Please turn with me tonight to Acts chapter 1 as we read together the first 11 verses and consider in particular verses 9 through 11. Acts chapter 1 as we hear now the Word of God. In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command, Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So when they met together, they asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, Why do you stand here looking into the sky? The same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go, into heaven. May God add His blessing to the reading and preaching of His Word. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Psalm 2, verse 6, the Lord says, I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill. I have put him on his throne. Now, boys and girls, that prophecy back in Psalm 2 pointed forward to the event that we celebrate tonight, this event that took place so many years ago, but we still celebrate it tonight, that event that the text speaks about, that the Savior ascends His throne. You see, that's what Jesus did when He ascended from earth to heaven. The text says He was taken. You see, God the Father proved that He was well pleased with His Son by taking Him back to heaven from earth, putting Him on the throne at the right hand of God. Now, we know that the coronation, the crowning of a king or a queen, is always a big deal. Still today for those nations that are served by kings or queens. A little bit like our President of the United States taking the oath of office. And when that coronation takes place, we know that the supporters of that one being crowned shout for joy. We think back to the Old Testament when King Saul and King Solomon were both anointed as kings. The people shouted, long live the king. Their supporters shout for joy. But at the very same time, as one is crowned as a king, the enemies are filled with terror. They are filled with fear. We think again of when Solomon was made king. His half-brother Adonijah, you know, had tried to take the throne to himself and he had his supporters who had made him king, as it were, and they were celebrating, they were having a party. And word got back to David of what was going on, and King David, in his old age, had Solomon, his son, crowned as king. And as that celebration was heard, long live the king, that news got back to Adonijah and his party, and what happened, but they were filled with terror. They were scared. The Bible says, his guests scattered. and Adonijah himself fled to the temple and took hold of the horns of the altar, hoping for mercy from the new king. Today we know that when new leadership for a country comes to power, that news is scattered. It is transported around the world. It goes around quickly. It's a big deal. Beloved, our Savior's coronation was the greatest. The most important of all coronations. Because it has universal and eternal consequences. It is still in effect today. And therefore we need to ask, why aren't the churches full tonight celebrating this event? In fact, why do many Christians ignore the ascension? Some churches don't even make mention of it. And maybe you told co-workers today, well, I'm going to church tonight. What for? Well, to celebrate the Ascension. But what? Why would you do that? Why aren't the churches full? Why aren't the broadcasters interrupting the regularly scheduled programs with a special report that the King of kings and the Lord of lords is indeed reigning in heaven over the world and He is even now preparing a place in heaven in His Father's house for His people? Why aren't His enemies filled with terror at this very moment? Well, very simply because His enemies think that He was defeated. He's gone. He's not here to bother us. He's of no consequence. And the world of unbelief, we know, is blinded to the whole truth of Jesus Christ. And we must confess that even for many professing Christians, He is out of sight and out of mind. And besides the really important events, the resurrection, His death and resurrection, the really important events are done. Yet we humbly confess that we know Him by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, that even though His work on earth is finished, that work that Jesus Christ came to do Himself, that without His ascension, His work for earth, which depends on His work on earth, yet without His ascension, that work is not done. It cannot be done. And therefore, beloved, tonight we rejoice to remember and celebrate this blessed event as the Savior's ascension, first of all, was prefaced by His final instructions. It was witnessed by His faithful followers. And it was testified to by his holy angels. First of all, prefaced by his final instructions, the text begins, After he had said this, he was taken up before their very eyes. After he had said this. And that's referring back to his response to the disciples' question that they posed to him in verse 6. So when they met together, they asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? You see, beloved, the disciples' question reveals their ignorance, an ignorance that we know that they would have until they were filled with and illumined by the Holy Spirit. But an ignorance that shows that they still had the ideas of the Messiah's earthly reign in their minds, an earthly reign over national Israel, driving out the occupying forces at that time, we know, that was Rome. Expecting to rule with Him. And we also know that since the resurrection up to this point, Jesus had been, as it were, popping