Up Up And Away For Now

What happens when a formerly dead man shows up behind locked doors, then floats up into the sky with a promise to return? In the final moments of Luke's Gospel, we find Jesus preparing his followers for a mission that would transform the world—a mission that continues through us today.

The story begins with an unexpected surprise, much like the Uber driver who previously drove hearses and wasn't prepared for a tap on the shoulder. Jesus' disciples weren't expecting resurrection either, yet here they stood, receiving final instructions from their risen Lord before his dramatic ascension.

Rather than basing their confidence on miraculous experiences, Jesus anchors them to Scripture, emphasizing that everything written about him "in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms" had been fulfilled. This foundation remains our bedrock today—not emotional experiences but God's unchanging Word.

His message centers on two elements many modern churches avoid: repentance and forgiveness of sins. This isn't a suggestion or optional philosophy but an ultimatum that demands decision. Jesus then expands this proclamation globally, entrusting the mission to ordinary, flawed individuals. The Lord doesn't choose the equipped; he equips the chosen.

The mission becomes possible only through Christ's ascension, which triggers several vital promises: the Holy Spirit's descent to empower believers, the preparation of our heavenly home, Christ's ongoing intercession as our High Priest, and the guarantee of his return. When he ascended, Jesus didn't shed his humanity—there is now "a human being on the throne of the universe," forever both God and man.

Through the Spirit's power, we're transformed from the inside out. Like the testimony of Josh McDowell, who found himself able to love his abusive father through the Spirit's work, we discover resources beyond our natural capacity when we surrender to God's indwelling presence.

Where is your Jerusalem? What's your witness? The mission continues through us, ordinary believers living extraordinary lives as evidence of an extraordinary Savior who went up but promised to come back down.

Have you embraced both his message of repentance and forgiveness? Are you living as his witness? The world's jury is still deliberating—what verdict will your life help them reach?

Transcript

The Unexpected Surprise

Speaker 1 0:25

A man in our church sent me just two days ago this humorous illustration. One Easter Sunday morning, a woman was on her way to church when her car broke down. Not wanting to miss the special service at her church, she got on her phone and ordered an Uber to pick her up. The car arrived and she jumped into the back seat. There was no conversation between them. The driver was listening to his car radio. They rode in silence for about 15 minutes. When she asked him a question, he didn't hear her because of the radio. When she asked him a question, he didn't hear her because of the radio. So she leaned forward and tapped him on his shoulder and he let out a scream and swerved into the other lane, almost hit another car, pulled over and slammed on the brakes and they skidded to the curb. The driver sat there for a minute, gathering himself from apparent shock. She said apologetically I'm so sorry, I had no idea that tapping you on the shoulder would scare you like that. And he shook his head and he said no, ma'am, you didn't do anything wrong, it's just. This is my first day driving an Uber. For the past 25 years I worked for a funeral home and drove the hearse. I guess getting a tap on the shoulder would be an unexpected surprise. Well, I couldn't help but think, you know, for these disciples we've been following and studying. They had been surprised, haven't they? They were not expecting a dead man to rise. They, frankly, were shocked. We watched together, as we've studied, how he miraculously appeared in their midst, suddenly, behind locked doors, and for the next several weeks would appear to hundreds of people.

The Gospel Proclamation

Speaker 1 2:20

Now we arrive where Jesus is about to deliver his last recorded words. Luke records from him before he physically ascends to heaven. So I invite your attention to where that takes place. We're in the last chapter, in the last few verses of Luke, chapter 24. Now Luke compresses hours of time into these final 10 verses. So to help us study through it, let me arrange what happens here into three chapters. I'll entitle the first chapter the gospel proclamation.

Speaker 1 3:02

Here are the final words of the Lord recorded in Luke's gospel, verse 44 of chapter 24. Then he said to them these are my words, that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them. Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and, on the third day, rise from the dead. Let's stop there for a moment. Get the emphasis here from the dead. Let's stop there for a moment. Get the emphasis here from the Lord. The Lord is anchoring their confidence and their assurance once again, not on their experience, but on his word. These are the words that I spoke to you. It's been written about me throughout the entire Old Testament. He opens their mind to understand the scriptures. Thus it is written.

Speaker 1 4:11

Let me tell you, beloved, the proclamation of the gospel didn't begin with a resurrection. It began with the Old Testament. So go back to the scriptures, just as the Lord did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. What does the word of God say Now? If Jesus were preaching today, it would be a biblical message. It'd be tied to a text of Old Testament scripture. That's all there was at this point. He'd have no problem preaching today in a New Testament church from an Old Testament text.

