“19 That power is like the working of His mighty strength, 20 which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. ”
This year marks the 150thanniversary of the golden spike being driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah. That spike joined the Central Pacific the the Union Pacific to create the first transcontinental railroad. That mattered. It mattered for industry. It mattered for rapidly settling the west. That not only mattered; it matters. It matters in your life whether you know it or not. You enjoy an increased standard of living as a result of the development that railroad brought. You also live in a more mobile society as a result.
The effects of that first railroad to cross the nation do not disappear for the man who knows nothing about it. A man’s lack of awareness doesn’t make that railroad untrue and another man’s in-depth awareness doesn’t make it any more true. You might visit the Cantor Arts Museum to see that golden spike, but that won’t make the results of that railroad any more true and if you care nothing about it, that won’t make those results any less true. It happened and the effects are with us whether you have ever considered them or not.
A man’s awareness of the ascension of Jesus doesn’t make it any more true. A man’s ignorance of the ascension of Jesus doesn’t make it any less true. The transcontinental railway occurred and its effects are still with us whether you thought about it as you laid in bed this morning or not. The ascension of Jesus occurred and its effects are still with us whether you thought about it as you laid in bed this morning or not.
Most people don’t see it this way. Most people think a doctrine like the ascension is true for you if it helps you and irrelevant for you if it doesn’t help you. If the Buddhist idea of nirvana helps you, then it’s true for you. If the Hindu idea of reincarnation helps you, then it’s true for you. If the Muslim vision of paradise helps you more than the Christian vision of paradise, then it’s true for you. If the ascension of Jesus of Nazareth helps you, then it’s true for you.
The New Testament disagrees. The New Testament says, ‘this ascension has nothing to do with what we want to believe. This happened.’ If you asked Peter, ‘do you want to believe that Jesus ascended?’ he would look at you like you were insane. He would ask, ‘What does wanting have to with it? It happened.’
The ascension happened. It, like the death and resurrection of Jesus, is an event with which humanity must come to terms. It has massive implications and it is rather remarkable that these implications aren’t discussed. In fact, it is rather telling that these implications aren’t discussed. These implications aren’t discussed, in part, because the ascension has to do with authority. Some people would rather deny Christ’s authority than to come to terms with Christ’s authority.
The ascension of Jesus demonstrated and demonstrates that he is the inescapable authority. That is the claim of this sermon: The ascension of Jesus demonstrated and demonstrates that he is the inescapable authority.
We see that in two points. First: the ascended Christ rules all. Second: the ascended Christ’s rule benefits the church. We see that the ascended Christ rules all in verses 19-21. We see that the rule of the ascended Christ benefits the church in verses 22-23.
Christ’s ascension demonstrates that he is the inescapable authority. He is the ruler of all. That’s our first point. To say that Jesus of Nazareth is the ruler of all is quite the claim. Now most of us are comfortable making that claim that inside this sanctuary because we are Christian people and supporting Christ’s rule is certainly a Christian thing to do.
But the ascension isn’t merely true inside this sanctuary. It is as necessary for the world to know as for the church to know. It isn’t just true for you because you affirm it. It is true because it happened and so it affects all people.
The ascension declares Christ to be the inescapable authority with whom everyone must deal. That’s the consequence of the ascension as Paul explained in verse 20; God seated Christ “at His right hand in the heavenly realms.”
The ascension is not a demonstration that Jesus can levitate. The ascension is a demonstration that Jesus shares the Father’s throne as equal. This is a part of the reason that shortly before he ascended, Jesus said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” The ascended Christ has God’s authority.
Authority matters. Authority matters in a nation. Authority matters in a business. Authority matters in a family. It can be used to wonderful effect and it can be abused. The ascension is the declaration that Jesus has all authority.
You will never be able to imagine the extent of the authority which Jesus wields. It is easier for us to comprehend the authority of far lesser figures. You can comprehend the authority of a Supreme Court justice. You can think through what it would be like to make binding decisions than effect millions. You can comprehend the authority of a general. You can think through what it would be like to make decisions that impact men and women in uniform. You can’t comprehend the authority of God and therefore of the ascended Christ. He is, as Paul puts it, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given.”