in and out of the disciples' presence, teaching them spiritual things. And it's very possible that the disciples began to think that this is how it would be. It would now be this way. That He would restore the kingdom to Israel, that He would show up once in a while to give them needed instruction. And beloved, even though they were ignorant, the disciples' question did recognize the truth. They recognized the truth that after all that had happened, they had witnessed His power and all the miracles that He had done. They saw Him die on the cross. They fellowshiped with this risen Jesus. After all that had happened, they recognized the truth beyond a shadow of a doubt that this Jesus was indeed the Messiah. that he was powerful to rule over all. But notice Christ's answer to their question, verses 7 and 8. He said to them, It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Now with his answer, Jesus reminds them of the necessity of the ascension. He doesn't mention his going away here. He doesn't talk about the ascension in those terms, but He reminds them of the necessity of the ascension. You see, He had already said, He had already talked about going away. For example, in John 16, verses 7 and 8, He says, But I tell you the truth, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment he pointed to the fact that he was going away that he would send the comforter and here he specifically speaks about the holy spirit and even though the disciples did not yet understand they were given the assurance that the holy spirit would guide them into all truth according to john 16 verse 13 jesus ascension was necessary for the giving of the holy spirit And the Holy Spirit was necessary for the disciples as Jesus also recites their calling to be His witnesses. Now boys and girls, you know that a witness is one who gives testimony to something. Presumably something to which they have first-hand experience. Something that they saw first-hand. And Jesus makes it clear here that their responsibility is not to worry about the when of Christ's kingdom. God the Father has all that planned out, he says, but they were to be concerned about the what of Christ's kingdom as far as their calling was concerned to tell all that they had seen and heard. And they would do that equipped by the Holy Spirit who would come and give them power, who would come and give them boldness in the face of opposition and danger, which Jesus had said they would face. And Jesus tells them that their field of labor would be the whole world. To be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. And even though that's not the answer they were looking for, even though that's not what they expected, that was indeed a partial answer to their question about the restoration of the kingdom. It was a partial answer to their question in that Jesus reveals the disciples' narrow focus. You see, Christ's kingdom was not just Israel. But Christ's kingdom extends from the rising to the setting of the sun. And the ascension of Jesus Christ was necessary because the Savior would not just rule Palestine from Jerusalem, but He would rule over the whole earth from His Father's right hand, from His heavenly throne. The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is an indispensable part of that salvation package of restoring to God the Father that which sin had separated from Him because the whole world belongs to the Father. And beloved, our Lord was making it clear that His focus was not simply providing freedom from Rome, but His focus was to rule over the whole world by the power of the Holy Spirit who would empower Christ's believers to be busy throughout that kingdom. And they would be readied as well then with a powerful message. They were to witness to the Gospel. They were to preach the Gospel as Jesus said in Matthew 28. And that Gospel is summarized in John 3.16 which we know well. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. They were to witness to that gospel, beloved, that said that Jesus Christ bore the wrath of God against sin on the cross. That he died. That he rose again from the dead. That in his work he conquered Satan, sin, death, and hell. That those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are justified in the sight of God because of what He has done. That all of their sins are forgiven, that they are given the very righteousness of Christ Himself, that they are reconciled, brought back into favor with God the Father through Jesus Christ. The Gospel message is that the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, by that, the payment for sin was made. And by His resurrection, that payment was accepted. And by the ascension and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, that payment was confirmed and a receipt was given to God's people. And that powerful message, beloved, includes the indispensable truth of the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. You see, boys and girls, an earthly throne would not be sufficient for Jesus because His rule was cosmic, is cosmic. His rule is universal. His rule is eternal. His rule is not limited by time and space. You see, for believers, our King, the One who works for us, the One who works continually on our behalf, our King is forever on the throne. Not like earthly political powers. We might have one on the throne in Washington that we support today, But tomorrow we may have one on the throne that we cannot really support. But our Lord Jesus Christ is