Ascended To Be Seated (Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:18-23, 2 Kings 2:1-14)
Rev. William L. Barron, April 7, 2024Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Ascension is more than simply rising. Many preachers and teachers stop with the resurrection. This is unfortunate, because they neglect Jesus' session or seating at the right hand of the Father, accomplished for our own benefit. The disciples worshiped the resurrected Jesus and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Jesus later blessed the disciples, and then He was taken up. They were asked by the angel, "What are you expecting? He will return..." The power to believe came upon them, and this was not the end. In John 14, Jesus refers to "another helper," the Holy Spirit. The disciples gazed up, spellbound. By an act of God the Father, Jesus was carried up in a cloud, a statement of judgment. He was seated, signifying that His work is totally finished. He will return to judge. The Gospel is a command. All will be judged by their works, for Christians, how you used your blessings. Jesus' seating is a Trinitarian session. In this, He intercedes for us, and He reigns. He has all power and dominion; salvation is in Him only. Is there any value for us in the Ascension? The eyes of our hearts are enlightened, we obtain the hope of eternal life, we obtain the riches of inheritance in the saints by the Holy Spirit, and the greatness of this power makes us witnesses.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « 'Come And See" | None | Come to Judge the Living and the Dead » |
Luke 24:50–53 (Listen)
50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
(ESV)
Acts 1:9–11 (Listen)
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.”
(ESV)
Ephesians 1:18–23 (Listen)
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
(ESV)
2 Kings 2:1–14 (Listen)
2:1 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
(ESV)