Speaker 1 4:45

Jesus says here the law, the prophets, the Psalms. They spoke of me, they were fulfilled in me, they were illustrated by me, they glorified me. Now there's something else implied here. The Lord doesn't want his disciples to base their assurance again on what they've seen, what they've experienced. Jesus doesn't say here now, men, remember I walked on the water, you saw it. Remember how I fed the 5,000. How amazing was that. Remember how I appeared behind those locked doors? Now, thomas isn't going to go off and write his memoirs about. I saw the nail prints in his hand. Peter isn't going to write a book entitled the Morning I had Breakfast with Jesus.

Speaker 1 5:33

Jesus anchors their faith to the word. Notice verse 46 again. And he said to them thus it is written, as if to say you know, whether you see me or not. Thus it is written that I would suffer and on the third day rise. Listen, you and I. And the reason I'm making this point is we have the same foundation for our faith and our confidence and our assurance today that he gave to them, he pressed on them, he preached, he taught the word of God. That is our proclamation today. That isn't everything we proclaim today. We don't simply expound on revelation. We actually press for a response based upon that revelation. Jesus goes on to say here, and that thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name.

Speaker 1 6:48

Repentance and forgiveness of sin. How many churches will talk about the resurrection today, but nothing about sin and the Savior who redeems us, who forgives us? Repenting is agreeing with God that what you're doing is sinful, it's wrong, confessing it and then turning away from it. I like to say, pointing your toes in the right direction. You're going to stumble, fail and fall, but the direction of your life has completely changed. The message of repentance is being dropped today like a hot potato. It's too judgmental, it's too critical. I heard one pastor of a large church say on national television that he never mentions the word sin. He never mentions the words sinners or repentance. He claims it's too negative and you need to stay positive. Let me tell you he is at odds with Jesus. Jesus says proclaim this in my name repentance from sin and forgiveness.

Speaker 1 8:02

Repentance from sin and forgiveness. This, by the way, is not a suggestion, it is an ultimatum. The gospel we deliver is not an option, it isn't a hey, if you like it, if you want to try it. No, you're in trouble. You're a sinner. You're a sinner. You need a Savior. This is personal. It's a verdict that demands a decision. What have you decided in your own life? Now let's move into chapter 2. I only have three chapters in this sermon, so relax, hold your applause. We'll call chapter 2 the Great Commission.

The Great Commission

Speaker 1 8:53

Now Jesus delivers the scope of the proclamation, verse 47 again. And that repentance for the forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed in his name. Now, notice to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. Now, these words parallel the book of Acts, chapter 1. Luke wrote both the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. He wrote them to the same man named Theophilus, a statesman who had come to faith. And Luke, in chapter 1 of Acts, gives a little more of an expanded account. He writes in verse 8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, jesus says, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. So this is a global proclamation, and this amazes me, this encourages me. Jesus is about to ascend back to heaven and he's leaving this global, this great commission, in their hands, regardless of their track record, regardless of their lack of experience, regardless of their lack of education.

Speaker 1 10:10

They weren't trained rabbis. They weren't teachers, they were calloused fishermen. And in there too was a crooked tax collector. Too was a crooked tax collector. Imagine today Jesus would go to get a couple of guys from a motorcycle gang who hated the government and lived off the grid. He'd go to the outer banks and choose some callous fishermen who'd spent their life on the sea. He'd travel over to the IRS administration office and he'd hire a man who'd been cheating people out of their taxes year after year. You're the one I want, and you think Jesus, you're going to leave it with them. What's amazing to me is he did, and he's left it with you and me today.

Speaker 1 11:06

So don't miss the promise. Jesus informs them here. They're going to be empowered and enabled by a divine person, the Holy Spirit, and in the New Testament dispensation he will descend and indwell every believer, you and me, to enable us to fulfill this great commission. The disciples were told to wait for a person who would provide them with the power, which means that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is not a luxury for super Christians. He is a necessity for every ordinary Christian like you and me. So Jesus tells his disciples after I go up, the Holy Spirit's going to come down and through the divine power of this divine person. Here's what's going to happen. Verse 8 again you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem. Notice Jesus does not say when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will begin witnessing. He's not telling them what they will do, although they will do that. He's telling them who they are. You will become witnesses. That's your occupation.

Speaker 1 12:26

Most of our problems today center around the fact that we've forgotten who we are. The church at large today is ineffective, not because it isn't being heard. Christians are noisier than ever. Making noise and making progress are two different things. Making noise and making progress are two different things. Jesus is telling them to adopt a brand new perspective on life. This is who they are.

