The Ascension of Jesus Christ
The consequences of the ascension of Jesus Christ are so amazing that they changed the whole way that people prayed and worshipped God and participated in Him. Jesus took apart the heavenly realm when He ascended and removed the power of the evil principalities and powers to dominate the life of those who believed in Him (Ephesians 4:8-13, Col 2:13-13). Furthermore He took us with Him on His journey into the heavenly realms so that the believer in Jesus Christ is now a citizen of heaven (Phillipians 3:20), a resident of the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12: 22-24) and is seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6) with a graciously given heavenly status that was previously impossible for any human to achieve under the Law (Matthew 11:11-13, Ephesians 2:4-10). Jesus ascension also resulted in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (John 7:39, 16:7, Acts 2:33) and the giving of spiritual gifts to the church (Ephesians 4:8-13).
Perhaps the best starting point is the purpose statement given in Ephesians
by Paul. This is the "why" of the Ascension and of Pentecost.
(Eph
4:8-13 NKJV) Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." {9} (Now this, "He ascended";
what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the
earth? {10} He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the
heavens, that He might fill all things.) {11} And He Himself gave some to be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, {12}
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ, {13} till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ;
Now Paul's purpose statement lists a number of reasons behind the ascension-outpouring. The ultimate reason for the ascension is that"He might fill all things"(Ph 4:10). See Col 1:15ff for more on that! What does he want to fill all things with? Himself! What then is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit about - filling ALL believers with Jesus! Being filled with the Spirit of Jesus is the purpose of Pentecost and the ascension.
This connects with the other great purpose expressed in this passage. That believers may come to a unity of faith and become"a perfect man"in the stature and fullness of Christ. That is the objective we see most clearly now. To build up Christians God sovereignly gives the ability to edify His body to certain people as a gift.
On the way to do this Jesus takes"captivity captive"spoiling the demonic world of its spiritual powers. Like the conqueror He is He then distributes spiritual gifts to men. They include the five-fold ministries and the gift of tongues on the day of Pentecost and the various spiritual manifestations necessary for the building up of the body of Christ. So we see that the purposes behind the ascension-Pentecost are - that Christ might fill all things, that captivity would be captured, that spiritual gifts might be given to the church which would then become like Christ. The purpose of Pentecost is Spirit-filled and empowered images of Jesus Christ.
Taking Captivity Captive
The following is a schematic diagram of how things were in Old Testament times. It shows how much both Jews and Gentiles were captives. The Jews were captives under the Law and the Gentiles captives under their demonic religions. Quite obviously not everything can be fitted onto a single diagram and it is not to scale or meant to be theologically normative but it will, I hope, help us to grasp what the state of things was.
Let's look at what it is trying to tell us. There are four
levels - God, the angelic realm (inhabited by both good and evil
angels), mankind and creation in general. Mankind rules creation,
the angelic realm is more powerful than mankind and God rules
over all. It is the middle portion of the diagram that is the
most interesting. We can see from Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19
that the Law was given through angels. 1 Corinthians 10:20 also
tells us that the Gentile religions were the work of demons and
that the worshippers worshipped demons and not God. So we see
that before Christ both Jewish and Gentile religion was
under the direct control of the angelic realm. The good
angels mediated the Jewish religion and the demons mediated the
innumerable Gentile religions. Both systems were somewhat
similar (though the Law was vastly superior) and listed in
the middle of the diagram are some of the similarities.
Both Jewish and Gentile religions had temples and priests and
sacrifices and tithes and offerings and dietary restrictions and
special days and festivals and various taboos and categories of
clean and unclean things. Though the Jewish religion was much
holier and more moral it operated with much the same basic
external structure as the Gentile religions. They had the same
externals - though the internals were very different. Judaism
however did not resort to witchcraft, divination, sorcery or
magic which are exclusively in the domain of Satan. In both
Colossians and Galatians Paul calls these external things - the
taboos, festivals etc the "elementary principles of this
world" or the "stoichea".
Thus mankind in the Old
Testament was ruled by religions based on the exact performance
of rituals and the keeping of numerous laws and taboos.
Relationship to God was through a priestly caste and involved
sacrifices. Except for a very few individuals there was no
ongoing relationship with God. Sin led to death which, at that
stage, was under the power of the Devil (Hebrews 2;14,15). The
general experience of both Jewish and Gentile believers was one
of fear and bondage (Hebrews 2:14,15). All this was to change
with the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
After Jesus' Work On The Cross, Resurrection and Ascension
Again we have a diagram - the main change being the creation of the Church and its high status in the heavenly realms.
