Ever pondered the significance of Jesus' ascension and how it influences believers' lives? Dr. Rex Horn unravels this profound event from the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. He expounds on the disciples' transformation from deserters to devout worshipers, revealing how this miraculous event completes the narrative of Jesus’ life on Earth. Dr. Horn guides us to appreciate the ascension not merely as an end, but as the dawn of a new spiritual era with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
As we traverse our faith journey, understanding Jesus' ascension takes on a deeper meaning. It fosters a personal connection with Jesus and shapes our perspectives and actions. Embracing the reality of Jesus living within us is a powerful message that underscores his love for us.
The episode concludes with an exploration of the life and preaching of Joseph Parker, a great orator and preacher, and echoes the profound impact of Jesus' ascension on his disciples. Reflecting on Parker's dedication to his faith gives us a glimpse into his unwavering assurance of salvation. This episode is an inspiring journey into understanding Jesus' ascension, filled with insights that will induce joy and confidence in your faith. Join us to delve deeper into this transformative power and let it shape your spiritual journey.
Ever pondered the significance of Jesus' ascension and how it influences believers' lives? Dr. Rex Horn unravels this profound event from the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. He expounds on the disciples' transformation from deserters to devout worshipers, revealing how this miraculous event completes the narrative of Jesus’ life on Earth. Dr. Horn guides us to appreciate the ascension not merely as an end, but as the dawn of a new spiritual era with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
As we traverse our faith journey, understanding Jesus' ascension takes on a deeper meaning. It fosters a personal connection with Jesus and shapes our perspectives and actions. Embracing the reality of Jesus living within us is a powerful message that underscores his love for us.
The episode concludes with an exploration of the life and preaching of Joseph Parker, a great orator and preacher, and echoes the profound impact of Jesus' ascension on his disciples. Reflecting on Parker's dedication to his faith gives us a glimpse into his unwavering assurance of salvation. This episode is an inspiring journey into understanding Jesus' ascension, filled with insights that will induce joy and confidence in your faith. Join us to delve deeper into this transformative power and let it shape your spiritual journey.
Hi and welcome to the FBC Eldorado Sermon Podcast. We hope God will use this week's message to both inspire and challenge you as you seek to walk closer with the Lord. Now join me as we listen into this week's sermon. Our speaker today is Dr Rex Horn, and we are so grateful to have Dr Rex Horn back again this week and to have Becky joining him as well this week. Rex, becky, you are family and we are glad that you are with us here today and we are glad that we can call you friends. So thank you for being with us and pointing us to Jesus today.
Speaker 2:Well, good morning. Thank you, choir and accompanist Dustin, for a wonderful time of worship together today. I want to invite you to take your bibles and turn with me. We're going to look at two passages of Scripture today, one from the Gospel of Luke and then one in Acts, chapter one, the last chapter of Luke, 24, and then Acts, chapter one, in just a few moments. As you know, dr Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke and then he also wrote the Book of Acts. Luke is the only writer who says anything, writes anything, about the ascension.
Speaker 2:I want to talk with you today about the ascension. In fact, I hope that as we go through the passage today, that you'll come to the point when you think in terms of the ascension. You know the common thing that we talk about in Jesus is what His life, his death, his burial and resurrection. Right, I mean, that's the Gospel, but I hope after the day you'll also think in terms of his life, his death, his burial, his resurrection and his ascension. Well, we could add, say, well, let's don't stop there. Let's add and he's coming again. So it's nowhere to stop on it, but we don't think about the ascension. I don't think as much as we should, and even in Luke and a little bit in Acts, it's only a few words that are said, that are recorded in Scripture, about the ascension. Now Mark, in chapter 16, hints at it. Well, he does more than hint at it. He says and Jesus was received up into heaven, but that's all that Mark said about it. So it's Dr Luke, it would be Luke.
