“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. “
The Work of Christ in his Ascension to the Throne (vv.9-12)
In Acts 1:1-5 the history of Jesus' acts with disciples is summarized. In vv.6-8 he reiterates the Great Commission and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit TO DO the work of the Great Commission. But then, another mighty work occurs! Jesus doesn't just disappear. He doesn't just leave, or go away.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, [that is, he suddenly started floating in the air. And he was moving upward towards the clouds.] and a cloud took him out of their sight. [Now, this is not the first time we've seen a cloud do something with a Messianic figure. In Daniel 7 the Son of Man comes from the Ancient of Days on a cloud. This real cloud is symbolic of the place from which the Son of Man comes. He doesn't come "from the sky". Heaven isn't "up there" somewhere. But Jesus came “from the heavens.” He comes from God. He is God. And Jesus is not just the Daniel 7 “Cloud Rider.” Jesus is now returning and ascending back to God. Jesus is ascending back to the Father to sit at his right hand; to rule from the Messiah’s throne.
Think about that. As of this moment - when he sits down at the right hand of the Father, when he is coronated as king of glory - all of Jesus' Messianic kingly power and graces are completely active. And it's happening right now. As of this moment, when Jesus sits at the right hand, and takes his scepter in hand, the graces of the covenant are active toward us, and he is actively wielding his Messianic power toward us and against our enemies. This is such a great event, that it deserves … a sign!
And I believe this is one of the signs Jesus talked about in Matthew 24-25 about the Son of Man giving us a "sign in heaven." Does Jesus need a cloud to usher him? No. It's for us as a real symbol. Does Jesus need to fly off through the sky? No. Heaven's not above us. It's a revelation for us. Jesus' ascension to the right hand, and his coronation by his Father was foretold in Matt 24:30, "Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Where is the Son of Man going? To sit on his throne of glory, where he, as King, will rule and reign over his people; and where he will conquer all his and our enemies. Finally! THE Messiah is now taking his seat on the throne he earned by his righteousness and death. Finally! No more sinful kings of Judah ruling God's people. THE King of Judah has entered his throne room. He has been given a crown and a scepter from his Father according to Psalm 2. And there he rules, protecting his Bride by his Spirit, and crushes all his and our enemies.
And that beloved, was his last personal earthly wonder. Everything else from here on out will be mediated through another member of the Trinity, who, in the next chapter, Jesus will pour out on the church as his first coronation gift to his Bride.
Let's apply this. Beloved, is your king reigning now, or only in the future? Do you live the Christian life as though the kingdom of Christ has already come, or are you waiting for a still future kingdom? Do you believe your Christ, your Savior, your representative is reigning, scepter in hand, with the love of his life - the Bride - you! - in his heart, to the glory of his Father?
Let's apply this further: Jesus has risen from the dead and is enthroned on high - what enemy can defeat him or his bride? No one! Not even your own will. What sin is too hard in your life for him to conquer? None! You are in Christ! And therefore you are with him reigning on high. What place is there then in your life for defeatist, skeptical, faithless thoughts? What place is there for you to think Jesus, his kingdom, his church, can ever be defeated? He has conquered the grace, sin, and he sits at God’s right hand.
It would have been a glorious sight to see this sign. But what does it all mean?] 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, [these appear to be angels, sent from God to interpret precisely what just happened.] 11 and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? [He ain't coming back now.] This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, [there he sits - as enthroned King] will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." [The hope of the church then is not figuring out the physics of what just happened; or figuring out the proofs, evidence, and logical arguments of Jesus riding on a cloud to his enthronement. The hope of the church is found by faith in his returning in the exact same way he left. He will come again, riding on a cloud, to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
It forces us to ask the question: do you believe he is currently reigning and that he will come again? Do you live like that? Do you believe sin and evil have been and will be defeated? Or, is this world your home? Is sport more important than Christ? Is "just tryin' to leave something behind" more important than Christian valor? Is leaving this world better off than the way you found it, or "human flourishing" the point of life? Or can you let go of the sin of this world, even the good things of this world, because Jesus Christ is coming; because the hopes and fears of all the years will be met in the Return of Christ in glory?]
[I want you to notice something miraculous. You might not have caught it before. But I want you to see the miracle of an obedient church. Throughout the gospel of Matthew over and over again, we saw a nation that hated Jesus, and a church that didn't know the first thing about obeying him. Yet, here, receiving this revelation, watching him ascend, the new covenant of grace being ratified …] 12 Then they [the apostles] returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, [apparently this whole situation took place on Olivet] which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.
[They walked down the mountain, it sounds like on the Sabbath, and obeyed, and went to wait in Jerusalem. Jesus' enthronement on high has everything to do with your obedience! His reception into heaven, his sitting at the father's right hand, his empowerment of his kingdom, makes your obedience not just possible, but definite. You obey because Christ won. You obey because Christ conquered your sin and death. And now, you may live and thankfully obey. You obey because he empowers you. This is not the power of positive thinking. This is the resurrection power of the RISEN ENTHRONED MESSIAH! This is the only power to redemptively conquer the sinfulness of human hearts.
So, we have seen …
The Work of Christ in his Ascension to the Throne
Beloved, this is the spiritual heritage Christ left to your forefathers. And they obeyed, in thankfulness. Come, repent of your sin - enter by faith alone - trusting in Christ's life for your righteousness, death for your sin, and his resurrection and ascension to establish you as his people. And enter into the joy of Christ's salvation.