Let's look at some of the changes and seek to explain them. Death moves out of Satan's control (Hebrews 2:14,15) into that of Jesus Christ who now has the keys of Death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). The accusing power of the law over us is broken (Colossians 2:13-15) because it is nailed to the cross. Jesus has been raised up above every power and principality in the heavenly realms and we - who are "in Him" - are of course seated where He is.(Eph 1:20-23 NKJV) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, {21} far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. {22} And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, {23} which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
The Church contains you and I so the exaltation of the Church
is the exaltation of the believer. Thus the fact that the Church
has been made to be the "fullness of Him who fills all in
all" has amazing consequences for the believer. Paul
continues to show how we have been raised "from the
guttermost to the uttermost" ...(Eph
2:6-7 NIV) {6} And God raised us up with Christ and seated us
with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, {7} in order
that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of
his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Thus
we see that we have (past tense) been raised up with
Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus
(verse 6 above). This was done not because we were good but
because of God's great grace which Paul calls"the incomparable riches of His
grace..". Thus we have been taken from being
sinners (Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1-4) and made into people who
are"seated in the heavenly
realms". We are now given a status and authority
far beyond anything we deserve so that God may show just how
gracious He can be.
This new spiritual status of the believer, this citizenship of
heaven, is absolutely central to Paul's teaching. So much so that
Paul is quite astonished when Christians do not grasp that we are
to rule the world and judge the angelic realm.
(1 Cor 6:2-3 NKJV) Do you not know that the
saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by
you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? {3} Do you
not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that
pertain to this life?
To Paul it is just a gospel basic
that Christ has triumphed and that we share His triumph and
rulership as inheritors of the Kingdom. Christ has ascended above
the angelic realm and we have also done this "in Him"
therefore we have been invested with an authority greater than
that of the angels and will one day judge them. (Note: Authority
is different from strength, Napoleon was probably not the
physically strongest member of his army but he had authority. So
Christians do not have the power of angels yet but we do have
position and authority and the right to be in command.) Thus
Christians can exorcise demons because we are now at a higher
level of authority than that of the fallen angels.
Since we are above the angels we are above their systems or
the "stoichea". Thus Christians are not to observe
taboos, festivals, days, months, years, sabbaths, make
sacrifices, or worry about tithes, offerings or priests. Lets
look at this because it has been a stumbling block to so many
believers.
(Gal 4:1-10 NKJV) ...{3} Even so
we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of
the world ("stoichea"). {4} But when the fullness of
the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born
under the law, {5} to redeem those who were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption as sons. {6} And because you are
sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying out, "Abba, Father!" {7} Therefore you are no
longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God
through Christ. {8} But then, indeed, when you did not know God,
you served those which by nature are not gods. {9} But now after
you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that
you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you
desire again to be in bondage? {10} You observe days and months
and seasons and years.Thus the religious observance of
"days and months, and seasons and years" is a sign of
being in bondage to the "elements of the world".
These
external observances are no longer a part of the Christian faith.
You can use a calendar - but you must not attach any religious
significance to the dates on it! Faith not festivals is what
makes us closer to God.
Paul amplifies this at length in Colossians chapter 2 and I will only quote a portion of it here. Firstly He shows how the cross disarmed the principalities and powers and took away their legal right to enforce their taboos.(Col 2:13-23 NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, {14} having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. {15} Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Then Paul carefully goes through the consequences of being forgiven and of no longer being under the power of laws, taboos and ceremonies.{16} So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, {17} which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. {18} Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, {19} and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
The radical nature of our freedom from these "basic principles of the world" is described as a "death". Just how many responsibilities does a dead person have? None! So the Christian no longer has any obligatory responsibilities to cultural taboos, festivals, sabbaths or dietary regulations. Paul continues..{20} Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations; {21} "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," {22} which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men? {23} These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.To put it simply all "religiosity" has been put behind us when we enter into the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Freedom
We have freedom, we do not have to live in fear as if we serve
a God who will be angry over the smallest error. Its a bit like
sending someone to mow the lawn and they come back nervously
asking "Which blade of grass do I mow first?" and you
say "Start anywhere as long as it gets done". God has
given us tremendous freedom and we don't have to live in a spirit
of slavery worried about getting everything "just
right" - about which blade of grass to mow first. Such is
the spirit of religious fear. It is akin to the pagan dread of
the spirits - if the ceremony is not done "just so"
then curses would come forth. The "spirit of fear"
produces people who cringe before God over every tiny detail.
However with the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord
Jesus Christ that is done away with. The situation now is one of
love and sonship.
(Rom 8:15-17 NKJV) For
you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba,
Father." {16} The Spirit Himself bears witness with our
spirit that we are children of God, {17} and if children, then
heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we
suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
We are beloved sons of God living in freedom. As sons of God,
above the angels, we are going to inherit a kingdom prepared for
us since the foundation of the world. We are heirs. In that
Kingdom we will be seated on thrones with Jesus (Revelation
3:21), we will rule over the nations (Revelation 2:26,27), we
will judge the world and even angels (1 Corinthians 6:2,3), we
will become beings with immortal and imperishable bodies (1
Corinthians 15:45-55) and dwell safely in amazing wealth, peace
and freedom (Revelation 21 & 22). When this occurs what it
means to be a "son of God" will be revealed. At the
moment it is, at best, vaguely understood. When this occurs the
meaning of our being seated in heavenly realms with Christ Jesus
will become absolutely clear. Christ will take up His authority
over all creation through us and amazing changes will occur. The
whole world will be set free!