Speaker 2:He's a doctor and he wrote, in chapter one of Luke, the Gospel. He said I'm writing this orderly account to you, o excellent Theophilus. In Acts, chapter one, he refers to the fact that I wrote this orderly account. I wrote this orderly account reminding him of the former one and now this one, o Theophilus, luke wrote what was orderly, reliable, factual, trustworthy. Just as physicians today and doctors today try to write or now enter into the computer that which they know, that which they found, that which is true, that which is factual, those kinds of things, so I find great comfort in the fact that this fellow Luke, this Dr Luke, wrote this Gospel and wrote the book of Acts and said this are some things that you need to know, these are some things that you can rely upon. And so we find it in Luke and in Acts. With that being said.
Speaker 2:I want you to look with me in chapter 24 of Luke at these brief verses 50, the last verses, 50 through 53. And Jesus led them out as far as Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while he blessed them, that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God and Luke. Dr Luke ends it with an amen, or, as we just heard and sang together hallelujah and a thousand more Amen. And then Luke says, as he completes the Gospel of Luke, two words I see here that I want to use in Luke. And then there's just two words I'll use related to Acts and Luke.
Speaker 2:I want us to focus in a moment on the words blessing and worship and then, when we get to Acts, we're going to see again how the angels were involved. Angels, angels involved announcing the birth of Jesus. There was angels involved announcing the resurrection of Jesus. And here they are as Jesus ascends to heaven. They're still there and they had words to say every place they went. Glory to God in the highest. They had words there at the tomb. Why are you looking for the living among the dead? And we're going to see. They've got a word for those of us left as we think about the ascension of Jesus. So when we look at these words from the Gospel of Luke, we see that Jesus led them a short distance.
Speaker 2:For those of you who've traveled in Israel, in the Holy Land, you know that Bethany is only a couple of miles really from Jerusalem, a part of the Mount of Olives, and there, at the end, jesus took His disciples and he raised His hands and he blessed them. What would they see when Jesus raised His hands toward them? They would see the nail scars in His hands. He raised His hands, he blessed them. These were the guys that just weeks ago, had said when Jesus talked about His death, they said don't talk about that, that's not going to happen. When Jesus said all of you are going to leave me and desert me, forsake me, they said oh no, not me. And Peter said I'll die before I do that. I don't know what these other guys will do, but I can tell you what I'll do I'll die before I do that. And they all fled and they all hid until that glorious resurrection morning when Jesus came and now, 40 days after that, jesus showed himself alive to groups of people, to many people.
Speaker 2:Paul records that at one time, 500 people at one place saw Jesus alive. He showed himself alive. And these same disciples now, who denied him and lied about him and cursed him and hid because they were afraid, are now there on the mountain. Jesus raises his hands. This is what I did for you. I bless you. I don't curse you. I bless you. I don't judge you. I love you. I don't hate you. I'm going to elevate you, not diminish you. He lifted his hands and blessed them and while he was blessing them, the Bible says he was parted from them. Luke says he's parted from them. It reminds us of Elijah, doesn't it being taken away from Elisha and that chariot of fire. They were parted by a chariot of fire. Here the Bible just says Luke. We're going to get more details in the book of Acts, but in Luke he just said and he was parted from them. After all that he had done and all that he said, he blessed them. Now what's going to happen to the disciples? Acts records that these disciples who ran and hid and lied and denied, they're going to march right back into Jerusalem and they're going to talk about Jesus. They're going to witness of Jesus in Jerusalem. What they feared was a dangerous place and the place that they would be taken. They're going back into Jerusalem, not going to stop at Jerusalem. They're going to go to Judea, not going to stop in Judea, they're going to Samaria, what they call the place that they called the inhabitants. What dogs. They're going right into the place that they've been moral enemies Jerusalem, judea, samaria, and to the uttermost part.
Speaker 2:Now, friends, we think that we're central to everything here in the United States, don't we? As far as scripture is concerned, we're the uttermost part. We haven't been around long, our country hasn't been here long compared to the world. So it started over there in a place and spread all the way to the day. And here we are in South Arkansas, in El Dorada, at First Baptist Church, and we're thinking about the ascension and we're thinking about Jesus raised hands and we're thinking about him blessing his disciples then and his disciples now.
