THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST

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THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST

• ACTS 16-11

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ACTS 16-11

• 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him,
  Lord, are you at this time going to restore the
  kingdom to Israel?
• 7 He said to them It is not for you to know the
  times or dates the Father has set by his own
  authority. 8 But you will receive power when the
  Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my
  witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
  Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

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• 9 After he said this, he was taken up before
  their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their
  sight.
• 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as
  he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in
  white stood beside them. 11 Men of
  Galilee, they said, why do you stand here
  looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has
  been taken from you into heaven, will come
  back in the same way you have seen him go into
  heaven.

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THE ASCENSION

1. WHAT IS THE ASCENSION?
2. WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT JESUS?
3. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR ME?

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WHAT IS THE ASCENSION?

• The resurrected Jesus visibly departs the earth
  to return to heaven to again be in the presence
  of God to be crowned with glory, honor and
  authority commencing His perpetual reign and
  intercession for His people to whom He has
  entrusted His Mission, in anticipation of His
  eventual return to earth to fully establish His
  Kingdom.

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FACTS ABOUT THE ASCENSION

• Historical event- Time 40 days after
  Resurrection Place vicinity of Bethany (Luke
  2450) Eyewitnesses the 11 Apostles
• Fulfilled Prophecy Psalms 110 Jesus
• Referred to by every Gospel writer, Paul, Peter,
  and John in Revelation
• Important part of preaching/motivation/
  apologetic of the early church

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THE CONTEXT OF THE ASCENSION HUMILIATION
EXALTATION

• Humiliation
• Incarnation
• Rejection
• Passion
• Death

• Exaltation
• Resurrection
• Ascension
• Enthroned/Session
• Return

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HUMILIATION

• 5 In your relationships with one another, have
  the same mindset as Christ Jesus 6 Who, being in
  very nature God, did not consider equality with
  God something to be used to his own advantage
  7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the
  very nature of a servant, being made in human
  likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a
  man,    he humbled himself by becoming obedient
  to deatheven death on a cross!

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EXALTATION

•  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
  and gave him the name that is above every
  name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee
  should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
  earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus
  Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
• Philippians 25-11

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HUMILIATION EXALTATION

• The greatest among you will be your
  servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will
  be humbled, and those who humble themselves will
  be exalted.
• Matthew 2311-12

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WHY JESUS ASCENDED

• The story requires it
• One of the best ways to read, understand and use
  the Bible is as a story
• Not just any story, but the story, a
  meta-narrative
• Not just a meta-narrative but the true story of
  the universe

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ASCENSION EXPLAINS

• Where Jesus is now Heaven
• What He is doing now King, Great High Priest
• The continued impact He is having Lives in us,
  works through us
• What to expect in the future His Return
• Our part of the Story

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WHY JESUS ASCENDED

• Completes Jesus earthly ministry
• Reveals/confirms Jesus true identity
• Begins the Last Days
• So the Holy Spirit could come
• Church begins her ministry
• Jesus begins a new ministry
• Prepare a place for us

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WHAT DOES THE ASCENSION TEACH US ABOUT JESUS

• 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are
  all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand
  of God, he has received from the Father the
  promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you
  now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to
  heaven, and yet he said, The Lord said to my
  Lord Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your
  enemiesa footstool for your feet.36 Therefore
  let all Israel be assured of this God has made
  this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and
  Messiah.
• Acts 232-36

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WHAT THE ASCENSION TELLS US ABOUT JESUS

• Exalted to the right hand of God Permanent
  place of favor and delegated authority
• Total Approval of God of Jesus saving work
• Place of intercession as High Priest
• New title LORD Christ

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JESUS AS LORD

• Same as God
• The highest name, signifying the highest position
  of authority
• Authority over all living and dead
• The right to be exclusively worshipped and obeyed
• Triumphant over any other power or principality

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PROOF JESUS IS ALIVE KING

• D. James Kennedy What If Jesus Had Never Been
  Born?
• John Ortberg Who Is This Man? The Unpredictable
  Impact of the Inescapable Jesus

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JESUS AS HIGH PRIEST

• 14 Therefore, since we have a great high
  priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the
  Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
  profess.15 For we do not have a high priest who
  is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but
  we have one who has been tempted in every way,
  just as we areyet he did not sin. 16 Let us then
  approach Gods throne of grace with
  confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find
  grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews
  414-16

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WHAT THE ASCENSION MEANS FOR US

• Worship obedience
• Joy Hope
• Help in time of trouble
• Judge
• Rewarder

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JESUS SHARES HIS GLORY WITH US

• Jesus became as we are in order that we might
  become as He is!
• Athanasius

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OUR HUMILIATION,OUR EXALTATION

• As for you, you were dead in your transgressions
  and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you
  followed the ways of this world and of the ruler
  of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now
  at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us
  also lived among them at one time, gratifying the
  cravings of our flesh and following its desires
  and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature
  deserving of wrath.

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• 4 But because of his great love for us,God, who
  is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ
  even when we were dead in transgressionsit is by
  grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up
  with Christ and seated us with him in the
  heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that
  in the coming ages he might show the incomparable
  riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to
  us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians

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JESUS SHARES HIS MISSION WITH US

• 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me
  will do the works I have been doing, and they
  will do even greater things than these, because I
  am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever
  you ask in my name, so that the Father may be
  glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for
  anything in my name, and I will do it.
• John 12

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JESUS EQUIPS US TO DO HIS MISSION

• For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ
  Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
  advance for us to do. Ephesians 210

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THE POWER OF IDENTITY
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OUR NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST

• And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate
  the Lords glory, are being transformed into his
  image with ever-increasing glory, which comes
  from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor. 318
• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new
  creation has come The old has gone, the new is
  here! 2 Cor. 517

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LIVING YOUR NEW IDENTITYIN CHRIST

1. Read the New Testament
2. Notice any time you encounter the phrase in
   Christ, in Him, in Whom, by Christ, by
   Him, through Christ, through Him
3. Keep a list Meditate what would this look like
   in my life begin to think, act
4. Pray God would make it a reality