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THE
TRIUMPHANT ASCENSION
(Luke
24:50-52; Acts 1:1-11; Hebrews 9:1-14; 24-28)
Author:
Thomas Cosmades
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 Religions
relish their sacred sites and objects.
The holiest location of Christ’s
believers is heaven itself.
It is not Jerusalem.
“From now on,
therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view. Though we
once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus
no longer” (II Corinthians
5:16).
Our beloved Savior and exalted High Priest is in heaven
(cf. Hebrews 4:14-16; 6:20;
7:26-27; 8:1;
9:11; 10:21).
Thirteen times in Revelation he is introduced as the Lamb
seated on the throne in heaven (cf.
4:2, 3, 6, 9, 10; 5:1, 7, 13; 7:10, 15; 19:4; 20:11; 21:5).
Once he is the Lamb standing between the throne and the
four living creatures (5:6).
He is God’s Lamb who accomplished on earth the perfect
salvation in his own body by pouring out his blood.
His vicarious atonement is total and final.
He now lives to make intercession for men and women
(cf. Hebrews 7:25; Romans
8:34b).
The glory of the Incarnation and Redemption
fixes our eyes on the Savior’s Ascension.
Today he is in a different involvement than in his
pre-incarnate state. In
Revelation, the gleaming ascension of Christ
is treated as the climax of the ultimate fulfillment of his
ministry. It is to be
lamented that the remembrance of this crowning chapter goes
unnoticed in most of the evangelical churches or in individual
remembrances. How many
pulpits consider this glowing event on the Sunday that follows
Ascension Thursday, joyfully looking into its different phases?
That victorious occasion constitutes a vital connection
between the life of Christ and the life
of the Church. It is
the penultimate instance of salvation history on one hand, and the
Church’s inaugural spur on the other.
This important day in the church calendar is warranty of the
believer’s immortality and Christ’s
return to his eternal domain for him/her as he foretold it
(cf.
John 14:3). It
addresses in an applicable way the quandaries surrounding
particularly the church: rejection, intrusion, persecution,
wantonness, terrorism, warfare, hunger, diseases, and natural
disasters, ad infinitum.
The church should authoritatively remind this unbelieving
world about him who ascended to the highest and is laying his plan
for its re-creation and reconstruction.
The stupendous word is
‘apokatastasis’: universal restoration
(cf. Acts 3:21).
The resurrection was witnessed only by two
angels, whereas the ascension was attested to by the company of
disciples and again, two angels in white robes.
The significance of the occasion was authenticated by the
proclamation of the Great Commission, not necessarily at that hour
(cf. Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:19, 20; Luke 24:50-53; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).
These two events remain inseparable.
Christ’s Ascension, while entirely unique, has its precursors
in the OT: Enoch (cf. Genesis
5:24) and
Elijah (II Kings 2:9-15).
There are prophetic references to the occasion in Psalms
47 and 68. Christ
himself alluded to it (cf.
John 7:33, 34).
He foretold it to Mary at the empty tomb
“…I am ascending to my Father
and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17b).
Peter summarizes this resplendent event with manifest joy
(cf. I Peter
3:22).
Paul refers to the occasion by pointing out that
‘When he ascended on high, he
led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men’ (Ephesians 4:8).
Paul continues by saying,
‘…he ascended far above all
heavens, that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10b).
On that sublime manifestation of Christ in
Patmos, John was awe-struck by the glory of the Ascended
Master (cf. Revelation 1:1,
2; 5:6).
The Jews revered their temple with its holy
of holies where the high priest alone could enter once a year with
the blood of the animal for his own and his people’s sin.
The Babylonians destroyed this earthly temple (586 BC),
depriving the people of offering sacrifices.
It was rebuilt by Ezra, then destroyed by the Antiochians,
and following them the Romans, terminating sacrificial religion for
good. Following his
ascension, Jesus Christ appeared in heaven as our efficacious high
priest (cf. Hebrews 9:11).
This way he entered the holiest of all religious settings
to intercede for anyone who would believe and approach him ---
people of all ages, races, tongues, creeds and gender.
The ascension marks the importance of
Christ’s past, present and future appearances
(cf. Hebrews 9:24, 26, 28).
I.
