Crown of Life Sermon -- 11 May 2008

Ascension Day -- May 11, 2008
Luke 24:44-53

It’s Ascension Day, but I doubt you had anyone greet you, saying, "Happy Ascension Day," "Merry Ascension Day," or "He has ascended, he has ascended indeed." It's Ascension Day, and we didn’t have a day off work, no special feasts were made, the mail was delivered, the garbage was picked up, and the banks were open.

It’s Ascension Day, a day that goes unnoticed and uncelebrated by the world. But Ascension Day is every bit as important and meaningful as Christmas or Easter. Ascension Day is a day worthy for us to gather together worship our God and praise Him. For today is Ascension Day, the day Jesus left because all has been completed. The day we remain to be His witnesses.

Easter evening the two disciples who had been going to Emmaus, cut their trip short to return to Jerusalem. They found the disciples' hiding spot and told them, “It’s true, the Lord has risen” and they began to tell of the encounter they had with Jesus. While they were still talking about these resurrection appearances, Jesus gave them one more to talk about. He appeared to them, and to prove He was no ghost, ate some broiled fish. The disciples couldn’t believe what they were seeing because of their joy and amazement. It didn’t make sense. How could Jesus’ flesh and blood be standing before them? How could this be happening?

Well, Jesus says, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” And He opens their minds -- for no one can understand what God has done without God opening up their minds so they can understand. He then tells them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

How could all this be happening? Because God in the Scriptures said it would happen. The Christ suffered exactly as Genesis 3:15, and Psalm 22, and Isaiah 53, and countless other places said He would do. And the Christ rose from the dead, as Palms 16:9-11 and Genesis 3:15 said He would do, and as Job confessed He would do. And through the Christ we have forgiveness, as Isaiah 53, Jeremiah 23 and 31, Psalm 130 and countless other places in scripture said would happen.

And now that the Christ has fulfilled all that was spoken about Him, it was time to leave. There was nothing more to do. He did everything He was prophesied to do to accomplish our salvation.

So, you see, it is Ascension Day, the day that Jesus left, because everything that was needed for our salvation has been accomplished. Nothing more needs to be done in order for us to have life with our Father forever. It’s Ascension Day, the day Jesus left us, assuring us our place in heaven is ready for us.

It is no wonder the disciples left the place they saw Jesus ascend into heaven with great joy. Normally when a loved one leaves, we are filled with sadness, but the disciples, they were filled with joy. They went back to Jerusalem, continually going to the temple, giving constant praise to God. They couldn’t help but be filled with great joy and constant praise after Jesus ascended, because they knew the reason Jesus ascended is because the work necessary for us to have heaven as our home was completed.

When I was at the seminary, I put myself through school by working for James Hoffman Construction. We built custom homes. I can’t begin to tell you how happy the customers were on the day when we packed up the last of our equipment, handed them the keys to the house and drove off after completing all the work. How happy they were to see us go. If you have ever gone through a remodeling or building project, just think of the joy you had when the work was done, the workers gone, and you could sit in your new home.

In the same way, be filled with joy on this Ascension day, for this is the day Jesus left because the work has been completed -- heaven is ready for us to take possession. No sacrifice, sweat, tears or work needs to be done by us. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross was enough to free us from the punishment of our sin, and not only ours, but the punishment for the sins of all nations and peoples. And the work Jesus did by keeping all of God’s commands, doing at all times the will of his Father, never sinning once, is sufficient for us to be able to take possession of a perfect home in heaven.

There are no projects we can take on, no sacrifices we can make to improve on what Jesus has done for us. If we want to go ahead and try to prepare our place in heaven or improve on what Jesus has done through our sacrifice with our work, we will find ourselves not in a better, more improved home, but a home in which the residents weep and gnash their teeth. A home without the Father. A home with nothing but pain and misery and suffering.

But it is Ascension Day, a day not celebrated like Christmas or Easter, but a day that is just as important and joyous and special, for Jesus has left, because everything for our salvation has been completed. But if everything has been completed for us to obtain our home with our Father, then why do we remain in this land where we are strangers? Why can’t we leave? We remain to be His witnesses.

Jesus' disciples were first hand witnesses of His suffering and subsequent resurrection. They saw with their own eyes how just fulfilled what was written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and Psalms. They were the ones who would remain and preach repentance and forgiveness in Jesus' name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And the witness that began at Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago has transcended cultures, races and generations, to reach our ears. Today is Ascension Day, and we remain to be His witness.

We are the ones to preach repentance, to point out sin and preach forgiveness in Jesus' name. We will never run out of opportunities to be witnesses. For while nations have different brands and names for car companies, and different currencies, and different electronic companies, there is one name for all nations for forgiveness -- Jesus. The forgiveness Jesus won is for all, and we are all witnesses, so we remain.

But might we remain a bit too long? Here I think of the suffering, the ill, those who have had their bodies and mind ravaged with the onset of age. We think there is no point. We believe this to be cruel and unusual punishment. We think the suffering should end. We question, "When, God? How long? Enough is enough!

Did you ever consider for a moment what witness we can be even in times such as these? We can be a wonderful witness to the sanctity of life by respecting the Lord’s Word instead of a person’s wish and use the medical means given to us to preserve life rather then have the attitude of putting the person out of their suffering. In doing so, we can be witness that God considers every life valuable and important, regardless of the quality of life. In doing so, we can be witness that no matter what happens, whether we live or die, whether we are in agony or pain free, we have hope, we have joy, we have peace, because Jesus has completed the work of salvation for us.

What a powerful witness we can be in suffering when we endure suffering with patience, perseverance, confidence and contentment, knowing our times are in God’s hands. He is doing what is best, and we will not fall into despair, because we know our place in heaven is prepared by Jesus.

When people are jumping off buildings, putting guns to their heads, hiding in fear, worrying themselves sick because of what is taking place in this world, that seems in a downward spiral we can be witness of hope and joy as to what the future holds. The future is bright. The future is paradise. The future is perfect, because Jesus has accomplished all. Jesus may have left, but we remain to be His witness. Once our witness is over, then it will be time for us to leave. It is Ascension Day, and we remain to be His witnesses.

It’s Ascension Day, but don’t except to ever have this day off. Don’t expect to be greeted with "Happy" or "Merry" Ascension Day. You will never have to worry about banks or the post office being closed.

But Ascension Day is an important day. It is a great day of joy, for Jesus left, because He fulfilled all the scriptures said about Him. The suffering for sin is over. Life with our God has been won. Be bold and joyful witness.

Back to Sermons Page 2008