Sermon Manuscript

[Video:  “Outside In - Bumper” - 0:31]

Good morning!  How are we doing today, church family?  Very good.  If you are new to the Fountain and visiting us for the very first time this morning I want to say “Welcome to you.  We are so glad you are here this morning.”  At the Fountain, we are a place where you can belong, grow, and make a difference.  And it is my hope and prayer that today you will discover that to be the case this morning both for you and your family.

I also want to extend a special invitation to each of you this morning.  Recently, our nation has been through a lot over the past few weeks and even months.  Between a number of school shootings, 9-11, and the murder of Charlie Kirk there has been a lot to process.  In fact, just this past week my neighbor pulled me aside and began asking me questions about what happened to Charlie Kirk.  He said that it had really, really affected him and caused him to ask some tough questions and think about a lot of important spiritual issues.  And I know that has been true for many of us.  Some of us may even have come last Sunday or are here this morning because of what has taken place.  

So here’s the invitation.  If you’re here this morning and have questions about what has been going on I want to invite you to speak with me, one of our Pastors, staff, or Elders today.  Later this morning after this service I’m going to hang out here at the front and if you have a question that I can help with please come and ask me.  If you have several, let's set up a time to talk this week.  Take the time you need to process what has happened and allow God to speak into your life at this time.  Find the answers you need.  Because as we’ve seen there is real evil in this world but there is also real hope.  Our hope is found in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Or as the old hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less than... Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”  That’s right.  And all of us need to seek Him and point others to Him at this time.  

Can we agree on that together?  Very good.  Alright.  With that being said let’s get started.  Seven years ago, wow how time flies!, in 2018, our family went on vacation to Italy.  And we saw a lot of amazing sites.  We visited Rome, one of my favorite cities in the world, and saw the Trevi Fountain, the Roman Coliseum, and the Vatican where we saw the Pieta and other famous and priceless works of art.  We visited Venice and saw the amazing canals and bridges and waterways.  We visited the Cinque Terra which is the western coast of Italy and were able to hike that trail while some in our family were pushing strollers!  That was quite the adventure.  

But we also visited Pisa and saw the leaning tower of Pisa.  The leaning tower of Pisa is pretty crazy.  Built over a period of 177 years the tower is considered by many to be a priceless work of art.  It’s 183 feet tall and it’s beautiful.  But it’s become famous because of its flaw.  It leans 4 degrees to the southwest even though it was originally built to stand upright.  And the question is “Why”?  Why does it lean?  The answer is that it was built upon a foundation that was only 3 meters deep or about 10 feet and experts say that there will come a day in which the leaning tower of Pisa will fall.  It will fall over and collapse.

And this is a picture of many people’s lives.  Many people within our world do not stop to think about the foundation upon which their lives are being built.  They do not stop and consider the truths their lives are being built upon.  And even if they are people of faith their faith may be too shallow.  And so like the leaning tower of Pisa they are leaning and at risk of toppling over and having a catastrophic fall.  For this reason, all of us need to stop and consider what we are building our lives upon and whether or not it is the firm foundation of the Word of God.

Even Christians need to stop and consider this.  Because as followers of Jesus we stand upon the rock, solid, conviction of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We stand upon the truth that Jesus came into our world, demonstrated that He was God’s Son, and then suffered and died for our sins.  We also stand upon the truth that three days later He rose again.  So that His death paid for our sins and His resurrection confirmed that they were paid.  As if God had taken a bill we owed and put a red stamp upon it which said, “Paid in Full”.  We stand upon these truths and Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 that if the resurrection is true then we can have life after death and that if it is not true he says in verse 19 we are “most to be pitied.”

But today we’re going to examine another truth that is just as foundational to our faith.  And yet it is one that’s often neglected.  We know that our faith is based upon the death and resurrection of Jesus but what we often neglect is the importance of His ascension.  Because if Jesus did not ascend and go back to the Father then our lives are filled with many questions.  And spiritually we become like a leaning tower that can fall over.  So this morning we’re going to examine this truth, understand what it means, see why it’s important for us today and even at a time like this in our nation and in our lives, and discover together why it is so vitally essential to our faith.

Let’s get started.  If you have your Bibles, turn with me now to the book of Acts.  Acts chapter 1.  Today we are going to be examining verses 1-11.  As you turn there let me quickly remind you that today we are continuing within our series called Outside In where together we are learning from a guy named Luke.  Luke was the only non-Jewish author of the entire Bible and so he was an outsider.  But as an outsider he gives us a fresh perspective.  And so we are journeying with him from the “outside in” to the very heart of God.