CHRIST NOW APPEARS IN THE PRESENCE OF
GOD (Hebrews
9:24)
Heaven’s multitude of hosts exultantly
welcomed the triumphant Lion of the Tribe of Judah to his eternal
glory. His conquest
over the merciless dominion of the arch-enemy
Satan
is now absolute. Our
Savior and High Priest presently carries a superlative ministry of
unceasing intercession before the Father.
Sin torments all people, no matter what their religion or
vocation is. Sinners
everywhere distressed with one and the same burden redundantly race
to holy sites, rivers, washings, shrines, special celebrations, holy
men, priests, fastings, bodily torments, good deeds, Satan-stonings,
and other endless discharges without ever reaching the absolute
certainty of forgiveness and justification.
We are accountable not to relegate these multitudes to
disinterest and neglect.
Knowing well the availability of an effectual mediator, we
pain for all who grope in darkness. They continually resort to
repetitious, unproductive methods for the solution of their sin and
guilt problem (cf. Hebrews
11:6). People ran
to Joseph
to obtain grain at all costs.
Those who shrugged off the accessible provision had only
themselves to blame. Egypt’s gates were open to all.
Joseph didn’t send emissaries to surrounding countries to
plead with them to come to him for grain; the initiative fell on
them.
Against this background, we see the One who
offers the bountiful Bread of Life to everyone.
Those who reject this inexhaustible supply will be judged by
none other than the Supplier himself.
Joseph had no argument against those who spurned the
opportunity awaiting them in Egypt.
But here we are encountering an entirely different case.
“Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at
the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).
Rejecting such a tender-hearted and gracious offer will lead to
judgment by him whose mediatory offer is slighted.
Only an irrational individual will turn down the services of
a competent advocate in his hour of need.
The offer of a mediator can only be rejected at one’s own
peril.
In the epistle to the Hebrews, the
high-priestly ministry of Christ in heaven repeatedly draws our
attention — nine or ten times.
Christ’s believer persuaded of
his/her Lord’s ascension to heaven ought to give due consideration
to such an august climax of his overall ministry.
“If then you have been
raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). “…which he
accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him
sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above
all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every
name that is named…” (cf. Ephesians 1:20, 21).
The reminder in these passages ought to spur the believer
on to full allegience to Christ. The triumphant Savior is sitting on his throne in
heaven waiting for the proper time
‘to make all his enemies his
footstool’ (cf. Psalm 110:1).
The mighty Ruler of heaven and earth who
was debased to the lowest insignificance is exalted to highest
eminence. His believers
world-wide who are subjected to horrendous ordeals and onslaughts
can live with concrete and tangible hope in their ascended Lord.
Atheistic existentialism disparages the concept of
‘hope’.
The Christian with his/her Savior in the highest realms
enjoys hope in its superlative context.
It is worthwhile to make a study of the fifty-two references
to ‘hope’ in the NT.
Once it is mentioned as
‘better hope’ (Hebrews 7:19).
We wish to extend our loving invitation to
existentialists and others everywhere to embrace this
‘better hope,’ freely
provided by Christ.
Such hope is already being translated daily into reality in the
lives of millions.
II.
CHRIST HAS APPEARED TO PUT AWAY SIN (Hebrews 9:26)
The captivating aspects of the mystery of
the Incarnation transform the believer’s cosmos.
The person genuinely committed to this reality can enjoy a
course of life unlike all others.
In ancient Greece men took the form of gods who
sometimes imposed demands on their subjects.
Exactly the reverse is true in God’s agenda.
Here God became Man, offering his race unimaginable benefits
“…he was manifested in the
flesh” (I Timothy 3:16).
We grieve profoundly for our fellow humans in this wide
world who have jettisoned this enriching, life-transforming reality
of the Incarnation. The writer to the Hebrews explains why Christ
was manifested in the flesh at the apex of history:
“to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself” (cf. Hebrews 9:26, 12; 10:10, 14).
At Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem’s manger as a
human baby, an angel appeared; God’s glory shone around the
shepherds; a multitude of the heavenly hosts praised God; wise men
outside of Israel’s community came to behold him; Simeon, the aged
dweller in Jerusalem, uttered a profound word of prophecy; old Anna,
a Hebrew prophetess from Asher’s tribe, gave thanks to God for this
extraordinary baby. She
spoke prophetically of God’s redeeming expression.
Herod, an earthly potentate, was
filled with trepidation.
