The Ascension of Jesus Christ

Transcript

GR 422
11/22/1981
The Ascension of Jesus Christ
John 21
Gil Rugh


Acts chapter 1 in your Bibles. We’re in the Book of Acts and the first chapter. We’ve spent the past couple of years studying the Gospel of John and the Book of Acts flows right on from the end of the gospels into the continuing ministry of the disciples and Acts chapter 1 concludes the earthly ministry of Christ by the account of the ascension to heaven which marks the end of the earthly ministry of Christ After His resurrection He spent a period of 40 days, as we'll see in the verse here ministering to the disciples. At the conclusion of that time He ascended into heaven and He did not carry on a ministry in their midst personally on earth again after that. But rather with Acts chapter 2 the Spirit being the ministry within the hearts and lives of these individuals and that continues on through the Book of Acts and on down to the period of time in which we find ourselves today.

In John chapter 21 where we were in our last study there was the discussion between Christ and Peter and the reminder to Peter that he is to be occupied with following Christ. His attention is to be given to following Him. Not being concerned about what others do or don't do. About what ministry God has for them or does not have for them, about whether their lives will be long or short, but I am to be absorbed in following Jesus Christ, in being the person He wants me to be in carrying out the ministry He wants me to have, that I might glorify Him to the fullest.

John notes in verse 24 and 25 of chapter 21 that he hasn’t attempted to be exhaustive in what he has recorded. When we began the study of the Gospel of John we did a survey of the Book and the miracles that are recorded there and so for review you might want to go back and listen to that tape to tie the book together for you somewhat. But an example of something he left out is found in the opening chapter of the Book of Acts. The ascension itself of Jesus Christ to the Father.
Not recorded by John. He has seen his purpose as completed and realized in presenting the evidences that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah of Israel.

Now the Book of Acts picks up in connection with the close of the Book of Luke because they were both written by the man Luke and so the Book of Acts is Luke’s continuation of what he wrote in his Gospel.

Now turn back to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, to give you the connection in sequence and where we are geographically. Note verse 44 of Luke 24. "Now He said to them, 'These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you—that all things which are written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.' Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and He said to them, 'Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the third day and that repentance for forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed in His Name to all the nations beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.' And He lead them out as far as Bethany."

And that's where we will be with the ascension in Acts chapter 1, Bethany. Approximately one-half mile from the city of Jerusalem. "And He lifted up His hands and blessed them and it came about that while He was blessing them He parted from them and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising God."

Now back to Acts chapter 1. Just a couple of things before we center in on the verses we want to look at. In verse 2 of Acts chapter 1. Luke has noted. He writes to Theopolis noted about his former account which would be his gospel "which Jesus began to do and teach until the day when He was taken up after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen." I think it's interesting the way that's phrased. That Jesus Christ before His departure gave orders to the apostles. There is an authority emphasized here. He didn't give the suggestions. He didn't give them some ideas to work on and develop. He gave them specific commands and orders that must be obeyed and must be followed. Some of that will come out in what we look at in subsequent verses.

Verse 3 tells us that He presented Himself alive after His suffering by many convincing proofs. We have seen some of these in John's Gospel, chapters 20 and 21. The proofs and evidences that He was alive, that He had been raised from the dead. They saw Him. They touched Him. They handled Him. They ate with Him Indisputable evidence that He had been raised from the dead.

We are told in verse 3 that He appeared to them over a period of 40 days, the only place in the New Testament we are told how long those appearances went on. How long did Jesus continue to appear to the disciples after His resurrection? For a period of 40 days. Now He wasn't constantly evident to them during those 40 days, but He would appear. Then be gone. On another occasion he would appear and then be gone. This went on over a period of 40 days. So it's not just a period of two or three days where the disciples in the emotion and pressure of the moment might have conjured something up in their mind. But this is a period of over a month where He continued to manifest Himself and give evidence. And—at the end of verse 3—speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Two things are going on during these 40 days. He is demonstrating that He is alive and resurrected from the dead and He is also teaching them concerning the kingdom of God. We saw this at the end of the Book of Luke which we just read. That He showed them from the Scriptures that the Messiah must suffer, die and be raised from the dead because the disciples didn't see how this all fit together. You remember they were thrown into confusion and disarray. The Messian of Israel has been executed. What is the hope? What is the future? During this period of 40 days Jesus is opening the Old Testament Scriptures to them so they can understand and grasp that this is part of the eternal plan of God for the Messiah of Israel— that He would suffer and die and then reign in glory. Verse 4. "Gathering them together He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised which He said you heard of from Me." Luke referred to this at the end of his gospel as well. That that which had been promised by the Father referring to the gift of the Holy Spirit. Behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you. But you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. So in verse 4 He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. That which He had taught them concerning speaking of the person of the Holy Spirit.

