Well, dear friends, let us turn again to that portion of Scripture that we read together, Acts chapter 1, and we take as our text the words of verse 9. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him off their sight. And in particular, those words He was taken up. By our very gathering together today, this being the Lord's Day, the first day of the week, we give confession to and testimony of our belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the first day of the week, He rose again from the dead. And we know of the necessity of the doctrine of the resurrection for our justification and for our salvation. Because He lives, we shall live also. And so it follows of necessity that if we confess the truth of the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we must also confess the truth of the doctrine of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Now this, I would suggest to you, is a neglected truth. Some have it included in their liturgical calendar, the day of ascension. And how often do we as Christians think upon the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ? We often think, I hope, upon his resurrection. But do we ever go beyond his resurrection to think of the significance, the scriptural necessity, the salvific necessity of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Now there have been some throughout church history and some unbelievers who would now see us the poorer because the Lord Jesus Christ is absent but we the church and having a right understanding of the doctrine of the ascension don't see ourselves to be poorer but we see much the richer for his ascension into heaven. The ascension is a necessary historical redemptive event for our salvation. It was necessary for our salvation that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. and therefore it is a necessary article for us to confess. He is not only risen but he is ascended victorious and glorious into heaven. Well let us consider it then from these three words, or these four words, he was taken up. Three points for you. Firstly, he was taken up in confirmation of his word. Secondly, he was taken up in presence of his disciples. And thirdly, he was taken up in victory into heaven. Firstly then, he was taken up in confirmation of his word. And with this first point, we will be considering a number of passages of Scripture. But if we think just of the immediate context here of the first chapter of Acts, verse 7, And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power, but ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Ye shall receive power. He had already been ministering to these dejected and despondent disciples who were concerned because during the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, he had taught them of the necessity of his own ascension, that he must return unto the Lord. And yet, if we consider verse one to four, we have a wider application, can be made to his whole ministry unto the disciples. Verse one to four. The former treaties have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach until the day in which he was taken up. After that, he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many invaluable proofs. being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, Ye have heard of me. What had they heard of him? This very thing, that he must of necessity depart. Now we have John's gospel and the valedictory address of our Lord Jesus Christ from chapter 13 through to chapter 16. And we read here some lovely words, comforting, succoring words of the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. We know these familiar words of chapter 14, let not your heart be troubled. Verse one, you believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. What comfort was in these words itself. He gives them the purpose, the reason for which he must depart from them. One being, he must prepare a place for them. Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of every believer. It's only because Jesus Christ has ascended up into heaven that we ourselves will enter heaven. And whether I go ye know, and the way ye know, that we may be with him also. But also we have the words of chapter 16, gives us another purpose for which he ascended into heaven. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me. And none of you ask us, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. And then he goes on to say, Here comes the comfort. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. It is to your advantage. That's how the Heidelberg Catechism puts that question. What advantage have we in the ascension of Jesus Christ? It is to your advantage, for if I go not away, The Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. So there's the other reason for which he must ascend up into heaven. We would have no Comforter. We would have no enabling to live a spiritual life and our pilgrimage through this world if Jesus Christ had not ascended according to his own word. into heaven. So, what can we say of this? The establishment was taught by Christ before it was wrought by Christ. It was taught. He said it before them. before the actual fulfillment of it. He testified to its ferocity and necessity before he was taken up. And you may rightly say to me, well, we see how he testified to its necessity. He has set out the reasons for his ascension here, being that he must prepare a place, being that if he didn't return, he couldn't send the comforter. The comforter would not come. But what do you mean by the ferocity, the truthfulness? How did he testify to the truthfulness of it? Well, he testified to the witness of the Old Testament scriptures and administration