(There is a special Ascension Day service in Durban today at the Workshop (a CFT action.Other co-workers and youth preaching in various areas today.)

Acts 1: 1 - 11

How can we ever be thankful enough for the grace of God?   He came down from heaven to die, to save me, a sinner.

So often we say we believe in Jesus but quite often we do miss the point about Whom we worship.  It may be that we serve Him as King, but just like any other king.  The world does its best to reduce Jesus to be one of the gods / prophets / holy men, to make Him as just another prophet.  But the truth is that there is none like Him, no one that will ever be like Him.   He is the Son of God, the Lord our God, the Spirit of God.  It must be clear that we are following the Lord God Almighty Who has all the power and authority in His Hands.  Indeed there is no one like Him:  His birth was unique, His ministry was different, saving people from their sins, changing their mindset and hearts in order to make them worthy of the One Who made them in His image.

He didn't stop there, but He died.  He didn't stay in the grave but conquered death and the grave and He was seen risen among people.  He lived among His disciples, with new life, and more power than before His death in His earthly ministry.   We need to know that He is the King of kings.

SCRIPTURE READING:  Acts 1:1-11

The things of the Lord Jesus are really indescribably.  Jesus said:  "I must do the works of Him Who sent Me while it is still day because the time of darkness is coming when no man can work."  Jesus knew that His time was coming to an end and He watched His time, using every moment for the Kingdom of God.

Let us look again at why Jesus came to save us out of our depravity and remove us out of that situation:

The Jews were ruled by the Romans and they expected Him to liberate them from the oppressive regimes, but He came for something far greater than that.   He came to release those in bondage / captivity.  If you are not set free yet but are still in bondage, the Lord Jesus came for you, to set you free.   Jesus was anointed for this purpose, His commission was to set free those who were enslaved to their sins.  If you are still a slave to sin, don't be relaxed.  No happiness should remain with you as long as you are in the spiritual jail of sin.

I heard some who had been in jail testifying.  One person had been captured and released but was in and out of prison again and again, till he got used to it.  Never regard sin as your home and a place where you can be happy.  Jesus came to remove you from that situation.

Some find themselves in particular sins and they begin to feel comfortable and they don't know the One Who has come to save us and redeem us out of our sins.

Faith vs. Doubt:

Having risen from the grave, He revealed Himself to many as alive.   Nevertheless there were those who had doubted and who questioned whether the others weren't seeing things and asked:  "Is it really true?  Did He really arise?"  Like the 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus  -  they didn't see even while walking with Him.  Until He broke the bread and their eyes were suddenly opened, they didn't realize Who it was who was with them.  Jesus came into their situation of confusion and doubt and misunderstanding, and revealed Himself as the risen One.

He revealed Himself to His 11 disciples, and He revealed Himself often "by many convincing proofs", teaching them why He came.

Let us look at the difference between faith and unbelief:   Jesus had spoken to His disciples and told them that He would suffer, die, be killed on the Cross, buried and on the third day rise again.  The disciples heard but they didn't hear.  When Mary Magdalene came with the news that they had seen Him, the Bible says that some believed but some doubted.  Till today there are those who have faith in Jesus and there are those who doubt.

Thomas needed a personal revelation.  He was in doubt, and the Lord revealed Himself to Him so that he could believe.  The Lord revealed Himself to Thomas and gave him direct proof that He was alive, to quell his fears and squash his doubts.

Do you believe (are you sure of) Jesus, or are you full of doubt, longing for more assurance, wanting to be sure that it is really so?  He revealed Himself to them and it was marvelous to have Him in their midst.  But that was not the end:  He had told them that He would have to leave them, for otherwise they couldn't receive the Comforter.  Jesus knew that He had to go that route because He wanted us to experience the power of the Comforter.

We find here that all that Jesus had predicted and told them would happen, culminated in this portion.  The time came after 40 days that Jesus was going to ascend back into heaven.

On the Mount of Olives He was taken from them as they were looking.  They saw Him being taken up into heaven and hidden by clouds.  Think what it is like if you were busy speaking to someone and the next moment they disappear.  That is what happened to Jesus.

