The Ascension and Exaltation of Christ
The Doctrine of
Christ - Lesson # 11
I. The ascension and exaltation historically
considered
A. Other events in the life of Christ
(his birth, death, and resurrection) get so much emphasis that his ascension
and his consequent glorification often get overlooked. Yet, their importance
for the doctrine of Christ is paramount.
1. "In
fact, there is hardly a NT writer who does not give testimony, direct or
indirect, to the truth of the ascension" (Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia,
I, 157).
2. "No
complete view of Jesus Christ is possible unless the Ascension and its
consequences are included" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia,
1, 263).
B. Review the details of the events - Acts
1:9-11; 2:36; Mk. 16:19-20; Lk. 24:50-53
II. The significance of the ascension and
exaltation of Christ
A. What it meant for Christ
1. Exaltation
to the right hand of God - Acts 2:32-33; 7:56
2. Glorified
as Lord - Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:9-11
3. Made
head of the church - Eph. 1:20-22
4. Exalted
as high priest - Heb. 8:1
5. Exalted
as savior - Acts 5:31
6. Exalted
as king, even the King of kings
B. What it meant for salvation
1. There
is a high priest who has made atonement in heaven itself - Heb. 1:3
2. There
is a mediator, an intercessor, an advocate - Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1
C. What it meant for the early church
1. An
end of the post-resurrection appearances
2. It
let them know where Jesus had gone
3. It
made possible the coming of the Holy Spirit - Jn. 16:7; Acts 2:33
D. What it should mean for the church
today
1. We
should recognize that Jesus is Lord, head of the church, high priest, savior,
and king.
2. Our
lives should be guided by these thoughts - Col. 3:1-2
3. He
will come again - Acts 1:11
4. There
is a spiritual realm and there is eternal life
III. Conclusion
A. Artists have had difficulty in
portraying the ascension. The results have been called grotesque and
ridiculous. Many people have ridiculed the biblical narrative, reminding others
that the earth is a globe. They sarcastically ask: "Is heaven located
directly above Palestine?" We all realize that we are dealing with an
event in the time-space continuum in which we live; yet, it transcends those
boundaries. We know that heaven is a spiritual state, not a physical location,
but we have difficulty thinking of the transition from this world to that
state. In what other way could Jesus have made the transition from this
physical world to the heavenly state other than what he did in the ascension?
How could he have done this so that his followers would understand what was
happening other than ascend out of their sight? Did not the way he did it
communicate the proper revelation to the apostles which he needed for them to
understand? Discuss how a modern, scientific world view can be consistent with
the biblical narrative of the ascension.
B. Memory verse - Phil. 2:9-11