Then verse 5. "For John baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Key verse. John baptized with water. You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. You remember—John the Baptist came on the scene announcing, I baptize with water but there is One coming after me whose sandal I am not worthy to latch. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." So even John early in his ministry had proclaimed that his baptism was with water. The Messiah’s baptism would be with the Holy Spirit.

Now, when you come to verse 5 of Acts chapter 1 Jesus said that is still a future event for these disciples. The Messiah has come. He has been introduced to the nation by John the Baptist. We saw this in the Gospel of John and the first chapter. "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." They have ministered with Him over a period of some three years. He has been crucified and raised from the dead and they are still not baptized with the Holy Spirit of God. That is something that is still future for them. Still to be anticipated. You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." That did not occur during Christ's earthly ministry. The baptism of the Spirit will occur not many days from now in Acts chapter 2. The Holy Spirit of God will be poured forth upon them in fulfillment of the promise of God the Father and the teaching of Jesus Christ. John chapters 14, 15, and 16 centered in on the coming of the Spirit. We'll look at a few of those verses in just a moment. That He would come. He would be sent. Now here Jesus says He is coming and in Acts chapter 2 He will be provided. You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Now verses 6 and 7. "So when they had come together they were asking Him saying, ’Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ Their concern. They have followed Him as the Messiah of Israel. The Messiah, the King of Israel, must have a kingdom. Lord, is it now the time? You have suffered and died. You have been raised from the dead. You have shown us how this fulfills the Old Testament Scriptures. We didn’t understand before that you had to go through this. Now we see it. That has happened. Now, are you here to set up the kingdom? Are we meeting with you here outside Bethany because now we are going to march to Jerusalem and You'll take control and establish Your rule and reign over the earth.

It's interesting, Jesus' response. It reminds me of what He told Peter in John chapter 21. He said to them, 'It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.' Remember Jesus told Peter when he asked, What about this man, Lord? What about John? And Jesus said, It's none of your business. You follow Me. Now the disciples say, Are we going to have the kingdom now? And Jesus is basically the same thing, It's none of your business. That's something the Father has in His own hands. What the Father chooses to do with the times and the epochs in establishing My Kingdom on the earth does not have anything to do with you and the ministry you have. Now I realize their ministry is connected to the kingdom, but the when of the kingdom does not affect what they are to do. Your responsibility is to serve Me and the Father has reserved for Himself the times and the epochs regarding the establishing of the kingdom. That ought to say something to us about setting dates and times regarding the kingdom of Christ, regarding the Rapture of the church, the Tribulation, the inauguration of the Millennium. Very simply, verse 7 says it's none of your business. God has reserved that for Himself. Somehow we have in our minds as human beings that we have to know everything that God knows. As soon as we find something where God says, It's none of your business, it seems we want to dwell there longer. It doesn't matter. You know I can carry on the ministry that God has for me with no limit on my effectiveness, no limit on my power, even though I don’t have the foggiest idea when the kingdom is going to be established on the earth. It may be very soon. It may not be very soon but my ministry is unchanging.

And you see the connection with verse 8. "But you shall receive power." He takes them back to verse 5. Talks to them about the baptism of the Spirit of God. That’s where I want to focus your attention. The provision of power for you in ministry. Now regarding the time of the kingdom, that's not of primary concern. That is in the Father's authority. But you will be given power within the confines of course of the authority of the Father.

Now you ought to note here. He does not say or imply that the kingdom will not be established. Only that the timing of the establishing of the kingdom is not their concern. He does not say You misunderstand. There is not going to be an earthly kingdom. Don't you understand yet that the plan is totally changed? That we are not going to have a kingdom on earth? No, he does not say that. Rather, His response would indicate there is going to be an earthly kingdom but the timing of the establishing of that kingdom is not something that you need to occupy or concern yourself with. That is in God's hands. But what you do need to be occupied with is the provision of power from the Father for your ministry during that time.