always on the throne for us, on our behalf. And the benefits of His ascension are beautifully summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism, Answer 49. He pleads our cause before His Father in Heaven. He intercedes for us with the sacrifice of Himself as a continual reminder to God the Father that we belong to Him because of what Jesus Christ has done. And another benefit that we know, that we have our own flesh in heaven. This is something that we cannot even begin to imagine how the physical can ascend into the spiritual realm and be there even at this moment. But it's not for us to figure out how, beloved. But that's our comfort, that our own flesh is in heaven even at this very moment as a guarantee that He will come back and take us to be with Him. Because He also sent the Holy Spirit as a guarantee, as a down payment, that He's coming back. He has not forgotten about His people. And also He sent His Holy Spirit in order that He might make that powerful message effective as the Holy Spirit brings many to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And another benefit that Jesus Christ himself spoke of is that he would go to prepare a place for his people. By his suffering and death, beloved, he has guaranteed a place for us. And by his ascension and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, he makes us ready for that heavenly place. That powerful message includes the unbelievable ascension which defies the law of gravity. But that truth is credible. Because in the second place, it was also witnessed by his faithful followers. Again, verse 9 begins, after he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes. Before their very eyes. Boys and girls, they saw it. They saw it happen. It wasn't a mirage. It was seen with their eyes. He did not just disappear as He had between the time of the resurrection and now. They saw it. The disciples needed to see that things would no longer be the same. And Jesus left them no doubt that this time He was really gone. But this was to be a part of their witness, you see, that Jesus Christ did not abandon the earth as it were but he took it with him in his resurrection body that truly our flesh is in heaven but this is something beloved that can only be received by faith they had to receive it by faith even with what they did see and it can only be received by us by faith after he said this he was taken up before their very eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight now that might not seem like a big deal to us. But we need to understand, boys and girls, that a cloud did not come down to earth and pick Him up. He didn't sit down on this nice, puffy cloud as if it was a comfortable pillow. But He was literally lifted up. He floated up as it were. He went up and up and up until a cloud hit Him. But the symbol of a cloud, we know, is a sign of God's presence. In Scripture, we think of the Israelites in the wilderness. God led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. God was in the cloud and the fire. We think of Mount Sinai surrounded by that cloud in which was the presence of God. You see, the disciples did not see Christ physically enter heaven. They did not see him physically take his seat on the throne at the right hand of God. Yet, in the New Testament epistles, they can say with confidence that he is seated at the right hand of God, that the king has entered his royal chambers. But they did not see it physically. That cloud was a barrier. Yet that cloud was a symbol of the glorious presence of God into which Jesus entered. yet that cloud hid from them the glory of Jesus in heaven from their human eyes. And that means, beloved, that the glory of Christ's enthronement and the glory of Christ's work for us on our behalf is hidden, except to the eye of faith. Faith which we know is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, as the writer of Hebrews says. The Lord's reign, even at this moment, is physically hidden from earth, as it were. We can't look up into the sky and see the man, Jesus, sitting there somewhere. The ascension could not be, it's not seen on the news channel, on the major networks. It can't be Googled on the internet. Boys and girls, you can't go to YouTube. You can see many things on YouTube, many activities, but you can't go and see the ascension of Jesus Christ. But by the instrument of faith alone, one penetrates the cloud. And one sees Jesus, who as Romans 8 says, is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. By the instrument of faith alone, one is able to seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, as Paul says in Colossians 3 verse 1. By the instrument of faith alone, we can know that Jesus didn't abandon His church. He didn't forget about His disciples back then, and He is not unaware of you and me tonight. But He is busy ruling all things for the benefit of His church. And He is building His church, and He is preparing to come again for His bride. People of God, all of the events of the life and work of Jesus Christ, including His ascension, mean something only to those who believe by the grace of God through faith. We can't see Him physically rule right now. But we can see the visible results of His hand ruling over our lives as we recognize both the physical and spiritual blessings that He pours out. We can see His hand ruling as He causes us, you and me, to grow in the knowledge of and faith in Him. As He gives to us assurance in times of difficulty and