And last week we learned about the Holy Spirit.  Seth shared with us how Luke spoke about the Holy Spirit.  And he is the author which helps us to understand how the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost in order to empower His people and build His Church.  An event that took place in Acts 2.  But today we’re going to take a step back and re-examine Acts chapter 1.

Because Luke also gives us a fresh perspective on the ascension.  The ascension of Jesus is found in three places in Scripture.  It’s found at the end of the book of Mark, Luke, and here in the book of Acts.  And Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts.  So think about that.  Luke saw something within the ascension that was so important that he used it to connect these two books.  The Gospel of Luke tells the story of the life and ministry of Jesus up to the ascension.  Then the book of Acts starts from the ascension to tell the story of the Church.

So there’s something important here.  Let’s examine this passage and think deeply about it.  Here's what Luke writes.  Acts, chapter 1, beginning in verse 1.  Luke writes:

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Alright.  Stop here for just a moment before we continue.  A couple of quick observations will help us to understand what’s going on here.  If you have your Bibles with you this morning you might want to underline or highlight these phrases.  Here’s the first one.  In verse 1, Luke says, “In the first book, O Theophilus”.  So what is the “first book”?  It’s the book of Luke.  Both the book of Luke and the book of Acts were written to a man named Theophilus.  Side note.  There is a bit of a debate as to whether or not this man actually exists because his name means “God lover”.  THEOS is the Greek word for God.  PHILEO is one of the Greek words for love.  So put them together and you have “God lover”.  In Luke 1:3 he is called “most excellent Theophilus”.  So he appears to have been a politician or maybe a government official.  But because his name means “God lover” some have thought that maybe he just refers to all people who love God.  For what it’s worth I think he probably did exist but his name was symbolic of all who love God.  So I think both are likely true.  How’s that for sitting on the fence?

Either way he states that in his first book he wrote about all that Jesus said and did until the day when he was “taken up” or “the ascension”.  Luke then says that “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs”.  In other words, Luke says that Jesus showed that He was alive after His crucifixion and resurrection in many different ways.  Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus did this by first appearing to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and other women at the tomb.  He then appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and later to all of them.  Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that Jesus also appeared to 500 others.  So by walking and talking and eating and spending time with people He showed over and over again that He was alive.  Over a period of forty days.  Remember.  This is all leading up to Pentecost which was 50 days after Passover.  Seth described that well last week.  So we’re just a few days away from that event.

But then finally notice that Jesus in verse 4 “ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father”.  The promise of the Father is the gift of the Holy Spirit which God had promised to give to them but that Jesus had told them they would receive.  Jesus then reminds His disciples that while John baptized with water His baptism will be with the Holy Spirit.  That is huge.  We’ll talk about baptism more next week but from Pentecost forward when people are baptized in the name of Jesus they are given the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And Jesus orders them to stay in Jerusalem and receive the Holy Spirit because they are going to need the power of God to do what God will call them to do.  To form the Church.

Let’s continue though.  Verse 6 says:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 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. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 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.”

Alright.  Stop here and make a couple of quick observations.  Notice the question they ask.  When they come together they say, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  The question they’re asking is tied to a political idea many Jews had regarding the Messiah.  The idea was that when the Messiah came He would establish a theocracy in which God would be the King.  Remember in the Old Testament before Israel had kings they were the only nation who called God their King.  And so what they’re asking is, “Jesus, is this when God will destroy our enemies, give us freedom, and make Himself King?”  Because they had been taught that this event would be marked by God’s Spirit which had been held back since the days of the prophets.  So that’s what they’re asking and Jesus says, “That’s not for you to know.”

But then He says in verse 8, “Here what you need to know.  You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  This is basically the outline of the book of Acts.  The book of Acts will tell the story of how the Holy Spirit comes to a group of believers in Jerusalem on Pentecost and then how that group of believers who are now the Church will be sent out to Judea, Samaria, and beyond to help the Church to grow.  The book of Acts will then end with Paul being put in prison in Rome but tell us that despite his imprisonment the Gospel will be proclaimed “with boldness” and “without hindrance.”  So what Jesus says will happen here does happen.