Jesus had told them, and told them what they should do after He had been taken away:  "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, that people might be saved.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; he who doesn't believe, will perish."

 

The key is in faith.  There is no sin that surpasses the sin of unbelief, the sin of not believing the Word of God and the Son of God.  It just may be that you have heard it over and over again that He is the Saviour, but it is like a rumour to you  -  not reality.  But the one who is saved, has the assurance:  "This is my old life, but He has made all things new to me  -  I have been saved by grace."

Is it like that to you?  If not, then what is the problem?  If peace and joy is absent in your life and you don't know it, where does the problem lie?   For He has indeed come to save and He gives salvation eternally.  But the one who doesn't believe, receives eternal destruction.  If you don't believe in the only Son of God, nothing else awaits you except destruction.

Commission:

Now it says that we should go and preach the Gospel.  This is a commission:  “I command you to go and preach the Gospel.”  The whole world is full of people dying in their sin and we have the message that can save them.  Are you busy with that, or are you bound down by your situation and you fail to tell them?  You find it just a burden to just think of the commission of going forth and telling others about salvation.  If we know the truth but disobey to pass it on to others, then their blood will be on our hands.

9.  The Lord was taken up into heaven while the disciples gazed at the scene.  He was taken up to be at the Right Hand of the Father, and He intercedes for us daily.  But do we still fail to get up and go and proclaim the message, even though He is interceding for us?  Maybe His intercession for you is that you will have a clearer faith to be empowered to go forth.

Jesus said:  "I must depart from you so that the Comforter may come."  Maybe you are a Christian but you are powerless.  Years go by and you still are acutely conscious that you are not arriving, not gaining what you should have.  There should be a dissatisfaction with the one who isn't living a life that is fruitful.  My living for the Lord Jesus Who died and arose and ascended for me, why do I not experience the fullness?   Faith is a life-changing experience  -  what stops it in my life?  It should be evident to others that there is a radical change and that the world has dropped off me.   Maybe those who live with me are not blessed by the way you speak.  Maybe in your family they are not built up by your words that are not building up.  How can that be with all that Jesus has done for us and ascended, and is interceding for us?

He showed them His Hands and side, so that they would know that it wasn't just a spirit that arose but He Himself.  He ate with them to show that He wasn't a ghost but the real Son of God, Son of man.  He wanted to reveal Himself as the One Who was the Son of God  -   but there was still unbelief.

Jesus intercedes for you in heaven.  He is the One Who prays for you.  What do we do to show that that is Jesus Who died, was buried, arose, ascended to heaven and continues to intercede for us, that they can see Him in our lives?  Maybe there is some small sin that you are failing to get victory over.  He intercedes for you, for He is the go-between Who says:  "Let that thing that is troubling her, be gone!"

Empowering:

6.  Jesus comes with spiritual things and some don't understand it.  They asked whether He was going to restore their kingdom back to them.  They didn't understand that He was speaking a spiritual language.  Some couldn't understand what He was saying.  Till today there are those who don't comprehend what the Lord is saying.  Some re-interpret things and try to adapt truths and don't really understand why Jesus came.
His ascension releases His power to witness to the "uttermost parts of the world."

7.  Times and eras are in the Hands of the Father in heaven, but what you need to understand, is this:

8.  “You shall receive the Holy Spirit and when He is come upon you, you shall be My witnesses to the remotest parts of the earth.”

Jesus wanted them to understand that He was commissioning and empowering them to be His witnesses right there in Jerusalem and to the remotest parts of the earth.

Their question indicates a lack of understanding and that they didn't know what God was busy with.  They didn't understand that Jesus wanted to do much more for them then the kingdom of Israel's restoration.  He told them that they would be His witnesses all over the world.  What are you busy with?  At one time you had a zeal to promote the Gospel and to further His Kingdom, but what has happened to that?   Perhaps you had a genuine love for the lost, really wanting to help them.  What has happened to that love?  You sought for every opportunity to testify for the Lord, but where are you now?  Instead you find yourself now in failure, being conquered instead of conquering, because Jesus gives power to overcome sin to the one in whom He lives.