hardship, peace, when everything around us seems to be a lack of peace. We see His hand ruling as He brings our children to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in spite of us as parents. We see His hand ruling as He teaches you and me valuable lessons in times of affliction. We see His hand ruling as He uses evil into the world and He even turns it to our good. And we see and we experience His hand ruling as He overpowers the wicked intentions of men that are against us, as I know some of you have just realized. We see his hand ruling as he gives us joy in the midst of trials. And beloved, we see his hand ruling, for example, when he comforts a dying saint with the comfort that that saint will soon be with and see the Lord. And so many other things we see his hand ruling, but not the world. The world, instead of gazing on Jesus Christ by faith, who is the only guardian, guide, and stay for his people, The world can only live by what it can see. And we must confess that often that contradicts the reign of Jesus. This world over which the Bible says Satan is prince often looks like Christ's rule is absent. Yet even then we know that it is all a part of Christ's rule. It is all a part of His preparing of the world for final destruction. It is all a part of His preparation and beautifying of His bride for eternal glory. You see, it's only by faith that we see and enjoy that which eye has not seen nor ear heard. And it's only by faith, beloved, that we understand that through Christ's ascension we have proof of His rule. We have proof of the Father's favor upon Him because He received His Son back. We have proof of the Father's favor for us as our Savior secures the eternal future of His people. But finally then the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ was testified to by his holy angels. Verses 10 and 11. They, the disciples, were looking intently up into the sky as he was going. When suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them, men of Galilee, they said, Why do you stand here looking into the sky? The same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Now notice here, the angels give a confirmation of what had just taken place. It's as if they say to the disciples, what you think you just saw, which you're not sure about, you saw it. Really, you did. It happened. The Bible says they were looking intently. Boys and girls, that means that they were gazing up with amazement. they were trying to get one last glimpse of Jesus. If you've ever let a helium balloon go outside, you watch that helium balloon go up and up and up slowly. It just drifts upward. And slowly it gets smaller and smaller. And you tell yourself, I'm going to watch it until I can't see it anymore. And even when you think you can't see it anymore, oops, I can see the dot. It's there. That's what the disciples were doing. They were looking to get one last glimpse of him. It was so amazing. But notice the angels do not rebuke Christ's followers. Because the angels themselves knew that this was unbelievable and instead they give them revelation. He is really coming back. He really is. In the same way that you saw him go. And with those words, the angels affirm the words of Jesus that he spoke in Luke chapter 21. When he said, then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. This Jesus, the angel said, this very same Jesus. The one for whom you are to live. The one of whom you are to speak. He's coming back. And therefore he is not to be out of sight and therefore out of mind. as the angels remind the disciples of the instructions that they had received. Indeed, His work on earth was finished, that Christ Himself came to do, but not His work for earth. That work would be continued by Him on His throne and through His disciples on earth. The angels remind them, there's work to do. You are to be His witnesses. So get to work. you asked Him about the restoration of His kingdom. Don't you see now that you are a part of it? You are a part of it as you witness for Him. You are a part of it as that powerful message goes out and the Holy Spirit brings many people to faith. That is a part, that is the restoration of God's kingdom. God's kingdom being restored to Him as Jesus Christ gathers His church. You see, the work of His body on earth is the work of the head in heaven, making Him known, beloved, without apology, without fear, without embarrassment, because He is the world's only hope. Get to work. You have work to do. And that work is to be done under the lordship of the Savior. We are called, beloved, to work and live according to what Jesus taught in His Word. For example, we are called to speak the truth, Not to water down the Gospel, to try to make it appealing by making it seem optional. Or as if letting people think that they are doing God a favor by believing in Him. But we are called to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in love. You see, the unbeliever must see his desperate condition, acknowledge and see his desperate need. And he must also acknowledge the saving power of Jesus Christ, apart from his desperate need, understanding that he will never acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to be busy working, with our eyes focused on the finish line, inspired by the Savior who sacrificed himself for you and me. For this one who remains the eternal King, who rules and protects and governs his church, and rules and governs all the forces under heaven, including those who are hostile