I learned something about authority when I was ordained. I remember thinking, ‘this is what it is like to sit on the other side of the desk. This is what it is like to make decisions that impact others.’ I’ve learned a little bit about authority in this role, but that doesn’t mean I can understand the authority of Christ. He is, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given.”
I learned something about authority when I had children. I was now responsible for a family. I have the power to profoundly shape these children. I’ve learned a little bit about authority in this role, but that doesn’t mean I can comprehend the authority of Christ. He is, “far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given.”
The ascension means that no simile can do justice to Christ’s authority. His authority is beyond that of a father the way the ocean is beyond a raindrop. His authority is beyond that of a boss the way the distance from here to the edge of the universe is beyond the distance from here to your home. His authority is beyond that of a king the way that infinity is beyond the number three.
Consider a little of the authority of the ascended Christ. He will judge the living and the dead. I can’t even begin to fathom that kind of responsibility. The ascended Christ is the one who weighs every man’s conscience. I can’t imagine that kind of influence—knowing that everyone’s conscience has to do with me. The ascended Christ makes decisions that affect everything for everyone forever. Some of us are torn up making decisions that impact only a few people for a short period of time. We can’t fathom the authority of the ascended Christ.
Imagine the terror of Hitler wielding that authority. Imagine the terror of Satan wielding that authority. Imagine the different sort of terror of you or me wielding that authority. The ascension declares that it is Jesus of Nazareth who wields final authority.
That is very good news. The inescapable authority whom everyone must face is the humble and gentle. “A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Can you imagine anyone whom you would rather find sitting on God’s throne? The ascension declares that the Christ has inescapable authority, but I hope you have no desire to escape it. I hope you say with the Psalmist, “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.”
If this knowledge isn’t too wonderful for you, if the fact that Jesus has the final say on all matters in life and in death doesn’t give you comfort, have concern for your own soul. You might actually be follower of yourself who uses Christ for what you find convenient. Please know that you cannot use God. You can bow before Him, but you can’t use Him.
Christ is the inescapable authority. The ascension declared that two thousand years ago and that is the case today on June 9, 2019 and that will be the case forever. Paul tells us that Christ’s inescapable authority is the case, “not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
There will never be a time to come when Christ is no longer in charge. No one will ever wrestle this authority away from Christ. The age of Christ begins in a rather hidden way now through the church but it will be obvious to all in the new creation.
The ascension declares that the age to come will be one of uninterrupted goodness. That’s hard for us to wrap our minds around because all of our stories contain a struggle between good and evil. There is no great story in which goodness continues uninterrupted until the end of the book. We can barely comprehend goodness going on and on and on, but that’s the promise of the ascension. The ascension tells us that this sort of kingdom is coming. It is inescapable. All authority and heaven and on earth is given to Christ and his kingdom will come.
Some people long for that kingdom. Such people are called Christians. Other people deny that kingdom or belittle it. They mock Christ’s authority. They mock the ascended Christ. That’s Psalm 2, “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his [Christ], saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’”
You shouldn’t be surprised that people mock the ascension. You shouldn’t be surprised that people ignore Christ’s inescapable authority. They always have. You should be astonished though. Children are always slightly astonished when they see each other breaking dad and mom’s rules. ‘You can’t do that. Dad said…’ That’s just the astonishment of a child seeing dad disobeyed. Can you imagine the astonishment of that same child seeing God disobeyed? ‘You can’t do that… God said…’ Be astonished that the world not only rebels against but ignores the ascended Christ.
The fact that the world is largely ignorant of the ascension is profoundly troubling because if the world knew Jesus for who he is, they would want him on that throne. If the world knew Jesus for who he is, the ascension would be great news to them, but the world doesn’t know Jesus.
They are ignorant of his ascension. They are ignorant of him. They are ignorant because their own sin blinds them. They don’t want to accept him as the inescapable authority because their consciences are guilty. They are ignorant because Satan has blinded them into thinking that there is no higher authority to whom they must give account. Satan doesn’t want this world to face what he won’t face. He doesn’t want the people of this world to face Christ’s inescapable authority.
Christ clearly does. Before he ascends, he tells his disciples, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Satan blinds people to reality. Christ informs the people of the world about reality through the people of the church. We are his platform for truth telling. We aren’t a moral society. We exist because of historical events that influence today and which will influence forever and the people who live today and will exist forever must not be ignorant of this.
