ASCENSION OF

JESUS CHRIST
 Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had
spoken unto them, he was
received up into heaven, and
sat on the right hand of God.
(KJV)
 Luke 24:51
And it came to pass, while he
blessed them, he was parted
from them, and carried up into
heaven.(KJV)
 Acts 1:9
And when he had spoken these
things, while they beheld, he
was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight.
(KJV)
 It is clear from these statements that our Saviour,
who was crucified, who died and was buried and who
rose again – ascended!
This He did forty days after He rose again from the
dead. We are apt to neglect the doctrine of the ascension
of our Lord. We give far too little attention to this epoch
in His earthly life than we do, for instance, to His birth,
temptation, baptism, transfiguration, miracles and death.
Yet it is true to say that all these earlier events in the life
of our Lord would lose their significance without the fact
of His ascension.
 Every real Christian is a living proof of an
ascended Lord! We are saved by an ascended Lord
(Hebrews 7:25); we are kept, moment by moment, by
an ascended Lord (Jude 24); we live in constant
fellowship with an ascended Lord (1 John 1:3); we
are represented before the Father by our Great
Advocate, an ascended Lord (1 John 2:1); and the fact
that our ascended Lord is with the Father is the
guarantee of our life (John 14:19-20). How important
the truth and the reality of His ascension are!
This triumphant event in the life and
ministry of our Lord was not
without previous intimations, and it
will help in studying this theme to
note that the ascension of our Lord
was:
1.Represented in the Types of the Old Testament. Just as the High
Priest entered into the Holy of holies with the blood of atonement,
so our Lord has entered into the Holy place for us to- look up
Hebrews 9:11-12.
2.Declared by Old Testament Prophecy. Look up Psalm 68:18 and
Ephesians 4:8-10.
3.Anticipated by our Lord Himself. He anticipated His ascension in
three ways: in Prayer (John 17:11-13); in Parable (Luke 19:11-27),
and especially notice verse 12; and in Promise (John 7:33; John
14:12; John 14:28; John 16:5; John 16:9-10 and John 20:17).
4. Recorded in History. His birth, His life and
His death are recorded in history, and so is His
ascension. Each historic fact is necessary to
the integrity of the whole record.
5. Confirmed by the Angels. Just as angels
announced His birth (Luke 2:9-10); and His
resurrection (Mark 16:6-7); so His ascension
was confirmed by angelic beings look up Acts
1:9-11.
THE NECESSITY OF
HIS ASCENSION
 HIS EARTHLY MISSION WAS
COMPLETED
He came to do His Father’s will look up Psalm 40:8, and
this was to die upon Calvary’s Cross for the sins of men
(John 1:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:26 and 1
Peter 2:24). In anticipation of this He prayed John 17:4.
In the process of doing this He said John 19:30! When
the work was actually finished, He ascended and sat
down look up Hebrews 1:3 and 10:11-12.
 IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT
TAKE UP HIS PRIESTLY OFFICE
It was only His earthly work that was finished His heavenly work
had not yet started. It was necessary for Him to ascend in order
that He might begin this work His priestly work. As our great
High Priest He now stands in the presence of God as our
Advocate (1 John 2:1); and our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). By Him
alone we have access to the Father (John 14:6). He intercedes
for us (Hebrews 7:25). Because He is our living ascended Lord,
He keeps us from falling (Hebrews 4:14-16 and Jude 24).
 IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT
PREPARE OUR HEAVENLY
HOME
Look up John 14:2. Yes, at His ascension the
Bridegroom went to prepare a place for His Bride. He
has been engaged in that work of preparation for
2000 years. Heaven is a wonderful place! Where
Christ our Forerunner has gone, His people may and
will also go! look up Hebrews 6:20. Is this your joyful
prospect?
 BEFORE HE COULD SEND THE
HOLY SPIRIT
See what John the Baptist said Matthew 3:11. But
this promise could not be fulfilled until the Lord
Jesus ascended (John 7:39 and John 16:7). The
Christian life is the life of the Lord Jesus in us by
the power of the Holy Spirit, and this could only
be made possible by the ascension of the Lord.
 IN ORDER THAT GREATER
THINGS MIGHT BE DONE
Look up the wonderful promise in John 14:12. His
earthly body was local; His mystical body, the Church,
is universal. While He walked the earth He ministered
in only one place at a time. He was localised by an
earthly body; but because He ascended and poured out
His Spirit and gave gifts to men, He is now able to work
through millions of human bodies see Mark 16:19-20.
 IN ORDER THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN,
EVERYWHERE, MIGHT ENJOY HIS
CONTINUAL PRESENCE
Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews
13:5-6 could only be possible if He ascended.
How wonderful! He is with me now! in my joys
(John 2:1-11); in my sorrows (Isaiah 43:2); in
my testings (Matthew 14:27); and in my
departing (Psalm 23:4).
 IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A
PLEDGE OF HIS SURE AND CERTAIN
RETURN
He said, If I go…I will come back” look
up John 14:2-3, and compare Acts 1:9-
11. He has gone… and we can be quite
sure that He will come again!