to Him. This One who remains our only High Priest, who continually presents Himself to the Father as the sufficient and only basis for the Father's parting grace. As the Chief Prophet who continues to apply the knowledge and truth of God's Word to the hearts and lives of mankind by the power of the Holy Spirit. Beloved, by His ascension, Jesus Christ opened the treasures of Heaven. And his throne fills his wicked enemies with dread and horror. Maybe not right now. But one day when he comes again in all of his glory, they will be filled with dread and horror. But that very same throne is a throne of grace and kindness to the believer. But until he comes again, he expects his work to be done. You see, in the parable of the talents, he teaches that. You remember that parable where one servant was given five talents by the master and he gained five more. Another one was given two. He gained two more. The other one was given one. He buried it in a hole in the backyard. But we are taught there that our Lord Jesus Christ expects His work to be done. And His servants, His kingdom citizens will be called to give an account. This same Jesus, the angel said, who gave you your commission will come back again and say, how have you done? What have you accomplished for me? Have you done your work well? Or have you been lazy? Did you let your opportunities slide that I gave you? Or did you take advantage of the opportunities I gave to you? How did you do? Well, we know the disciples were encouraged by the angels' testimony for their task, even as they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they were given boldness to preach the Word of God as Acts 3 and 4 tell us. Beloved, Christ's ascension is really a part of His victory celebration. And it is really proof to you and me that He's coming back. Not very many eyes saw Him go, boys and girls. But the Bible tells us that every single eye will see Him return in the clouds of glory. But then it will be too late for those who reject Him. But until that time that Jesus Christ comes again for us, whether it be in death or whether He comes again on the clouds of glory, it is not too late. Until that time, beloved, He is patient, giving time to repent and humble oneself under His rule. But He will come again. And when He comes in all of His splendor, His enemies, the Bible says, will cry out for the mountains to cover them because they cannot stand the presence of His glory. and when he comes again he will put his enemies away forever and ever and he will hand the kingdom to his father forever and ever but for those who turn to him in repentance and faith what joy what glory is when he comes again they will rejoice to see him and until then beloved we are called to live and work under his care and watchful eye the eye of his rule and that does not mean that we are to live trying to hide our actions from Him or trying to get away with sin, trying to bend or break His kingdom rules. Children sometimes do things that they hope nobody saw. They sometimes do things that they hope mom and dad do not find out about. But that's not how kingdom citizens are to live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That's not obedient living. That's not the living of faith. That is not a demonstration of allegiance to the King who saved us. And that does not show respect for or confidence in His rule. Instead, beloved, we are to live before Him by faith. And by faith we can be comforted that when we do sin, that Christ who sees it, and He does, He intercedes for us. And it means that we see His ruling eye as the eye of blessing. We see his ruling power as being that which is for us on our behalf every moment of every day, and we are called to respond by striving to please him in all that we do, by striving to live according to what he has taught us. Being comforted that the king who saved us once will not allow us to be lost a second time. Beloved, because of what Jesus Christ has done for us, we are called to live by faith and recognize that Jesus is the King of the universe and He is the King of me, that He will reign forever and ever. And I am called, we are called to live for and support and work for our King, empowered by the Holy Spirit, making Him known, being a faithful witness who knows by experience the life-changing work of Jesus. You see, the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is proof that Jesus Christ is victorious. It points to His power and authority over all things on our behalf. And it comes to us with His promise that the believer's eternal home is secure and that surely He is with us both now and forevermore. Amen. Let's pray together. Father, help us to rejoice in our Savior who sits on the throne even at this moment. Help us to have that firm confidence and assurance of something that we cannot see with our physical eyes. Which can only be seen with the eye of faith. Help us indeed, O Lord, to be those who walk not by sight but by faith and rejoice in the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the glory that will be ours because of His precious work for us. Father, we thank You that we have a King, King Jesus, who is always on our side, who is always working for us, who is ruling everything for the benefit of His bride, the church. May we live in that comfort and assurance and may it be that we would be faithful witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Hear our prayer, O Lord, for Jesus' sake. And in His name alone we pray. Amen.