So verse 8. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." And the connection is with the baptism of the Spirit in verse 5. "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Verse 8. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." So the baptism of the Spirit will occur and that will be the provision of power for the disciples. Now the baptism of the Spirit. That ministry of the Spirit that begins in Acts chapter 2 and continues down until the Rapture of the Church. That ministry of the Spirit in identifying us with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Making us part of His body, the bride of Christ. I Corinthians chapter 12:13 says "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." Baptism of the Spirit is that ministry of the Spirit that places us into the body of Christ discussed in detail in Romans chapter 6, identifying us with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. We now are part of His body in connection with that baptizing ministry of the Spirit. He takes up residence within us to empower us for the service that God has for us during our time here on earth.

Now we noted in our study of the Gospel of John. This is different than the filling ministry of the Spirit that has occurred on previous occasions. The Holy Spirit filled people throughout the Old Testament. He filled people through the Gospels. John the Baptist, you remember, was filled, Luke chapter 1 verse 15, with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. In Matthew chapter 3 verse 16, the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ at His baptism. In John chapter 14 verses 16 and 17, Jesus told the disciples that the Holy Spirit was with you, but He shall be in you.” So there is a unique aspect of the ministry of the Spirit of God that was anticipated, viewed as yet future.

Come back to John chapter 14 to remind ourselves of certain verses that look forward to the coming of the Spirit’s ministry. John 14. Verse 26. "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit," remember that word "paracelete” that one called alongside of to give aid or assistance, comfort. To help in whatever way is needed. The Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My Name. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Over in chapter 15 verse 26. "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me and you will be witness of Me also because you have been with Me from the beginning." You notice consistently emphasize "when He comes." When I send Him.

Over in chapter 16 verse 7. "I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away the Helper shall not come to you. But if I go I will send Him to you." That is what is happening in Acts chapter 1. Jesus is going to the Father. Now He has been to the Father before during these 40 days. But now there is the formal ascension where He returns to the Father’s presence to remain there. And so He sends the Spirit to take up His ministry, to be a comforter, a provider, an enabler, as Christ was Himself during the earthly ministry.

In chapter 16:12 "But I have many more things to say to you but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Holy Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth for He will not speak on His own initiative. But whatever He hears He will speak and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me for He shall take of Mine and shall disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you."

So back in Acts chapter 1. With the baptism of the Spirit in Acts chapter 2, that ministry of the Spirit will begin. That's why Jesus said, Wait here. You are not prepared and equipped and fitted for ministry. You must wait at Jerusalem until you receive what I promised, the Holy Spirit. And then you will be prepared and equipped for that ministry which I have for you to carry on. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. I think important to note the connection here. It is power for what? Key. Jesus Christ is about to leave the earth. What are these disciples to do and how are they to do it? Well, Christ says there will be provision made for you in a few days. Power, enablement, the dynamic—word that comes from this word that we have in Greek here. The empowerment to enable you. For what? "You shall be My witnesses." That’s the key. Verse 5. "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." When that occurs you shall have power and you shall be My witnesses. So a person is baptized by the Spirit of God and for us today that occurs when a person comes to trust in Jesus Christ as personal Savior because the church begins in Acts chapter 2 and that is the beginning of that ministry of the baptizing work of the Spirit to place us into the body of Christ. No one had been placed into the body of Christ up until Acts 2 because *-he church had not begun. But now all who believe in Jesus Christ are baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit of God the moment they trust Jesus Christ. That’s I Corinthians 12:13 where by one Spirit we have all been baptized into one body. Now and He baptizes us, places us into the body of Christ, that spiritual ministry of the Spirit of God occurs. He also empowers us by the Person of His presence to carry on a ministry. This could be looked at in a variety of aspects such as the gifts of the Spirit that are now present with the presence of the Spirit to enable us to serve. But the particular focal point that Jesus selects out in verse 8 is to be a witness, to be a testimony of Jesus Christ. You shall be My witnesses. Note how this happens. Look over in chapter 2 of the Book of Acts.

The Spirit of God comes upon them on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. We won’t go into the discussion on tongues and that so forth. I'll leave that to Del to do in his Sunday School class. But verse 32. We’ll do the easy stuff. Acts 2:32. Peter is preaching and he began in verse 22. Some of these verses we reviewed earlier in our study of the Gospel of John. By proclaiming to them concerning Jesus the Nazarene and the evidences and testimonies that He was the Son of God. His death. His resurrection.