Finally, notice what we’re told in verses 9-11.  Because immediately after Jesus says these things he was “lifted up” and “a cloud took him out of their sight.”  This is the ascension.  It is in this moment that Jesus is being taken by God back into heaven.  And this fulfills what Jesus had said would take place.  Because on the night in which He gathered together with His disciples in the Upper Room during the Last Supper He told them that He was going to leave them but that it would be better for them because He had to leave in order that the Holy Spirit could come.

Then we’re told that when this happened suddenly “two men stood by them in white robes.”  So did two strangers walk up to the disciples at this time and say, “Hey, what are you guys doing up here on this mountain?  Why are you all staring into the sky?  Have you all lost your mind?”  No, of course not.  These men are angels and often angels and often angels are depicted as men in white robes.  In fact, one instance is in the story of the resurrection in Luke 24.  But it’s found elsewhere too.

And then finally notice what they say.  They say, “This Jesus, whom you just saw go up into heaven on a cloud will come again in the very same way.”  That’s important.  Because Jesus says on two different occasions that He will come again “on the clouds” which is a statement about judgment.  He tells both the High Priest and Sanhedrin during His trial that they will see a day in which He does this.  And He tells His disciples that all will see Him do this when He comes back in an event we refer to as His Second Coming.  Two different times.  By the way, those verses are found in your Life Group Homework sheets this week.

But the point of all of this is the importance of the ascension.  The ascension of Jesus Christ was an important physical and historical event that has many important spiritual implications.  Because without the ascension we would rightly ask questions like, “Where is Jesus today?  What is Jesus doing?” and we might even question whether or not He has gone to be with God and is in heaven.  Questions which if left unchecked might cause our faith to waver.  And cause us to lean over.  Like the leaning tower of Pisa.

But knowing where He is changes everything.  And as a result it becomes a bedrock truth that is part of the very foundation of our faith.  In this week’s chapter in Core 52 called The Ascension Mark Moore shares with us both the evidence for the ascension and the reasons for why it was so important.  In fact, he points out that every New Testament author except for James and Jude affirm the truthfulness of the ascension of Jesus.  He then says this at the bottom of page 258.  He says, “If you think about it, the Ascension isn’t something the church would have invented.  After all, continued claims to see Jesus would have bolstered their authority.  But if Jesus did in fact rise from the dead - if the Resurrection really happened - shouldn’t we expect Jesus to return to heaven?”  And the obvious answer is “Yes”.  If He came from heaven, lived on earth but showed He was from heaven, and then died we would expect Him to go back to heaven.  And so His ascension completes His mission and His work of redemption.

It’s like the final piece of the puzzle has been laid.  And suddenly the picture of our salvation has been completed.  And it confirms both who Jesus is, where He came from, and that what He came to do is now done.  If the crucifixion paid for our sins and the resurrection was God’s stamp of approval saying that our bill was “Paid in Full” then the ascension is like the signature at the bottom of the receipt.  Written in cursive (although some of us no longer write in cursive!) and written in blood.  “Paid in Full - Jesus the Christ.  Jesus the Messiah.  Jesus the Savior.”

So before we go any further let’s take a few moments to apply this into our lives.  Let’s think about the reasons for why the ascension of Jesus is important and even essential to our faith.  Here’s four reasons.  The first reason is this:  It confirms Jesus’ relationship.  The ascension confirms the relationship Jesus has with our Heavenly Father.  Throughout the life and ministry of Jesus He often described God as His Father.  He also taught His disciples to pray saying, “Our Father in Heaven”.  So when the disciples were gathered together and watched Him being taken up into heaven by God in that cloud and was taken out of sight it showed them once and for all that Jesus had been accepted back into the presence of God.  He had returned back to God and to where He had first come from.  So the ascension confirms that relationship to God.

Second, it concludes Jesus’ redemption.  The ascension concluded or finished Jesus’ mission to redeem us from our sins.  To “redeem” something is to buy it back.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus God has bought us back from Sin.  Sin had become our “Master”.  But now through Jesus we have been set free.  His death paid for our sins.  His resurrection gave us that stamp of approval from God which said, “Paid in Full” but His ascension was the final signing of that bill.  It was the final mark which concluded His earthly ministry.  Jesus had completed what He came to do and as a result was now able to return back to God and back into heaven.

