Word of Salvation – Vol. 29 No. 17 – May 1984

 

Do You Believe In Jesus’ Ascension?

 

Sermon by Rev. K. Vethaak, v.d.m. on John 6: 62

Scripture Reading: John 6: 32-62 Philippians 2: 1-11

Suggested hymns: 125; 86; 365; 366; BoW 501; 502.

 

Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

John 6 is an amazing chapter.

In it we see some marvellous miracles such as the feeding of the 5000, and Jesus walking on the water, and yet, in this chapter we have the Jews asking: What sign will you do that we may see it and believe you?

It is a chapter that demonstrates the unbelief of the people.

It is the chapter that tells us that many of the disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

Even the 12 started to doubt and we hear the sad words of Jesus: You do not want to leave me too, do you?

What was the problem?

How could such miracles and unbelief exist side by side?

Why did so many disciples forsake Jesus?

Why was there so much grumbling?

The Jews grumbled; the disciples grumbled.

What was the problem?

What was the great difficulty that they had with Jesus?

As we study this chapter we see that the great difficulty they had was in the claims that Jesus made about Himself.

If he had come and said: I am going to teach you some new truths about the Father, they would have had no problems.

If he had come and said: I have come to be your Messiah, your King to lead you out of Roman captivity and to restore the nation Israel; no problems.

If he had come and said: I’m here to show you the way of salvation, the way to the Father; listen to my teaching; no problems.

But what they couldn’t understand and what they couldn’t accept is what he did say.

The things he said sounded strange, even weird, in their ears.
  He said:       I am the truth
                        I am the Way
                        I am the Bread
                        I am the sacrifice

In John 6 we come to the very heart of Christianity.

And as we do, we come face to face with something very startling.

We come face to face with the reason why Jesus was such a stumbling block.

We find that Jesus did not come primarily to be a teacher.

He did not come primarily to show men the way to salvation.

He did not come to establish a Kingdom or a Church.

Herein lies the difference between Christianity and every other religion.

Every religion in the world finds its heart in its teaching.

If it was proved that Buddha never existed – wouldn’t matter – it’s his teaching and insights that count.

If it was proved that Mohommad never existed – wouldn’t matter – it’s the teaching in the Koran that counts.

But if it were to be proven that Jesus never existed then Christianity would cease to exist.

Now, it’s important that we grasp this truth.

Jesus did not come to show us the way – he is the way.

He did not come to tell us the truth – he is the truth.

 He did not come to give us life – he is life

He did not come to explain how sins could be forgiven – he is the forgiveness of sins.

He is the sacrifice.

He is God in flesh and blood; flesh that was to be broken and blood that was to be shed.

Now if you can grasp this you will begin to understand the problem of John 6.  Look again at what Jesus says: John 6: vs.32-35; vs.51-53; and look at vs.60-62; we have been reading it.

Today our interest is especially in vs.62.

Notice what Jesus says.  “What if you were to see the Son of Man ascend…?”

What Jesus is saying is this: if you have difficulty comprehending my sacrificial death you will have even more difficulty comprehending my ascension; my exaltation.

Jesus is right.

Why are churches crowded at Christmas when Jesus is humbled?

Yet, Ascension Day, the Day that marks the glorification of Jesus how many Christians even remember it?

We love Christmas.  There is so much in it for us, it is man centred.  Perhaps we find Ascension Day difficult because it is Christ centred.

Jesus is right!

His followers will find it hard to understand the enormous implications of the ascension of Jesus.

When they see Jesus being lifted up they say: Poor us!  They don’t understand what is involved; what is happening.

So today let’s ask ourselves: what did happen on Ascension Day?

What is involved?

I want to give you two statements regarding the ascension of Jesus, although these two statements by no means exhaust the meaning of this event.

No.1: The ascension of Jesus tells us that Jesus Christ is Lord; that he is to be the focus of our worship and adoration.

No wonder Jesus said this would be a stumbling block for his Jewish disciples.

They had been trained all their lives to see God in terms of only one being, God the Father.

They weren’t even beginning to grasp the fact that Jesus is God the Son.  And Jesus said, “If this causes you to stumble wait until you see me ascend, for when I ascend I will be exalted.”

Let us turn again to Phil.2:9-11: God has exalted him.

If we believe in Ascension Day we believe in the exaltation of Jesus.

One day Jesus will hand the Kingdom over to the Father but in the meantime the way to glorify God the Father is to glorify God the Son.  Ascension Day tells us about the exaltation of Jesus.  That’s point 1.

But more than this (Point 2) Ascension Day tells us of the authority of Jesus.

Let us turn to Ephesians 1: 20,22 for instance…

And in Matt.28:18 Jesus says: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Now there are many more things that the ascension of Jesus teaches us, but today we are challenged on these two:

Firstly:                        Do you exalt Jesus?
                        Do you give him all honour, adoration and worship?
                        Do you seek to be like him?
                        Do you seek to obey him?
                                    – If you love me you will keep my commands..

There are those who say, “I don’t agree with all this talk about Jesus surely God is the one we must glorify.”

No, the way we glorify God the Father is by glorifying his Son.  Is it possible to glorify too much the one whom God the Father has exalted to the highest place, and given the Name above every name?  How much of our prayer time, our praise time is concerned with the glorification of Jesus?

Secondly: Do you accept the absolute authority of Jesus?

According to Matt.28 the absolute authority of Jesus is the basis for evangelism.

Jesus says: All authority has been given unto me.  Now go and make disciples.

Do we accept the authority in his command?

Do we accept the authority in his empowering; that nothing can stop us, not all the devils in the world?

Do you accept the absolute authority of Jesus in your life; in the Church?

Please, look again at Ephesians 1:22,23…

If it is true that Jesus is in control of the Church then that means that I am not in control of the Church; neither are you or the Session.

One of the things that I hear people say a lot is: God has given us the brains and we must use them.

We must organise, control, direct.

But what I read in Scripture is that the heart of man is deceitful; that we are not to lean on our own understanding.

I read in Scripture that our minds need to be renewed.

Sometimes we act as if on Ascension Day Jesus abandoned us and left us to our own devices.

But that is not true.

Jesus said: I am with you to the end of the world.

I will not leave you as orphans.

Jesus said: Wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit; He will connect you with me.  Don’t try it in your own strength and power.

O let’s take hold of the truth of Ascension Day.  Let’s take hold in faith of the wonderful truth that Jesus has not left us.  He has not resigned his headship of the Church.  He has not abandoned this world to the Devil.  He has all authority; all power; all headship.

He knows exactly what he is doing and he will bring all things to completion.

O Lord Jesus hasten the day when our faith will be sight and we will see every knee bowed and every tongue confessing that you are Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Amen