Speaker 2:For didn't John pick up on that and say you know, blessed are you who've seen him. That's all good and fine, but what did John say? Blessed are those Jesus. John recorded it. Jesus said blessed are those who've not seen me and yet believe. That's us, that's you and me. All we believe in him is if he was sitting right here in the flesh. But we know that he's in the flesh, on the other side. He's there in heaven, where he ascended back to the Father. But he sent his Holy Spirit to live within us and we're so convinced of that and we know that that's true. So here, in the end of Luke, he begins to talk about that.
Speaker 2:What is the ascension Illustrate? What does it designate? What does it culminate? The ascension, the end of an era. Here, his work here was done. He came from the Father, clothed in human flesh. He took on humanity. He was fully man, just as we are human, and yet he was fully God. He clothed himself in humanity. He came, as Paul talks, to the church of Philippi, as a servant. He humbled himself and came as a servant. He came to earth, virgin born, he lived a sinless life. He died a sacrificial death. He rose bodily, victoriously, triumphantly, on the third day. He showed himself alive all those days after. And here we come at the end of Luke, and he's ascended back to the Father, back to heaven, just as Elijah was taken into the shekinah glory of God. So Jesus, in the glory of God, ascended back to heaven. It was the end of an era, but it's the beginning of a new era. He's not really going away. He's going to a place where he can send his spirit to all who believe the presence of Jesus.
Speaker 2:Listen, jesus lives in you. We know that Jesus loves us. We learn that if we're blessed with being brought up in the church. Jesus loves me. This I know. Father Bible tells me so. Yes, yes, jesus loves us. But do we ever fully grasp no, do we ever even grasp as much as we should? Probably not that Jesus lives in me, he lives in you. Jesus, by his spirit, lives in every person who's called upon his name. He's living there, he's living here within us. So it ended an era. It instituted a new era. Jesus sent his spirit to live in us. But that's not all.
Speaker 2:There are so many words that could be used about Jesus, but here he is. The Bible talks about him at the right hand of God. That just really is just saying he's in the position of authority. Some words that are used about Jesus are very meaningful to me. The Bible talks about Jesus as our intercessor. We talk about in the church? What intercessory prayer. What does that mean? It means we go to God on behalf of others. Right, we're interceding for others. Intercessory prayer Jesus is our intercessor. He's praying for us. He takes our needs to the Father. They talk about you and your need as if you're the only one that lived here. He loves you that way. He's our intercessor. He is our advocate. Bible calls him our advocate.
Speaker 2:Boy, don't you need an advocate at some time, particularly when you've blown it? Don't you need somebody to say that's not really who they are? You know that's a popular phrase that folks in the public use. They do these awful things and they say, well, that's really not the person I am. Well, yeah, it really is. It really is the person you are. And it's easy to talk about the public people, but we're the same way we do stuff. That's not really who I am. Oh, yeah, it is. Yeah, it's who we are. That's the way we think. Yeah, it is no-transcript. That's the way we act, or we would if we had a chance. That's who we are.
Speaker 2:But Jesus is the one who rises to our defense and says you know, father, in their heart of hearts, that's really not who they are. They want to be better. They do want to please you, they do want to do right. They really in their heart of hearts, and he advocates for us and he's our mediator. He mediates. How does he mediate? Not with words, but by his blood that was shed for you and me. In those hands he raised, reminded them you stand right with God because I'm your mediator, I'm your sacrifice, I'm the one who says Lord, don't look on their sins, father, look on your son, don't look on what they've done, look what I've done. And the blood of Jesus covers our sin. And Jesus, the mediator, is the only one who could mediate that with God, the Father, the righteous one, the righteous judge, a new era. So there are four words that I see in these verses that I want to distract your attention to quickly. What do we find here? Well, it says he parted from heaven. Look at verse 52, and they worshiped him.