Third, it continues Jesus’ responsibility.  The ascension continues Jesus’ responsibility.  The Bible tells us that now that Jesus has gone back to be with God that He sits at the right hand of the Father.  And He intercedes for us.  Paul says that He does this continually for us in Romans 8:34.  He continues to intercede for us at each point within our lives.  Mark Moore described it in this way.  He imagines that each time we sin Jesus turns to God and shows Him His scars.  And He says, “See these scars.  These paid for that sin.  Let’s call it even.”  I think that’s a great way of viewing what Jesus does.  He sits between us and God and serves as our Defense Attorney reminding God that He has paid for our sins.  He paid for all sin for those who are in Him.  So He came into our world to intercede for us and pay a price we could not pay.  But He continues to intercede for us.

And then fourth and finally, it connects Jesus’ return.  The ascension connects Jesus’ return because when the angels spoke to the disciples on that day they said, “Why do you stand looking up into heaven?  This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way you saw him leave.  He went up into heaven on the clouds and He will return from heaven on the clouds.  The ascension reminds us of how He will return.  His Second Coming.  It connects His earthly ministry to what will happen in the end.  To the Day when Jesus will return and the Judgment will take place.  The Day when He will once and for all judge the living and the dead and those who are in Him will be eternally rewarded.  The ascension connects us with the Day of His Second Coming.  And for that reason it is significant and important.

Four reasons.  Four reasons for why the ascension is so important to our faith.  It’s essential.  Why?  Because it confirms, concludes, continues, and connects.  It confirms Jesus’ relationship.  It concludes Jesus’ redemption.  It continues Jesus’ responsibility.  And it connects His return.  And for those four reasons it is important, meaningful, and significant to our faith.  And it is Luke who peers into that event, recognizes the magnitude of it, and helps us see it differently.  He helps us to look at it from the “outside in” and completely changes how we see it.

Kind of like my son Andrew.  A couple of years ago Will and Andrew’s cousin Adrienne went to New York City during Spring Break.  She was part of a band which would travel around New York and play at different venues.  So we decided to go and see her and explore Manhattan at the same time.  So we visited the typical tourist attractions.  We saw the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.  We went to Central Park and Times Square and even saw a couple of Broadway plays.  And one of the plays we saw was The Lion King.

The Lion King is an award winning play that has been so popular that it has been on Broadway continuously since 1997.  Almost 28 years at this point.  And one of the reasons for why it is so popular is that it is very creative.  The actors and actresses dress up in elaborate costumes in order to become animals.  And some of them even walk on stilts in order to become giraffes.  But somehow we forgot to tell Andrew about this and so he was completely shocked.  I just remember turning to him at one point in the show and seeing him look like this and hearing him say, “What in the world is going on here?”  It was pretty funny.

But the story of the Lion King is a story most of us are familiar with.  Because it’s the story of a young lion named Simba who from the beginning is the heir to the throne.  He is supposed to be the king.  But when his father dies someone else tries to take the throne.  His uncle named Scar and the rest of the story and play shows how Simba comes to discover that he is the rightful king and how he has to battle Scar in order to receive it.

And there’s a moment within the story that is sometimes overlooked.  A scene that’s very important.  Within it, Simba is told that he must climb a rock called Pride Rock.  He must ascend up this rock in order to claim his kingdom and be installed as the new king.  So he does.  And as he dramatically ascends up that rock he then roars.  And when he roars all of the other lions acknowledge his victory, dominion, and authority.  Though he was the king from the very start he had to conquer an enemy in battle and ascend Pride Rock in order to be installed as king.

Well, in a much better way, Jesus has done the same.  From His very birth Jesus was the rightful Lord and King.  Yet no one recognized Him.  And through His death and resurrection He conquered our greatest enemies:  sin, death, hell, and the grave.  But it was in His ascension that He was once again crowned as King.  It was through His ascension that He was once again installed as King.  Because like Simba He had to be enthroned.  He had to be recognized as King.  And when Jesus was lifted up in the sight of His disciples and descended into that cloud He was given the dominion and power and authority that rightfully belonged to Him.

Because the ascension is about the triumph of Jesus the King.  And as a result it is critical and essential to our faith.  Because it confirmed Jesus’ relationship, it concluded His redemption, it continued His responsibility, and it connected His return.  And because of these reasons it is a truth that you and I can use to build up our faith and to keep us from leaning or falling.

So the bottom line is this…

Build your faith upon the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

Let’s pray.

[Prayer:  For God to help us build our faith on the truthfulness of the ascension of Jesus.]

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