Speaker 1 12:55

Harnack, the church historian, once wrote that the early church advanced by means of what he called informal missionaries. Every believer understood. That's why they were left on the planet. The term informal missionaries was actually coined by Justin Martyr in the second century, and he would write about the fact that the progress of the church was made possible because the disciples understood these final words of Christ. This was what they did, because this was who they were.

Speaker 1 13:28

Now, the word witness will be used by Luke nearly 30 times in the book of Acts, and that word sweeps us into the drama of a courtroom where everything depends on the testimony of the witness. In this analogy, the believer is not the one on trial. Jesus Christ is on trial before the world. You're called to be a witness to the authenticity of Jesus Christ in you, to the authenticity of Jesus Christ in you. The defense attorney would be the Holy Spirit, the prosecutor would be Satan and the kingdom of darkness, and the world is the jury. They're going to decide on the basis of your testimony as to the truth of Jesus Christ. If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence displayed in that courtroom to find you guilty, or would people have to think he's a Christian? She, she, we're called to be witnesses Now in the courtroom drama, at least from what I've learned from watching Matlock, one of the things that a prosecuting attorney tries to do is discredit the testimony of the witness.

Speaker 1 14:53

Why do you do that? Well, you discredit the character of the witness. So who they are he's going to try to show or she doesn't match up with what they are saying. So make no mistake. How the witness is living outside the courtroom has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of their testimony inside the courtroom, and an effective witness is powerful not only because of the way they live, but the fact that how they live validates what they're saying. Now.

Speaker 1 15:29

Back here in Luke's account, jesus says that the witness is needed. He said you're not only going to be witnesses, not only in Jerusalem, but to the nations. I love that. Proclaim this to the nations and keep in mind, beloved, these disciples had never been outside their home country, that little tiny region. They knew nothing of the world at large, except what they'd heard. That'd be like telling you and me to be prepared to take the gospel to Alaska or Mongolia, places I've never been. Go to Turkey, or to the Sudan, to Cuba, to Hawaii I'll sign up for that one, by the way. I've never been there. Don't miss the fact, though, that Jesus says start in Jerusalem. That's where you live. Hardest place to witness is at home. Hardest people to talk to are people who know you. It's easier to talk to a stranger about Jesus on a bus or an airplane than your neighbor. It's easier to pray before a meal at a restaurant you'll never go back to than before a client you're trying to get to sign a contract. Start there, jesus says, there, jesus says, and then surrender to the Holy Spirit if he leaves you there or takes you somewhere else. Now, in our case, I'm amazed we have the opportunity of proclaiming the gospel, living as witnesses before our world.

Speaker 1 17:18

The nations have come here, haven't they? I called Larry Hoxie yesterday, who's directing our ESL English as a Second Language program here at the Shepherd's Church, and this semester they've had to open up more rooms and they have people from 58 nations. So they've opened more classrooms and they've just invited everybody on the waiting list. They've emptied the waiting list. They have nearly 400 people coming to classes. As part of it, they're going to read the Bible. They're going to hear the Bible read, the gospel story told. They're going to be introduced to Christians and they've never met a Christian before.

Speaker 1 17:56

Let me read you some of the countries represented. Not all of them, just a few Algeria, argentina, belarus, brazil, burma, china, colombia, congo, dominican Republic, ecuador, egypt, el Salvador, france, honduras, hong Kong, india, iran, morocco, nepal, pakistan, russia, saudi Arabia, south Africa, turkey, ukraine, vietnam and 25 more. But the question is, where is your Jerusalem? That cubicle, that neighborhood, that shop? Where has God placed you? This is who you are and, because of who you are, this is how you live. And then this is how you speak. Jesus is telling his disciples to get ready to go somewhere they've never been before to be willing to do something they've never done before, to be prepared to reach somebody they've never noticed before.

Speaker 1 19:18

I remember talking to a man in our church who went on an impact trip sponsored by our church to a South American country and to work with a church on a building project. He had tears in his eyes as he said to me my wife and I are going to enroll in learning the language so we can be effective when we go back. We can't wait to go back next year. I said that's great. Tell me about your trip. I thought it must have been, you know, magnificent. He said well, we had to use public transportation. The buses weren't air conditioned. They're packed people sitting on the roof. The windows were open. The dust was so thick we had to pull our shirts up over our noses to breathe. When we got to the camp, we would sleep at night with the sound of gunfire nearby. We didn't have any running water, no indoor plumbing. Nearly every member of our team suffered at least a two-day bout with nausea and diarrhea, and we can't wait to go back. I said you want to go back? How about Hawaii? I'll go there with you. Huh, I can't wait.