Then verse 32. This Jesus God raised up again to which we are all witnesses Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit has poured forth this which you both see and hear.” You see what immediately happens when the Holy Spirit of God comes upon them, they begin to testify to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Look over in 3:15. Verse 14. "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. But put to death the Prince of Life, the One whom God raised from the dead. A fact to which we are witnesses.” Now the apostles are witnesses in a unique way. They are those who saw Him, who handled, who touched, who heard, who have the concrete tangible evidence given to them so they can be firsthand witnesses that He was raised from the dead.

Look over in chapter 5 verse 32. Verse 31. "He is the One whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Given to those who believe in Him. The obedience of faith here. The Holy Spirit has been provided. The Spirit of God testifies to these things and we do too. Because it is the Spirit of God at work in us who bears testimony to who Jesus Christ is.

This goes on through the Book of Acts. Chapter 10 verse 39. "We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross and God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He should become visible." Verse 42. "And He ordered us to preach to the people and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead."

Look over in chapter 13. That’s as far as we’ll go. You can trace it through the rest of the Book of Acts. Chapter 13. Verse 31. (End of SIDE ONE). The context again. He’s teaching about the death and resurrection of Christ. Verse 30. God raised Him from the dead. For many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. The very ones who are now His witnesses to the people and we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers." Verse 38. Therefore, let it be known to you brethren, that through Him the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Therefore take heed that you not be unbelieving."

Down to verse 47. "For thus the Lord has commanded us. I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles that you should bring salvation to the end of the earth.
You note that there is no limit, no confines put on the extent of the witness that they are to bear. It is a proclamation of salvation to the ends of the earth because there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. So any human being anywhere in the world experienced salvation only by faith in the finished work of the Son of God. So this is a proclamation to be made to the ends of the earth, to all people.

Now it's interesting to me as I look in Acts chapter 1, the connection that being baptized with the Spirit, being empowered with the Spirit and being a witness to Jesus Christ, flow together. I realize the unique position of the apostles, the unique ministry given to them as eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I also recognize the parallel and the similarity that we all share as believers. For we are all baptized by the same Spirit we have come to believe in Jesus Christ. We are all empowered by the same Spirit. Thus, the result and manifestation of that empowerment
ought to be evident in much the same way. I cannot say that I have seen the risen Christ. That I have laid my eyes on Him, my hands on Him, but I testify to you that He, the Son of God, has died to pay the penalty for sins, that He was raised from the dead and you must believe in Him to have life. I am called to bear testimony to Him, to bear witness to Him. An interesting word this word "witness". We alluded to this in our study of the Gospel of John. The suffering that that may bring. The hardship it may bring.
This word "witness" is the word we use in English "martyr" because it came to mean that one who gave testimony and suffered and died because of his testimony. But we are called to bear testimony to Jesus Christ and the empowerment and the enablement comes from the Spirit of God. Now you think of the potential that is there. That here you have a small group of people who are going to be empowered by the Spirit of God. Just a fraction of the people that are present here in this one service this morning and as a result of the Spirit of God empowering them, the whole world hears the message of Christ. Thousands and millions of peoples lives are transformed. Now you think of the potential that is resident in a group* of believers like this. When we are many times more than those you are reading about in the Book of Acts. But we have the same Spirit of God empowering us. The same Spirit of God working in and through us that as we share the message of Christ the opportunities there are for lives to be changed, for the Spirit of God to draw men and women to salvation in Jesus Christ. I believe this is a key primary purpose in our functioning as believers to bear testimony to Him. I realize the Spirit does other things in our lives as He conforms us to the character of Jesus Christ. But you know He could have taken us immediately to heaven and accomplished that purpose. He could have taken these apostles to heaven with Him at the ascension and immediately conformed them to the glory of His character. But they had to remain so that they could proclaim the message and in all that we do as believers if we do not allow the Spirit of God to use us to that end, I take it we are falling far short of what God intends to accomplish in our lives as His children.

