(3) Christ Ascended

This December we turn to the psalms to help us celebrate the coming of Jesus. Christ himself said that the psalms were written about him (Luke 24:44). They proclaim every part of Jesus' ministry, his humiliation and exaltation (45, 46).

In this brief advent series we'll work backward to Jesus' birth from his ascension, resurrection, and suffering. This approach can help us appreciate the purposes of Jesus' incarnation, front-loading the question: Why did Christ come? The child born in Bethlehem represents God on a mission. He would perform all righteousness, suffer at the hands of sinners, conquer death, and physically ascend from this earth to return to the Father. In this ministry Christ acted not as a private person but as mediator; everything he does is for the benefit of his children. Jesus descended that he might ascend again, taking us with him.

Psalm 24 previews Jesus' ascension. It is quite literally an ascension psalm. It asks, "Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?" (3). And we'll see that only in Christ's ascension to the Father can this psalm be good news for us.