Paul continues on in Romans 8 to
say...
(Rom 8:18-22 NKJV) For I consider
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. {19} For
the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the
revealing of the sons of God. {20} For the creation was subjected
to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it
in hope; {21} because the creation itself also will be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. {22} For we know that the whole creation groans
and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Thus the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ was the critical turning point that has ensured the total freedom of all creation! Creation, now in bondage, will move into "the glorious liberty of the sons of God". God is in the business of setting all things free. He desires liberty - not cringing enslavement, for all! However it is a two-step movement firstly there is freedom from the old religious system, our coming out from domination by the elementary principles of this world and from sin and death. Then step two is not anarchy - but having God's moral code written on our hearts through the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 8:10) We are freed to become who we were always meant to be - righteous, holy, spirit-filled beings of love.(Galatians 5:16-24) This is the work of the Holy Spirit and why the ascension of Jesus Christ is also strongly associated with the sending of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit and the Ascension of Jesus Christ
(John 14:12 NKJV) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
(John 16:7 NRSV) Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
(Acts 1:4-5 NKJV) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; {5}"for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
(Acts 2:31-33 NRSV) Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' {32} This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. {33} Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear.
(Acts 11:15-16 NKJV) "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. {16} "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
During the Last Supper Jesus clearly indicates that when He "went to the Father" something would happen to the disciples would enable them to do great works of power equivalent to His own (John 14:12). Later on in the upper room discourse He reveals this to be the sending of the Helper, the Holy Spirit which could only be sent after His departure.(John 16:7) In his last conversation with His disciples He termed this empowerment the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4,5) and promised them they would receive it soon and that it would make them powerful international witnesses to Him (Acts 1:8). On the day of Pentecost it was poured out in a manner that was both visible and audible (Acts 2:32-33) and likewise during the Gentile Pentecost at Cornelius' place where it is also referred to as "the baptism in the Holy Spirit". (Acts 11:15,16)
The heavenly realms are now occupied by Jesus and since we are in Him, we have been seated with Him in these realms (Eph 2:6). Therefore we can have confident access to God and unhindered participation in the things of the Spirit with Whom we have been baptized (1 Cor 12:13). This does not mean that we all have all gifts or that all will have one particular gift. God is sovereign in how He distributes the gifts of the Spirit. (1 Cor 12:7-11) Within His sovereignty there is evidently some room for us to ask for particular manifestations of the Spirit. (Luke 11:13, 1 Cor 12:31, 14:1)
To sum up.... The purpose of Pentecost is Spirit-filled and empowered images of Jesus Christ. The Pentecost event is known as the baptism in the Holy Spirit which was received by the Jews (Acts 2:32,33), the Gentiles (Acts 11:15,16) and the Christians at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6)and Corinth (1 Cor 12:13). It is for all the Church. The outcome of the Pentecost event is power for ministry (Acts 1:8) through the Holy Spirit "coming upon" people (Acts 2:32,33) and sovereignly giving spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:1-7).The Holy Spirit is not a mere "experience". He is Christ coming to fill all things.(Eph 4:10,5:18) He wants to fill you with Jesus and transform you into His image.(Eph 4:8-13, Rom 8:29-31) He also wants to GlobalChristians.Org power you to be a witness for God. (Acts 1:8) You may ask for Him and God will gladly give the Holy Spirit to you (Luke 11:13) (in new ways..its a puzzle, we have Him but we can still receive His power) though you should ask for "the greater gifts" to be used in love for the edification of the church. ( 1Cor 12:31, 14:1)
Conclusion
The ascension of Jesus Christ to "fill all things"
was the end of religion as it is generally conceived and the
beginning of a Spirit-filled and joyous relationship with God.
The main thing that Jesus wants to fill is you! To that end He
has sent His Holy Spirit into this world to dwell in the hearts
of believers sanctifying them to be like Him and empowering them
to do good works. He has also
created a new thing - the Church, which is distinct from the
world and angels and which will rule over both. He has placed
believers in the heavenly realms with Him and freed them from the
innumerable fear-filled obligations of the old religious systems.
He has brought us into sonship and membership of the household of
God. This church is to consist of "images of Jesus
Christ" indwelt by His Spirit and living in direct personal
relationship with God.
Therefore there is no longer any need to
observe new moons, sabbaths, tithing, religious festivals, to
have a church building, a priest, or to abstain from alcohol, red
meat, pork or certain types of seafood. There is no need to be
celibate, be involved in rituals of self-abasement or penance or
to punish oneself. That is all gone. What has replaced it is a
life that flows from being indwelt by God, a life that is
characterized not by solemnity and punctilious observation of
fearful rituals but by freedom and love and joy and peace.
(Gal 5:22-23 NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there
is no law.
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