Speaker 2:Worship. When we worship today, as we have and as we continue to do now, through the word, but through the songs that we sing and the choir singing and the music that we hear, we worship. What are we doing when we say worship? We're in worship and we're in participating in worship. It's very simple, really. And we sing about it, we're saying to Jesus, we're saying to the Father we are singing and praying and we know that you are worthy, you alone are worthy. We're singing, we're praying, we're preaching because you alone are worthy. That's worship. It wells up in us and I have found through the years that I need and want and desire to be in worship as much as anything in life anymore. There's just something about gathering with you today and singing and praying and thinking of all that God has done at this Thanksgiving season, and to sing and to worship and to say, lord, I'm saying it, and so are these folks to here today, that you are worthy and we worship you, we worship you.
Speaker 2:Notice that same verse. They only talk about worship. It talks about joy. And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And I told you, jerusalem is not a place they wanted to frequent much. And now they return not in fear but in joy, not with trepidation but joy. They're marching back into the place where Jesus died and all that went with it the betrayals, the beatings, the scourging, the mocking, the scourge, the spitting upon him, the crucifixion. But they're going right into that same place and they're going with joy because they've got a message that cannot be taken away from them. They can take away their life, but they're going to where Jesus is going, where he's ascended to. That's their home, and they go forth with joy. Well, that's not the only words. Look at the last part of verse 53.
Speaker 2:And continually, in the temple, they were praising and blessing God. Praising and blessing, worship and joy. That was the mark, and that's an interesting thing. Luke began with what? The birth narrative, and he records in that orderly account that they took Jesus to the temple as a little one, as a baby. You remember Simeon and Anna brought the baby. Luke ends with his amen of the book. And what are they doing at the end of the book? They're worshiping Jesus and they're praising Jesus and they're blessing Jesus, blessing Jesus from a baby being carried to the temple to the Lord, jesus Christ ascending to heaven. And those disciples are going back into Jerusalem, worshiping, praising with joy, blessing. That's what they did.
Speaker 2:When I look upon this and see what was taking place, it just reminds me that their fear and doubt and uncertainty was gone, at least about Jesus, and so is yours and so is mine. Talked last week a little bit. You know, there's still fear there about different things, but we have no fear about Jesus, do we? We have no doubt about him, and so that fills us with joy and we worship him and we praise and we bless him. You know, I thought for some time, said how is it? Why is it? Why is it that worship and singing and being together just brings within us we just sense so much the praise of Jesus and the person of Jesus. Why is that? I don't know. Just another reminder that he's here with me, but he's here with us.
Speaker 2:And sometimes, when you sing, sometimes at home, when you pray and you read God's word, do you ever find yourself just kind of raising your hand toward heaven? Why? Why would we raise our hand toward heaven? Well, the spirit of Jesus lives within us, but don't you ever, once in a while, just wish that for a minute, the spirit of Jesus within us, that you could reach and touch the personal hand of Jesus who's in heaven? And isn't it almost like the closer we can reach, the closer we feel to his hand, the hand, the hands that he raised as he went to heaven? So Luke ends his gospel talking about the worship, talking about blessing. But let's look now at Acts, chapter one, for a moment. We see other details, wonderful details.
Speaker 2:Acts, chapter one, verse nine. Now, when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up in a cloud, received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men, angels, stood by them in white apparel, who also said men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven, taken up, the ideas being raised up. So it's this interesting thing about he raised his hands and blessed them, and as he raised his hands and blessed them, he was raised up. He was taken up.
Speaker 2:You remember the pictures that used to be, and maybe still are, and scattered around our children's Sunday school rooms, and there would be one sometimes of the ascension of Jesus and there'd be clouds around and you'd see Him with His hands raised, as the artist pictured Him being raised up. I love that and I particularly love Dr Christopher, who's been in heaven many years, pastored in Dallas for all those years. In studying this passage and studying these words, he said, the picture that's really being drawn is this Just like the chariot came under Elijah and took Him out, took Him away. So he said, it's like the hands of God came under Jesus and lifted Him back home, back to heaven, his beloved Son this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased to hear Him. He said and now it's all done and it's time to go back home. And can't we picture the hands of Almighty God reaching down and taking Jesus and lifting Him, bringing Him back toward home? And while this was going on, while he blessed Him, god took Him back and they were standing there and they saw Him as he went back.