Now having given this task, Christ gives us help. That is why he before he ascends, he says, “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Christ has inescapable authority and he uses it for our sake. That is part of what today, Pentecost, is about. Christ is using His inescapable authority for the benefit of his church through the power of the Holy Spirit. That is our second point: the ascended Christ’s rule benefits the church.
There is no point in having authority unless you do something with it. An incoming president lays out an aggressive agenda for his first one hundred days in office. What will he do with his newfound authority? What does the ascended Christ do with his inescapable authority?
That should be a very relevant question for you. If you found out that someone somehow suddenly came into legal possession of your home, you would be very interested in what they would do with that newfound authority. The ascension tells you that Jesus has come into possession of everything—all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. If you take that seriously, you will be very interested in what he plans to do with it.
Paul tells us what he plans to do with it in verse 22, “God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church.” The ascended Christ wields this authority for the benefit of the church. As the ISV translation puts it, “God has put everything under the Messiah's feet and has made him the head of everything for the good of the church.”
This verse doesn’t just tell you that Jesus is the head of the church. Other Scriptures tell you that. This verse tells you that Jesus who wields all authority wields it for the good of the church, for the good of this church, for the good of us who are gathered here this morning and who are gathered all around the world this resurrection day.
This should make a man want to join the church. Proverbs 19:6 is right, “Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.” You see that in your workplace. You can see that in politics. If people took God seriously, you would see that with the church. Christ has all authority and he uses that authority for the good of the church. Join the church.
Our security doesn’t lie in numbers or finances or cultural trends. Our security doesn’t lie in anything we can control. The church’s security lies in the fact that, “God placed all things under Christ’s feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the benefit of the church.” The man who died for his bride now has all authority in heaven and on earth and he uses that awesome power to benefit his bride. The ascension declares that you cannot find a people in a better situation than the people of Christ’s church.
The people of this sad world do not need church to be whatever they think it should be or what we think it should be. The people of this world need the church to be who we are; we are those who have become friends with the ruler of everything. That’s something worth joining because His power changes things.
That power is where this passage began. This is the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the power witnessed at Pentecost. Paul prayed that this incomparably great power would work on behalf of us who believe. Maybe you need to remember that power this morning. Paul described a sampling it. He said, “that power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.”
Paul is speaking of the power of the Spirit. This is the power promised at the ascension. “I am with you always to the very end of the age.” That power will turn heads like it did at Pentecost. People aren’t hungry for another church program. People aren’t hungry for entertainment in a sanctuary. People are hungry for the power of God. They are hungry for His power at work in their lives. The ascension is a sign that God’s power is lavishly spent on behalf of one group of people—the Christ followers.
That’s because the church is the community in which Christ reveals his fullness. As Paul explained, God “appointed [Jesus] to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him.”
The ascended Christ makes himself uniquely known among his people and through his people by the Holy Spirit. That is what we enjoy and that is what we offer. What can the church offer? The church can offer God. The church can offer Christ. The church can offer the Holy Spirit. If that isn’t enough, nothing we can offer will be enough.
Church can be the best or church can be the worst. It is the best thing imaginable when it acts like what it is. We are friends of the one who happens to be in charge of everything. We are the people in whom and among whom the one in charge of everything is displaying his power to make all things new. We are the most privileged people imaginable.
Church is the worst when we ignore Christ’s inescapable authority. Church is the worst when we act is if we were a mere moral society with no power for transformation. Church is the worst when we bear witness to realities of which we aren’t sure even we believe. Church is the worst when we act as if who we are is about us rather than about the fullness of Christ.
I have no desire to invite anyone into something of which I don’t want to be a part and I’m sure you are the same. How do you view church? Do you view us as the friends of the ascended Christ? Do you view us as the people among whom he shows his fullness? Do you view us as the people of the Spirit?
How do you view the world? Do you view it as populated with people who don’t know a thing about the inescapable authority of the Christ whom they will one day face? Do you view it as populated by people who, if only they knew Jesus for who he was, would be glad to be considered his friends?
Those are the realities whether you or not you considered them when you walked through those doors this morning. Those are the realities for those who are not currently walking through any such doors to meet with Christ’s people. Christ has ascended. The Spirit has come. The church must enjoy and invite. Amen.