesus

“[Jesus] left them and was taken up into heaven”

(Luke 24:51, NIV)

The ascension of our Lord directs attention to the fact that He is not only risen, but enthroned. It is that event in which the risen Christ finally and visibly withdrew from His disciples and passed into the heavens – a fitting climax to His life of perfect obedience on earth. His glorious ascension was the necessary and appropriate complement to His resurrection, and the manner in which it took place was consistent with His miraculous life and achievements.

He did not vanish out of sight as He did at Emmaus (Luke 24:31) leaving a question as to whether there might be yet further appearances. He walked away from them, and then He was carried up into heaven, there to sit at the right hand of God. It took place as they were looking on, in broad daylight (Acts 1:9). There was no possibility of mistake. He was really and finally gone.

He ascended bodily, and carried His glorified human body into heaven. He left the disciples, with His hands outstretched in blessing. As soon as His nail-pierced feet left the earth, He commenced His ministry as their Advocate and Intercessor. They exchanged His physical presence for His spiritual omnipresence.

The ascension was an important part of the Lord’s ministry on our behalf. It imparted the assurance that His death was effective and that all God’s claims against sinful men had been met. It evidenced the fact that the problem created by man’s sin had been finally solved. It enabled His disciples to give a satisfying account of the disappearance of Christ’ body from the tomb.

Further, it was the necessary prelude to the coming of the Holy Spirit as promised by the Lord. As the Scriptures says, “the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (John 7:39). Now the way was open for the Pentecostal effusion. By the ascension, the local Christ became the universal Christ whose personal presence was mediated by the Holy Spirit.

To Christ, it was the reward of His obedience unto death. “Therefore God exalted Him…” (Philippians 2:9). The ascension reversed man’s verdict on the Son of God. Had the Saviour not ascended, we would be without a representative in heaven, and without the Comforter to lead and guide us on earth. His presence in heaven makes heaven a blessed reality to us. Amen.

[Edited, modified and modernized from Consider Him (1976) by J. Oswald Sanders]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Be an Optimist Christian, Don't Give In to Pessimism

Dear Annie,

            I need to share you a story. A not-so-closed-friend of mine, who studied in a theological school, (He said to me once, “I’m a Calvinist-reformed.” I don’t know what that really mean, and I think he’s just repeating his favourite preacher’s sermons) asked me, “Are you a Calvinist or Arminian?” I know he wants to have a theological debate with me. I know about the Calvinist’s 5-points (TULIP) and because I admire David Pawson and John Wesley, I know about basic Arminian’s arguments too. But I don’t want to argue with him. So I answered, “I’m an optimist.” I can tell his eyes widen when I continued, “I think if I labelled myself to either one of that, I’ll become a pessimist Christian” like you, I thought to myself.

Annie, my dear, life is hard. Anyone who want to live a godly life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Bad things will happened. So if persecution is a sure thing, why we need to add more troubles by being pessimist? I want to be an optimist Christian! Pessimism and Christianity don’t mix. Why? Because Christians have every reason to be optimistic about life here on earth and life eternal. As. C.H. Spurgeon observed, “Our hope in Christ for the future is the mainstream of our joy.” But sometimes, we may fall prey to worry, frustration, anxiety, and our hearts become heavy. What’s needed is a large dose of perspective, God’s healing touch, and the Word of God: “Give your worries to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let good people down” (Psalms 55:22).

Let us make a promise to ourselves today: vow to be a hope-and-joy-filled Christian. Think optimistically about our lives, our families, our future together and our friends. Let us trust in God’s love, hope and don’t fear of the future. Our future is belongs to God. When we filled our hearts with hope and gladness, we can share our God-given optimism with our friends and loved ones.

A very close friend once told me, “If you genuinely believe that God is good and that His Son died for your sins, how you can be pessimistic about your future? The answer, of course, is that you can’t!” I agreed. But Annie, sometime we forget that actually Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (not only his work on the cross) are the biggest reasons why we have to be an optimistic Christians. Jesus is Alive! Jesus the Victorious! Curse are the anxious and sad-face Christians! Optimism is a choice. When we choose to trust God for everything, we can rest in His promises to take care of us the way He sees fit. Knowing that we have a loving heavenly Father who desires to care for us and provide for us should give every child of God a reason for true optimism.

By God’s grace, I pray that you and I will be filled with God’s joy.

Don’t forget to text me today okay. Smile my love.

                                                                                                                                    Miss you very much,

Richard

P.S: I’m also optimistic about marrying you

(Am I sound too preach-y lately? ha2)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.