Over to II Corinthians chapter 2. Can’t touch on this subject without coming to my favorite passage. II Corinthians chapter 2. Verse 14. ’’But thanks be to God who always leads us in His triumph in Christ." That victory that we have in Christ that we share with Him. Which we are related to by the baptizing ministry of the Spirit of God. Now note how he elaborates it. Even making manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. That manifest is a present participle. Even making manifest. Inseparably linked to that triumph in Christ is the making manifest of the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. In other words the picture here is of believers giving off the fragrance of Christ in every place. The Spirit of God has baptized me into the body of Christ, empowered me that I might give off the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus Christ in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God. Now note who the fragrance is given to. It's given off to God among men. Among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one an aroma of death to death. To the other an aroma from life to life and who is adequate for these things? In other words the picture here is we are making Jesus Christ known. We are presenting the truth concerning the finished work of the person of the Son of God. That is a fragrance that ascends to God and He is pleased with that. Why do I proclaim and make Jesus Christ known? Because that pleases God and that's what my Christian life is all about. He is pleased that I am making Jesus Christ known. I get my eyes directed this way instead of this way. I get concerned whether you are pleased. Whether other people are pleased and my Christian life is about pleasing God, the One who called me, the One who saved me and I give off this fragrance of the knowledge of Christ to Him. He is pleased when His Son is being made known. Now there is impact made upon those who hear the message. Some hear and do not believe. They are further confirmed in their lost condition. They are in the process of perishing. Those who hear and believe and are in the process of being built up by that message. Who is adequate for these things? He doesn't answer that question.

Come down in verse 5. Verse 4. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves but our adequacy is from God. Chapter 3 verse 5. That adequacy is not in myself. That adequacy for this ministry, being a minister of the new covenant as chapter three talked about, which means making known the finished work of Jesus Christ. That's the new covenant. The Person and work of Christ. I have an adequacy from God for that ministry and in chapter 2, verse 17, it touches on that. "We are not like the many peddling the Word of God
but as from sincerity, as from God we speak in Christ in the sight of God. Note
the crucial. I must be as accurate, as clear, as aggressive as possible, because I speak not in the sight of men, but in the sight of God. He is the One who matters. Every time I speak concerning Jesus Christ, God is the One viewing that. He is the One witnessing that and I should be concerned about what you think about? If it's good enough for God, it's good enough for you. If it's good enough for Him, it's good enough for human beings. But I am concerned that I present the truth of the message of His Son with clarity and accuracy—that it might be acceptable as a pleasing fragrance to Him.

So you come back to Acts chapter 1. "You shall be My witnesses." That is a result of the indwelling empowering ministry of the Spirit of God. Now, is that happening in your life and in my life? Are we testifying to Him? Has that occurred in our lives this week? Stop and think. Has Jesus Christ been made known by you in every place? How long will it take for this city to be saturated with the fragrance of Jesus Christ if every single person is giving off the fragrance of Christ in every place that God places us? Well, you see that pretty soon the fragrance of Christ would saturate the city because you take several thousand believers making Him known in every place that God places them, the fragrance of Christ is being given off and God is pleased with that and the Spirit of God in power uses that message to draw those that God is pleased to call to Himself to salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. Crucial that we see God’s intention and enablement.

What a tragedy. You know, I'm going to be speaking on witnessing on Wednesday night in our study and impressed that every believer has everything necessary to be a most effective witness for Jesus Christ because we have the message of life. We have the presence of the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Now it is simply a matter of doing what He says. I have the message. I have the power but I have sealed lips. What a tragedy. What a waste. That the power of God resides in me. He has given me a message of life and I refuse to allow the Spirit of God opportunity to demonstrate His power in that message in drawing men and women and young people to Himself by faith in Jesus Christ. Boy, I ought to be...I can't wait—chomping at the bit. Who's next? Who can I lay out this truth on next? That Jesus Christ, the Son of God has died for their sins, has been raised in victory. You've got to hear this. You've got to know it. Recognizing the Spirit of God is going to take that message and use it to accomplish salvation in the lives of some of those that hear. I don't know who are those in the process of perishing and who are those in the process of being saved. But I do know what my responsibility is—to be a witness to Him so that the Spirit might have opportunity to empower and work in and through me in power in bringing others to Himself.

Back in Acts chapter 1. Just some comments on the ascension and we're going to be looking at this a little more in detail because we're going to look at the Second Coming of Christ to earth in our subsequent studies and the events surrounding that.