to the doctrine of the ascension. The doctrine of the ascension is not a doctrine of the New Testament alone. It is a doctrine that is set out also in shadows and figures in the Old Testament administration. Jesus Christ, as with all types and shadows, fulfilled with regards to the ascension. One writer remarked, says, the ascension is not only the culmination of New Testament history, but also the vocal point of much Old Testament prophecy. Now, we have this in the Psalms, and the Psalms are the songbook of the church. And therefore the church in the Old Testament administration sung of the ascension of Jesus Christ. That's a wonderful thought. They sang of his victory and of his glorious ascension in the Old Testament administration. And there are those today that tell us that the Psalms are insufficient for New Testament worship. They were sufficient for New Testament worship when they were being sung by Old Testament saints. Christ being set forth in his glory. We have it in Psalm 24. Psalm 24, well-known Psalm to us all. Verse 8, who is the king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. The ascension of Jesus Christ. Psalm 68 that we have sung already, verses 18 and 19. Verse 17's a wonderful verse too, as we'll come to a little later on. And the apostle Paul, Ephesians chapter 4, confirms the words of Psalm 68 as relating to the risen Christ who ascended up into heaven. So it was prophesied in the Old Testament administration and sung off by the church. But the benefits of the ascension were also prophesied in the Old Testament administration. Isaiah 44, verse 3, For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground, I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. The same as Joel 2 and 28, that promise of Pentecost. When Christ ascended up into heaven, he received the promise of the Father. And then on the day of Pentecost, he poured forth the Spirit onto the church. So the benefits of the ascension were prophesied in the Old Testament administration. The ascension was typified also by the Old Testament saints. We think of Genesis 5, verse 24, Enoch. Enoch walked with God, and he was not. He was taken up. We think of 2 Kings 2, verse 11, Elijah. Elijah was taken up. Dear friends, I suggest to you that Enoch and Elijah were taken up upon the virtue of the ascension of Jesus Christ that was yet to be. It was because Christ would ascend. The efficacy of Christ's ascension is what enabled Enoch to be taken up, what enabled Elijah to be taken into heaven. It's a wonderful picture. You see, without Christ we have nothing. Psalm 47, that we sang in our opening, also typifies the ascension. Verse 5, God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. And that was often took place when the king ascended up to the temple. Off like a shout, God had ascended. So it is with the ascension of Jesus Christ. But before we bring this first point to a close, we cannot but mention the eminent type of the high priest that we find in our Lord Jesus Christ. Leviticus 16 speaks of the day of atonement. And after the high priest had made sacrifice, he entered into the holy place beyond the veil. To do what? To sprinkle the mercy seed, to sprinkle the blood, to make intercession for the people. We read of this in Hebrews and the chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6 throughout the chapter from verse 9 through to verse 20 speaks of this high priest. You see, the high priest office is a two-fold function. And because it's a two-fold function, the office of high priest itself necessitated the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? because he had offered himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice. He had made atonement here. But where was he to present that atonement? Where was he to present the blood? Where was he to present himself? He was to pass through the heavens into that holy place. So we see the twofold function of the high priest. necessitated the ascension. But secondly, let us note, he was taken up in the presence of his disciples. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he ascended up for his disciples' sake. and so ascended as head of all his people. The Lord Jesus Christ did not ascend up into heaven as a private individual. No, he ascended up as a public person on the behalf of his people, as the representative of his people. And not only did he ascend up as a public person, but his ascension was a public ascension. the public ascension of the King of Glory was for the encouragement, the strengthening, the comfort, the joy of a fearful people. And we have an account of this also in the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. We don't forget, of course, Luke is the author of Acts. But in chapter 24 and verse 50, we see just how public the ascension was. And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass while he blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up in to heaven and then we read and they worshipped him these despondent fearful disciples and they worshipped him and returned to jerusalem with great joy they returned to the place of his crucifixion with great joy the encouragement they received from this public ascension but we should note here in verse 50 also that he lifted up his hands and blessed them This was a holy benediction of Jesus Christ, the head of the church over all the church. And the efficacy of that benediction remains today upon the church of Jesus Christ. That ought to encourage us further, especially in the day of small things. We have the holy benediction of the risen Christ upon the church, his blessing. One writer remarked with regards to the cloud. He writes, the