Until now, there are those rejoicing over Christ’s
manifestation in the flesh. On the other hand, those unhappy with
his name seek ways to suppress his importance and relegate him to
irrelevance. “You know that
he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin” (I John
3:5). Those who
make the connection of this appearance to their forlorn condition
receive adoption as sons and daughters by faith
(cf. Galatians 4:4-7).
This way they need no longer
roam over earth’s desert as orphans.
The
Ascended Christ has opened the curtain for mortal men and women to
view at least in part the majesty of the hitherto unknown heaven.
Those who see this sublime glory joyfully sing endless
praises to him:
“Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded graveclothes, where Thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry Thou o’er death hast won.
(Edmund Budry, 1854 -1932)
III.
CHRIST WILL APPEAR TO THOSE WAITING FOR HIM (Hebrews 9:28)
The appellation
Pantocrator (Almighty)
appears nine times in Revelation and once in II Corinthians 6:16.
A host of potentates appeared like a flash on the stage of
history and disappeared like a flush.
They assumed temporary glory, and the remembrance of some
continues to draw a variety of repugnant and detestable
designations. Space and decency does not allow mentioning these.
Such epithets, at times blasphemous, celebrating the procession of
mortals are repulsive to the believer whose heart and mind are fixed
on eternal values. To
those of us who delight in using superlative appellations for our
glorified Savior, mundane titles are a pretext of usurpation.
To Christ alone every royal and legal right can be ascribed
because he is the only one occupying the endless eons.
The eternal
Logos appeared
‘full of grace and truth’
with the final salvation which he carried in his enfleshment
(John 1:14).
The awe-inspiring Pantocrator will again be manifested,
armed with the final redemption
(Romans 13:11; Philippians 3:20; Psalm 87).
At his birth he appeared to deal with sin and offer free
salvation to those who would apprehend it by faith. In his epiphany
he will deliver those who eagerly wait for him to bring final
salvation.
Christ fulfilled God’s eternal objective by
making atonement for sinners and rescuing all those destined for
reconciliation and ultimate glorification.
The Incarnation is linked to redemption.
The ascension is bound to his priestly manifestation in
heaven. His brilliant
epiphany heralds his universal domination.
His feet left
Mt.
Olivet
(cf. Acts 1:12; in Luke 24:50,
Bethany, which is at the foot of the Mount).
The same feet will touch the
Mt.
of Olives
(cf.
Zechariah
14:4) with phenomenal manifestations.
“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” (Acts
1:11).
He alone will bring into order the universal disorderliness.
Peter who witnessed
the ascension describes in irrefutable terms Christ’s epiphany and
the reward he will bring:
“And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the
unfading crown of glory” (I Peter 5:4).
Christ’s apostle also reminds the believers of their lost
state from which they returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of their
souls (cf. I Peter
2:25).
The unfading crown of glory is the valid anticipation of the Chief
Shepherd’s sheep.
During his trial by the Sanhedrin the high priest roared:
“I adjure you by the living
God, tell us if you are the Christ, the
Son of God” (Matthew 26:63).
Christ replied with
authoritative composure: “You
have said so. But I
tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man seated at the right
hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).
The manifestation of the sovereign Christ
could not even be discussed without his ascension
(cf. Acts 1:11). Likewise,
the descent of the Holy Spirit could not become a reality without
the Lord’s ascension (cf.
John 14:16, 26;
15:26; 16:7). In our age, the ascended Christ is
present where two or three meet in his name
(cf. Matthew 18:20; I
Corinthians 5:4b).
The Lord’s Supper reminds us of his being presently in heaven with
his Father. Until he
comes we remember him in relation to his suffering
(cf. I Corinthians 11:26). The beloved disciple John comes to
every believer with a solemn admonition:
“Everyone who has this hope
in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (I John 3:3).Then
we shall behold him in his power and glory.
“Even so, come,
Lord Jesus!”
(Revelation 22:20).
Thomas Cosmades
Cosmades@gmx.net
A highly challenging piece appeared in TEAM’s
May issue of ‘currents’.
The title of the article is ‘Ten Days of Prayer
for Revival in World Missions’ -- A call to prayer between Ascension
Day, May 17 & Pentecost, May 27, 2007.
For information,
contact Chico
at
chicoschlonecker@hotmail.com or
chico@pushtherock.org.
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