Verse 9. " After He had said these things He was lifted up." You note what He has told them about the coming baptism of the Spirit, the empowerment they would receive and what they are to do in light of that. Testify to me. Now that’s what you need to know. "After He said these things He was lifted up while they were looking on and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And they were gazing intently into the sky." You have to appreciate the disciples and they are human beings like us. John 21. Peter—Lord what about this man? Acts chapter 1. Christ is talking about the baptism of the Spirit, empowerment and they are saying, When is the kingdom coming, Lord? Now here Christ ascends and here they are standing looking into heaven. I can't get over it. I can't believe it. That was amazing. And two angels appear. In verse 11. "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?" Just a plain simple question. Now you say Well, obviously, the Lord of glory just ascended in a cloud of glory. But you know Christ has just told them, You are going to be baptized with the Spirit. You are going to receive power to testify to Me. You're going to wait for Me in Jerusalem. I said nothing about standing here looking into the sky. The angels come, men of Galilee. What are you doing? I think probably sometimes the angels are a little bit surprised at the delay we have in response. I mean the unfallen angels are ministering servants. When the Lord speaks, they do. Now the Lord of Glory has told them and here they stand looking in the sky. This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come. Now note that. That's encouraging. That is a note of hope. Jesus told them that they didn't know the time but He leaves them with the assurance. He is coming. He will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven. So you don't need to be standing here. He'll be coming and when He comes, you'll know it. There will be no delay. There will be no secrecy about. He will come in glory even as He left.

I take it the ascension in clouds here refers to the shekinah glory of the Old Testament. We'll talk a little bit about this when we talk about the Second Coming of Christ to earth. Special significance here—that shekinah glory—the glory of the presence of God. Now as present in Jesus Christ, the Messiah is departing. Special significance for the nation Israel. Departed from the temple in the Old Testament.

In Ezekiel chapter 10 as Ezekiel beheld it. Now see it departing again in a second time as Israel has rejected their Messiah and the sufferings and agony that they endure even down to today because of the One that they have rejected.

Referring in verse 11 to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to earth when He will come to establish His kingdom to rule and reign over the earth. And I said we'll look at the details of this in coming studies. Crucial though. We are called to bear testimony to this One Jesus Christ. An exciting dimension is added to that testimony. He is not only the One who is the Son of God, who suffered and died on a cross, who was raised from the dead in power, but He is One who is coming again. He is One who is coming again in glory to rule and reign. You know I have such a glorious message to tell people about rather than sitting and thinking and wondering and worrying what people will think when I tell them, I ought to spend more time on thinking how can I tell them most effectively?
How can I bring them to the point of considering carefully who this One is who loved them and died for them. Who this One is who is coming again in glory. This One coming again. As we'll see when we talk about the Second Coming, you and I are coming in glory with Him. What an anticipation that I am privileged to proclaim Him—to make Him known in every place, to be identified with Him in suffering, in rejection, in ridicule, whatever. But all the glory that He promised. Suffering first. Glory to follow. When He comes again according to what the angels in chapter 1:11 say we see that you and I are going to be with Him, sharing in that glory, unveiled as the sons of God. That for which Romans 8 says all creation longs and looks toward.

Are we living like that? Does that really characterize our lives? What has your
life been like this week? Has it been lived on the edge of anticipation, that I am one destined to return in glory with the Son of God. I am one empowered by the Spirit of God Himself to make Jesus Christ known wherever I am. I'm not placed in any dull places. I am placed in places where God wants the fragrance of Jesus Christ given off. The world would look at it and say, Oh, what a mundane task. Oh, what a dull place to have to spend your life. We look at it and say, what an opportunity to be placed here, to give off the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Has that happened? If we followed one another around this week through the city, would it be like following the fragrance of Christ? Yes, I can tell there has been a believer here. Jesus Christ has been made known. We see that in the pattern of the apostles. We see that in the pattern of Paul's life wherever he went Jesus Christ was made known. Caused a stir. Some believed.
Some did not. But the crucial fact as far as Paul was concerned was Jesus Christ was made known. That the Spirit of God who empowered Him might accomplish His purposes. That's true of each one of us. True today. True in all that we do, but only true for those who have been baptized by the Spirit of God, empowered by the Spirit of God.

Perhaps you are here but have not yet trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. You need to hear that message. You sit here as one who is in the process of perishing. One destined to eternity in hell. One hopelessly bound in your sins. Oh, what a tragedy. Because you know that's not necessary. Because God in love provided His Son Jesus Christ to go to a cross to die in your place bearing the penalty for your sin that you might believe in Him and have life. That you might be cleansed and forgiven. That you might be made a child of God. That you might be one who is empowered by the Spirit of God to be all that God intends you to be. That you might be one destined to share in His glory when He returns to earth to rule and reign. How good God has been to you to bring you that you might hear the message of life today. Have you believed it? If not, why not? God is not offering you a trade. He is offering you a gift. If you will believe in His Son
Jesus Christ as your Savior, He will give you the gift of eternal life. Let’s pray together..