Lord’s Day 18; John 14 & 16

I BELIEVE THAT JESUS ASCENDED

I. The Event

A. Both God and Jesus were active in the ascension – God transported the resurrected Jesus from earth to heaven.

B. Jesus ascended, and a cloud actively received Him out of the sight of the disciples (Acts 1:9).

C.Jesus’ change of location marked progress in His exaltation: He is now in heaven.

D.When Jesus entered heaven, He was crowned with the position of power at God’s right hand (Mark 16:19; Eph. 1:20ff).

II. The ascended Jesus is active in heaven – five things.

A. The ascension is an integral part of Jesus’ work, along with His birth, life, death, and resurrection (cf. John 20:17).

B. Second, He continued His priestly work – now as our Advocate before the Father (I John 2:1), constantly presenting the

evidence of our justification (Heb. 9:11,12,24,28).

C.Third, He is our Intercessor, constantly praying for blessings to be given to us for our sanctification (Heb. 7:25).

D.He ascended as Bridegroom the went to prepare a place for His bride (John 14:2).

E. And He ascended so He could be with His people in a much closer sense: by His Spirit (John 7:39; 16:7).

III. His ascension brings spiritual benefits to us.

A. One, it is a cause of great joy (though the disciples were initially saddened).

B. Two, now our flesh is in heaven (His human nature is the same as ours).

C.Practical benefits for us.

1. When we sin, we must know that we have an Advocate pleading for us on the basis of His precious blood.

2. Even though we are sinners, we may know that our prayers are heard.

3. The presence of the Spirit of our ascended Lord within each believer makes His presence with us very real (John 14:3).

4. As Jesus was other-worldly (between resurrection and ascension), so now we are in this world, but not of it.