intervention of a cloud may have been designed to answer two important purposes. First, that of making our Lord's transit from earth to heaven more distinctly visible, that it would be seen of men. And dear friends, we shall see it was also seen of angels. and then that of recalling to the minds of the spectator the awful but familiar symbol of Jehovah's presence under the Old Testament. Now that's interesting. When we think of the cloud over Mount Sinai, when we think of the cloud that led them in the wilderness and in other places in the Old Testament, it's a symbol of Jehovah's presence, but not just his presence. It's a symbol of the presence of his glory, of his majesty, of his might, and of his And that's what was visible to those disciples as Christ ascended. That's why it was a glorious ascension. The majesty of God accompanied the ascension of Jesus Christ. Now we see why we should think more often upon the ascension of Jesus Christ. It was not a vision. Some who claim it was but a vision. It wasn't a vision. Just as it was a bodily resurrection, it was a bodily ascension. He ascended in our nature. It wasn't any hallucination, nor was it any spiritual ascension only. As those who would teach, it was but a spiritual resurrection. It was but a spiritual ascension. No. It was a true ascension. What was it? Well, dear friends, it was the beginning. It was the beginning of what he had promised for the mission of his kingdom on earth. He had finished his work on earth, and in his ascension, we see the beginnings of his mission. It was because of his ascension that he sent forth the Holy Spirit, who has come to convince, to convict, and to convert sinners unto Christ, who has come to depose sin in the heart of all of his people, and to crown Christ King in the hearts of all his people. He must needs go then in order that they receive the Holy Ghost with power. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come. Now I spoke upon the perpetual benediction of Christ upon the church, this blessing that we all know and will know till the end of the world. But here also there is power. the power of Pentecost, the power of the Holy Ghost. Where is that power? We all should be asking that question. Christ has not taken one iota of the Spirit back in that sense. It hasn't been recalled to heaven. It's been poured forth in power and remains in power. Where is it? Reminds us of those words, when Jesus visited Nazareth, he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Is that the same as us? You may say, well, what about the Old Testament saints? The Old Testament saints, did they not know the whole Holy Spirit, of course they did. But this day of Pentecost is a historical redemptive event where the Spirit was poured forth in greater measure than it ever had been done. And it was poured forth by the mediator who had received mediatorial dominion and authority who now sends it forth. Yet as our head He must also prepare a place for us in the Father's house. And dear friends what a comfort that is. Death has lost its sting with the Christian and yet we are comforted further knowing that there is a place prepared for us. a place prepared by him who has loved us and gave himself for us. You see, Christ, as I said before, is the firstfruits. He is the firstfruits of the resurrection. Because Christ was raised from the dead, so our body shall be raised also. Because he lives, we shall live also. And so it is with the ascension. Because he has ascended into heaven, so shall we enter into heaven. Remember, it was in our very nature that he was exalted in his glorious person. Let us not forget that. Our nature resides in heaven. Our nature is on the throne of the majesty on high. Think of that. exalted in his glorious person. This visible ascension in the presence of his disciples into heaven is for our advantage. Why is it for our advantage? Because he is Jesus Christ the righteous. He is our advocate at God's right hand. Therefore there is no more condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Accusations may come against the children of God, but our great advocate He faces those accusations head on in his perfect righteousness and in his perfect merit. There's no more condemnation for us. Our advocate resides in heaven and he is our pledge that we too shall be there. What ought this doctrine to do for us? This doctrine ought to cause us to raise our affections to heaven itself. The Apostle Paul instructs us to do this, Colossians 3. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Then what does he go on to say after he states that truth? Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. What are those things above that you are to set your affections on? Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of God. That's who we set our affections on. But thirdly and finally, he was taken up in victory into heaven. Taken up in victory into heaven. We are told that he passed through the heavens into the place called heaven as our king victorious. Hebrews chapter four, he passed through the heavens. The priestly king, That's what he is. The priestly king must ascend his throne in his heavenly coronation. One writer remarked, this kingdom reaches its zenith in the coronation of Jesus as the eternal Messiah king. You see, no king is without an ascension or a coronation. And we see the splendor and the majesty that accompanies such even on this earth. But they are but faint reflections of the majesty of the ascension of Jesus Christ. In 1 Kings 1, And verse 39 we read, and Sadduk the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon and they blew the trumpet and all the people said, God save King Solomon. Here's