Christ’s Ascension = Confirmed His Divinity

الخميس, 05 يونيو, 2008

This Thursday, 5^th June 2008 our Church will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, 40 days after His glorious Resurrection.  “He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and made us alive together with Christ and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 2:5-6).

1. Christ’s Ascension = Confirmed His Divinity
   
   The Ascension of our Lord to heaven by His own power and will, declares His Divinity and His heavenly origin.  Christ said, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”  (John 3:13, 8:23).
2. Christ’s Ascension = Reveals His Majestic Glory
   
   Christ’s Ascension and sitting at the right of God the Father indicates His ultimate glorification.  God has no right or left hand, He is omnipresent, but the term right refers to the place of honour and glory.  “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  The right hand of the Lord is exalted.”  (Psalm 118:15).  In the Old Testament the Psalmist foresaw this and said, “The Lord said to My Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand ‘til I make Your enemies Your footstool.’”  (Psalm 110:1).
3. Christ’s Ascension = Prepares us for our Heavenly Home
   
   Jesus Ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us and to come back to receive us to Himself.  “In My Father’s house are many mansion; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  (John 14:2-3). Christ also promised, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  (Luke 12:32).  Christ directed our hearts and minds to heaven saying, “seek first the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 6:33) and “lay for yourselves treasures in heaven.”  (Matthew 6:20).  St. Paul confirms this saying, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above.” (Colossians 3:1).
4. Christ Ascended = To Send me the Holy Spirit
   
   ”Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”  (John 16:7).  Christ said, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”  (John 14:18).  Christ also said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”  (John 15:26).
5. Christ Ascended = To Intercede for all Humanity
   
   ”Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.  For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens.”  (Hebrews 7:25-26).
6. Christ’s Ascension = Reminds me of His Second Coming
   
   ”And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them, in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”  (Acts 1:10-11).  St. John says, “Behold, He is coming with clouds and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him.  And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”  (Revelation 1:7).
   
   “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.”  (Matthew 25:31-32).  May we hear the comforting voice of Christ saying, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  (Matthew 25:34).
7. Christ’s Ascension = Elevates my Faith
   
   The Lord meant by His Ascension to wean His disciples and us from the mere senses of the flesh because by, “faith we walk and not by sight.”  (2 Corinthians 5:7).  St. Paulsays, “Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now we know Him thus no longer.”  (2 Corinthians 5:16

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