The Apostle's Creed Series #6

"I Believe in Jesus Christ: Who Ascended Into Heaven"
Acts 1:1-11

For people who only come to church on Christmas and Easter, the message of the church probably seems to be, "I believe in Jesus Christ, who was born in a manger, suffered on a cross, rose from the tomb, alleluia! Oh, but friends, there is more to the story than that! You see the journey didn’t stop there.

This morning we are considering the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed,"I believe in Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." This phrase describes the ascension, the next chapter in the amazing journey of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, when nearly 2000 years ago he ventured from heaven, came to earth, put on human flesh, dwelt for a time among us, was crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, and returned to his home in heaven.

There are many references to the ascension in the New Testament, but only Luke mentions the actual event itself, both at the end of his gospel and in the beginning of Acts. "[Jesus] said to [his disciples], ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight" (Acts 1:7-9). After spending forty days with his disciples following the resurrection, Jesus gave his final instructions to them and then ascended before their very eyes until they could see him no longer.

Perhaps the idea of Jesus "rising" seems a bit archaic to you. However, to understand this we need to put ourselves back in the mindset of Jesus’ time. Today we don’t tend to think of heaven as some place "up there" in the sky; rather, we tend to see it as a state of blessedness where we will be with God forever. However, in Jesus’ day every person, even the wisest, thought the earth to be flat and heaven to be a place literally above the sky. If Jesus wanted to give his followers unanswerable proof that he had returned to his glory, what better way was there than to be lifted up bodily in their presence? Because of what they witnessed, they knew that he still lived, but also that he had moved from this world back to the presence of God the Father. They understood that the ascension was the final chapter of the story of Jesus’ life here on earth.

For his followers, the significance of the ascension was that the first part of Jesus’ mighty work was now over. The visible ascension let the disciples know that a change had come. Jesus would still be with them, but now in spirit. For forty days after the resurrection Christ had appeared to them, but now it was time for them to take what they had learned into the world and be the church.

As Jesus left in glory, the disciples returned to Jerusalem not with sadness but with joy and wonder. They knew that with Jesus’ departure, something new and great was about to happen. A new epoch in human history was about to begin with the sending ofthe Spirit and the beginning of the church.

The ascension had profound meaning for Jesus as well. The phrase in the Creed we are considering this morning says "Jesus ascended to heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty."We need to get this right. I heard the story of a little girl and her mother who were sitting on the front porch of their house watching a glorious sunset. As they sat in silence taking it all the beautiful colors, the little girl spoke up and said, "Just think, Mommy, God can do all that with just his left hand." The mother asked, "Why do you say that?" "Well," the little girl replied, "the Bible says that Jesus is sitting on God’s right hand!"

Well, not exactly. Jesus is now sitting at, not on God’s right hand. This comes from numerous passages in the New Testament, such as Colossians 3:1-2, which reads, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on the earthly things."

To be seated at the right hand of God is to be in the place of highest honor. Hebrews 2:9 says, "Now we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death..."The picture represents the vindication of Christ. All the pain and humiliation of the cross, all the suffering and rejection is now at an end, and Christ is seated in the place of highest honor. John, in his great vision, pictured a stunning scene at the throne of God, which he recorded in Revelation 5:11-14. "Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang, ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on hearth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne andto the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped."Friends, the One we worship and accept as our Christ is the one seated at the right hand of God the Father and given highest honor by all in heaven.

To be seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty signifies not only highest honor, but also highest authority. Peter put it like this in 1 Peter 3:22, "We are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is now at God’s right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him."Christ is the sovereign Lord of the universe, and he reigns from his seat of authority. Listen to how Paul describes Jesus in Colossians 1:15-18. "He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead,

so that in everything he might have authority."

To be seated at the right hand of God was to be given highest honor and greatest authority, and finally, the most important work, that of intercession. Romans 8:34 says, "Who is he who condemns us? 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."The writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 7:23-25, Now there have been many priest, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Jesus, who sits at the right hand of God, is our only hope, but as our intercessor, he is our sure and certain hope! As John wrote in 1 John 2:1,"If anyone sins, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." The seat of honor, the seat of authority, the seat of intercession. This is what Jesus went back to. "I believe in Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." Friends, never forget that the One we claim to be our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the one given highest honor in all of creation. The One who loves you with an everlasting love is the One who has been given authority over all things. The One who gave his life for you on a cross and rose from the dead is the One who today is your advocate in heaven, who pleads your case, who speaks on your behalf, who offers you life. Be thankful for his continuing ministry in your life as Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God.

Praise God for the glorious work of Jesus Christ! Amen.