Speaker 2:So we think, in terms of Jesus, when he took humanity on at the incarnation, he did not give it back at the Ascension. Jesus still has a body, a human form, in heaven, and I'm convinced that in His human form and human body he still has nails in His hands, nail scars. The human Jesus, fully God, fully man, which, friends, for better or worse, means that you and I will be recognized on the other side too. Now I'm sure we're going to be new and improved, we're going to be at the ideal weight and all the rest of that stuff. You know, yeah, we're going to be just right, but we're going to be you and me, because God made us like nobody else, nobody else.
Speaker 2:Now, that's a place we could stop and say thank God or amen. Outside I mean, I know you're not thinking about yourself, but other folks there's only one like that. You know, just like you are Just without sin. And listen, all of you are wonderful. I'm a great guy, except for sin. On the other side, no sin, but joy, yes, fellowship, you bet, exploring stuff, seeing stuff, doing stuff.
Speaker 2:Of course, why would we ever think that heaven is less than what we experience here? And listen, a lot of stuff here on earth is wonderful, isn't it? It's wonderful. Well, heaven's not going to be less than that. Heaven's not going to be taking away things and when God created us that are important to us or that we enjoy or that's a part of our makeup, god's not doing all that all over, he's just taking the sin out. Kind of like it was with Adam and Eve in the garden before they sinned. You think they didn't have full life and joy and enjoyed the things they were doing and all the rest. Well, of course they did so. Jesus in His humanity has gone back to heaven and that's where we're headed as well. We'll see Him there.
Speaker 2:I'm always very careful have always been, but increasingly so when I speak at memorial services, which spend hundreds and hundreds and hundreds over the years, when I say to them, to families, to friends, you will see your loved one in heaven, you'll know them, they'll know you. Yes, they will. Yes, they will, and yes you will, because we'll see Jesus in heaven and we'll know who he is. Nobody will have to introduce us. We'll know who he is and we'll know our loved ones when we're taken there to the other side. Jesus appeared to Stephen when he was being martyred, when Saul was standing in room. He said Stephen, before he died, said I've seen Jesus Stand on the right hand of God, back. He is a nurse.
Speaker 2:I've had experiences at bed sides where people have said about seeing Jesus, or seeing mother or father or a friend. I think that's just the Lord being so good to us to let us have a little hint every once in a while, just a little affirmation, confirmation that all that we believe, it's true, it's just better than what we can even express. And so there he is on the other side. He's with Father, he's with our loved ones, with our friends, and I know so many of you have in this place those that you remember. Well, let me just spend a moment on the angels and then I'll be through. Don't put me on the clock, just got a few more minutes, I'll be through.
Speaker 2:So the angels were there. They were there when Jesus was born. They filled the sky saying praises. They were there at the tomb, and here's what I want you to think about Think about their question at the tomb and think about their question at his ascension. The angels looked on the women who came to the tomb and said why are you looking for the living among the dead? Why are you here? The angels? They're not like we are. They're intelligent beings and all that, but they're not people that have been saved like you and me. They're spiritual beings that God created for certain things, but they have knowledge and they're all in for Jesus. So they said to the people didn't he tell you he was going to be raised from the dead? Didn't he teach you about this? Angels Another? We just can't get it. It's kind of like talking to a kid. You know, kids take things so literally. Just well, didn't you say that and that's what you meant. You know, we just get a little more sophisticated as we go along, I suppose in question, but didn't he tell you he was going to be raised on the third day? Why are you looking for the living among the dead? And then I love this with the disciples, the angels Now, you know, in the Bible talk and translation it doesn't quite get the way I'm thinking, but they did say to them why are you guys standing here gazing up into heaven?
Speaker 2:Don't you know that Jesus, the same one you've seen go into heaven in like manner, is going to come back? They didn't put this, luke didn't record this, but they had to have said this, I think. And don't you know? You've got work to do, so why are you standing here looking in the heaven? Go about the work. Because Luke had recorded about the work. What did he say? He said Terry, in Jerusalem, until the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you take the gospel to the world In the book of Acts records that.