8.  Therefore go and be His witnesses all over the world.  Pray for this gift (the Holy Spirit) so that you can have power to be His witnesses.  Some pray for all the gifts of the Spirit, but some of them are really just seeking honour and fame and that others recognize them and see their spiritual progress.  Rather that you don't receive this empowering if your motive is wrong.  But there are those who pray for this Gift so that they can preach and it will touch people.

Soon afterwards, after these 10 days, we read about the Holy Spirit descending upon these people, igniting them with God's fire.  In a few days we will celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, after which they could propagate the Gospel with courage.  That enabled them to go out and preach the Gospel.  They were burning with a new fire and they knew:  "I must be busy with my Father's business."

The disciples had power afterwards.  They had something which they hadn't had before.  Even those who had been shy before to stand for the Lord, like Peter who denied Him, now had the authority and courage to speak out.  They didn't even fear death after Pentecost but were willing to face even death for their Lord.

That is not the emphasis today, but the ascension.  He ascended to heaven so that He could send what the Father had promised.

His return:

10-11.  The scene is set.   They were gazing up into heaven and the 2 men dressed in white said:  "Behold, He will return in the same way in which He returned.”  It was full of heavenly hosts and even on the other side God made sure that there are those to comfort and strengthen those who are on earth.

If you deny / neglect so great a salvation, how else can you be helped?  Maybe you are at the Mission for other purposes (eg. employment), but you have heard the Word of God and the things of the Lord Jesus.  Even if you don't care, He cares.

He will return.  The Bible says that even those who crucified / pierced Him, will see Him.  No one will not see Him.  The Word says that even those who died, drowned in the sea, will be resurrected and they will see Him.  They will rise, some to life and some to death.

That is why we must believe in Him, the One Who has done all this for us.  The Lord also said that the judgement is this, that He came into the world but the world preferred not to believe in Him.  The world received Him not.  Are you part of that group?

"They did not receive Him because their works are filled with darkness."  Are you trying to run from God and lose out on such great salvation?

The Word says that He will return.  Then He will be in another state than when He ascended.  Then He will be the Judge, He being fully aware of the sin in our lives.  He knows everything about our lives.  Are you still hiding your sins?  He will return and even what you hide and bury, will be revealed.

Some "Christians" believe in God, but some still use witchcraft medicines during the night etc.  The truth will come to light when He returns.  Everything shall be seen as it truly is.  The honest truth about your life will come to light.  You should have been calling upon Him for salvation, to make you new, but why have you neglected that thus far?  He is the King of kings, to be worshipped, revered.  He is the Intercessor today, He will be the Judge then.  Where will you be found?

If you find yourself in a lukewarm condition, repent lest you die and you haven't done what He has commanded you to do.  God wants to help you.  What is your response?

The Bible says that He will return in like manner as He ascended.  He will come as the King of kings.  Will you have confidence then or will you be ashamed?  If the latter, may the Lord have mercy on you now.  May it be on That Day that you will be able to refer back to this day where God showed you grace.

If you have known a calling from God, ask yourself whether you are busy with that calling.  Is there still that fiery zeal or is it just drifting and you are just like other people, no longer a purpose / aim?  You find that days go by, months, and if you look back, what has been accomplished for the Lord?  What have you really been busy with?  Those who don't believe, will die in their sins, but their blood will be asked from you.  He has told you to go out, and if you don't, you will be called to be accountable for their blood.

We are serving the conquering Saviour, the King of kings, the patient One Who wants all of us in heaven, to rule with us.  He desires that for you and me.  What will we do about it?  May God help us.   If you are out of that which God called you to be in, return to God and repent.

As He ascended into heaven, He will return.  Signs of His coming are there.  We see the epidemics spoken of in the Bible.  He could return at any time.  In what condition should we be.  When He returns, may He not be ashamed of us, but instead that He says:  "Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful in small things."  If you haven't been faithful in the past, let us get back to faithfulness and come back to Him.

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