his coronation. And all the people came up after him and the people piped with pipes and rejoiced with great joy so that the earth rent with the sound of them." What about the greater Solomon? Here at the coronation of Solomon, we read, and the earth rent at the sound of them. But at the coronation of the greater Solomon, Jesus Christ, the very host of heaven itself, sang to the praises of their God and of their Lord. They rejoiced at the ascension of Jesus Christ. He entered in victorious, a conquering king, the captain of the salvation of his people. The universe itself rung with the praises. The greater Solomon enthroned in heaven. We sing of this glorious and this victorious ascension. We have sang of it already today. And in singing Psalm 68 today, we also sang and witnessed to the joy of the heavenly host as Christ passed through the heavens. In Acts chapter 1, angels spoke to the disciples, instructed them again in the words of Christ. but they weren't the only angels who were in attendance at the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 68 and verse 17, we read, the chariots of God are 20,000, even thousands of angels. The Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place. This is speaking of those angels that greeted and accompanied the Lord Jesus Christ as he passed into the heavens. My dear friends, let's get this in our mind's eye. He who is in our nature passed through the seraphims, the cherubims, those who were created for the purpose of waiting upon God in praise and in adoration were there to greet Christ with that same praise and that same adoration as their Lord, as their King. An old writer remarked, He says, they are part of that illustrious retinue which came from the celestial regions to attend our Lord in his ascension and to heighten the glory of his triumph. Thousands and ten thousands of angels accompanied him as he passed from earth to heaven, celebrating his praises. How much more we who have been redeemed by his precious blood ought to celebrate his praises when we think of the ascension of Jesus Christ. Dear friends, should we not rejoice still? Yes, we should. We continue to live in the victory of it. Why would we not still rejoice? Now, we have noted our advantage, but we must also note our responsibility. What is our responsibility in the light of this glorious doctrine of the ascension of Jesus Christ? He has gone to prepare a place for us in victory. Therefore, Let us prepare our hearts for that place with a victorious living in Him. You see, our responsibility, our obligation, when we think of Him who has ascended for us, let us live for Him. Our head is in heaven. let us his body be heavenly minded on earth. Let us walk with this always before us. He hath ascended. He hath entered in for me. Therefore, I will enter in. He entered in victorious. Therefore, I will enter in victorious. And that's a truth we must grasp because every believer will enter heaven victorious. Why? Because we enter in upon the merits of his sacrifice, of his victory, not on our own. He entered for us. Dear saints, think often then upon this ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Two further lessons that it teaches us that we should meditate upon today. Firstly, the obvious one, Christ is in heaven. Christ is in heaven for us. Secondly, heaven is our country. Heaven is our inheritance. And he who dwells there for us is our pledge, our guarantee of these things. It is the place where our nature resides in the person of the mediator and our redeemer, even Jesus Christ our Lord. He who hath ascended as king over all. Well, may the Lord bless this to each of our hearts. Let us pray. Eternal and ever-blessed God, we marvel at the great plan of redemption and we wonder at the unfolding of that plan. And we are in amazement of the fulfillment of these things in the person and in the work of Jesus Christ. But our prayer, O Lord, is that we truly would be comforted this day by this truth, knowing that we too shall enter in to heaven victorious, because he who is the first fruits of all his people has gone before us. and there makes intercession for us. And we rejoice in this great comfort that as we rest this Sabbath day, as we think upon these things, as we seek to prepare ourselves for the evening sacrifice of Thanksgiving, we are assured that he prays for us. Help us then to be imitators of him, praying for one another and praying for the work of Christ in our own souls. Forgive us of all our sins, we pray, and grant the increase to thine own word, for Christ's sake. Amen. Well, let us conclude by singing from Psalm 24, And we sing from the verse 5 through the end of the psalm. He from the eternal shall receive the blessing him upon and righteousness even from the God of his salvation. This is the generation that after him inquire, O Jacob, who do seek thy face with their whole heart's desire? And then we shall sing of the ascension of Jesus Christ, verse seven, through to the end. Psalm 24, to God's praise. If only eternal shall receive the blessing given upon, and righteousness seen from the God of His salvation. the generation that after him entwined. O Jacob, who do seek thy face with an old March's desire? He lift up your nets on high, ye doors that blast for him. He lifted up that soul, the King. of glory enter may. But to all glory is the King, the mighty Lord is this. In blessing, Lord, that great in might And strong in battle is. In case lift up your heads ye doors, Doors that do last for aye, He lifted up that soul, the King of glory and turning. But who is he that is the King? Let us stand to receive the benediction. Now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.