Speaker 2:You remember that day that was talked about the tongues, the disciples speaking in tongues, and Acts goes on to talk about what it was, was not some kind of a static utterance. It said that all the people from different nations and different dialects and different tongues, they all were hearing the gospel in their native language. Jesus said, terry, in Jerusalem, and then go and be my witness. Couple of statements that men have made that I find very meaningful. A preacher, g Campbell Morgan, said the world has been transformed. Listen carefully, the world has been transformed by the living presence of the living Christ. In every successive century, the congregation is not gathered around the memory of a Christ who was, but rather the presence of a Christ who is. Isn't that beautiful? We're here today, yes, we remember, but it's not the memory of Jesus that we worship and celebrate. It's the presence of Jesus who is that we worship and that we celebrate.
Speaker 2:One by the name of Beekner, talking about comparison between life and death, what is and what will be, he said the secret we share. I cannot tell in full, but this much I will tell what's lost is nothing to what is found and all the death. Listen, all the death that ever was set next to life, all the death that ever was set next to life would scarcely fill a cup. He's getting close to it, isn't he Stop all the death of all time of all of us and all who have gone before and all who come after us and set that beside life eternal and everlasting. In comparison, it's not even filling a cup. That's the joy set before us that we expect and know to happen. I know as many times as I preached here I've told you this story before, but I like it so I'm going to tell you again. Okay, it's not that old Rex just doesn't remember what he told. No, I remember, but you need to hear this again. You just got to hear this again. It's short.
Speaker 2:Joseph Parker preached to the greatest crowds in London, except for Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Every preacher that's ever lived since Spurgeon has quoted him at one time or another. I'm convinced of that. A great preacher. Joseph Parker was a great preacher. Some would say he was a greater preacher, orator than Spurgeon. He filled the churches up, parker, and he loved his wife and his life went to heaven before he did and he was grieved beyond words, and so when it came time to mark her headstone date of her birth and the date of her passing he could not bring himself I've read to use the word. She was born on a certain day and she died on a certain day. So he substituted the word ascended what we're talking about this morning. So on his wife she was born a certain day and she ascended a certain day. They say that when Parker went to heaven, the folks in his church made sure he has read the same way he was born a certain day and he ascended. I wish I had put that on my dad's and mom's. I guess I didn't, because it's too many letters. It would cost more money to do it right, I'm just thinking through this thing. So you don't have to do that. Don't change anything. My mom and dad's not there anyway. They've ascended and so that's what we look forward to.
Speaker 2:So when you talk about the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection, if you don't say it out loud, just think it and the ascension he ascended to heaven. Let's bow together. My hope would be for you in the balcony on the main floor that everyone here would have the assurance of salvation and eternal life and being with the Lord. But it may be that you have some question, that's okay. You may have doubt, that's okay. There are people here that'd be happy to walk through the experience with you, just so that you know that. You know that you're ready and that you can share the joy of being with the Lord in heaven.
Speaker 2:There are others of you here today the balcony on the main floor, that you've been coming and worshiping on a part of the church for some time and you've not yet made it your church home. But I would encourage you, if the Lord's leading you here, just come and take Brian Colby by the hand and say this is the place I think the Lord has led me to link my life, to be a part of this church family. Would you come and for all of us as Christians, wouldn't we just spend a moment and just say thank you, lord Jesus, for coming to this earth and dying, for me being raised from the dead, having victory over death, hell and the grave. And you searched me out.
Speaker 2:For most of us, we were searched out in South Arkansas with the spirit of God, convicted us of our need and we accepted Jesus. And Jesus is making a place for us in the meantime. He's our intercessor, he's our advocate, he's our mediator and he's coming for us again through his second coming or at the moment we pass from this life. He's there, he takes us to himself and there we'll live in joy and happiness forevermore. Any decision to make you, make it during this time, privately and publicly. Father bless your word, bless this invitation in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand together.