The Glorious Ascension

Speaker 1 20:27

Where's your Jerusalem? This is our gospel proclamation. This is our great commission. Now the third chapter. In this final moment with his disciples, we will entitle it the Glorious Ascension.

Speaker 1 20:47

Luke finishes his gospel account by writing here, in verse 50,. And he led them out as far as Bethany and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. Note this while he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God. Luke adds this to his expanded account in Acts, chapter 1. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes. There's these two angels again. They've been busy. They 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, in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. Imagine the Lord is blessing them as he ascends up, up and away. By the way, he does not shed his humanity in his glorified body. He has retained his flesh and blood. He's still fully divine and fully human. Think about that.

Speaker 1 22:21

One author provoked my thinking when he wrote there is now a human being on the throne of the universe. Isn't that great. When he ascended into heaven, he did not cease to be human, though. He remains the second person of the Trinity, eternally God the Son. Yet 33 years earlier he'd taken on flesh, blood, hands and feet. He is now and forever one of us, a human being on the throne and at the same time the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Speaker 1 23:03

Now, how significant is it that Jesus ascends to heaven? Well, if Jesus doesn't go up, the Spirit won't descend to empower us. John 16 records where Jesus said I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. If I do not go away, get this the helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you. If Jesus doesn't ascend, the Spirit of God does not descend. And if the Spirit of God does not descend, get this the church will never be created. The church will never be created. We know the church was created by the Holy Spirit's power in Acts, chapter 2. And from then on he indwells every one of us who are followers of Christ. Here's another If Jesus doesn't ascend and the Spirit descend, spiritual growth will be impossible. We're indwelled by the Holy. Spirit. Doesn't ascend and the Spirit descends, spiritual growth will be impossible. We're indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual growth is another term for spiritual fruit, and spiritual fruit is the product of the Holy Spirit. You don't grow spiritual fruit, those attributes of that cluster, you bear it, he produces it.

Speaker 1 24:30

I got to tell you about this past week. Dave Burgraff and his son, andy, both professors at Shepherd Seminary, drove me to Frisco, texas, our Shepherds 360 church conference coming up this October. The theme is perseverance and when I thought of this theme of perseverance I couldn't help but think of Chuck Swindoll, who's persevered. Many of you know him, listen to him. He's persevered with integrity and joy. Since he can't travel he's 90 years old, blind, see it just a little bit out of one eye he readily agreed to be interviewed if we could make it there. So Andy and Dave agreed to drive me 40 hours round trip. I mean, that's, like you know, the tribulation for them to be with me for 40 hours, two days there and two days back. But I got to tell you they introduced me to some special new things to me, like Freddy's Smash Burgers. I mean it was fine dining all the way to Texas, let me tell you and I never this was Bucky's gas station. Bucky's gas station I've never seen a bathroom like Bucky's. I mean a hundred urinals and a hundred stalls and everything is spotlessly clean. This is more information than you wanted to know. I'm sure Bucky's the beaver, I mean it's a world. I'm sure Bucky's the beaver, I mean it's a world. I was stunned. I bought my wife a Bucky's coffee mug Little beaver right on it. I mean she was so thrilled Should have saved it for our anniversary. She actually liked it.

Speaker 1 26:24

We finally arrived and what a privilege to interview this man who had influenced so many, including my own life. Before taping we talked for about an hour. By the way, he was everything you would imagine humble, gracious, merciful, gracious and joyful. I told him about how, as a college student, I had stumbled across his radio program as I mopped the floor of a flower shop on the college, near the college campus. We figured out together that he would have been about in his early 40s. I didn't know who he was, but I was tired of listening to the music. Nobody was there. The shop was closed.

Promises of Christ's Ascension

Speaker 1 27:05

I turned the dial and I heard this guy preaching and I told him. I said and you did something I'd never heard before. You laughed in the pulpit when I was raised. I mean, laughing in church was like denying the Trinity. You didn't laugh and I said I want to thank you for persevering with joy.

Speaker 1 27:31

And he leaned forward and he said hey, you remember the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It develops the fruit right, and it's love. But then what comes next? Joy. So how can, he said, how can we be glum and gloomy with the Spirit of God Now? He went on to admit life wasn't easy. In fact he told me he'd almost quit the ministry over discouragement just 10 years earlier, when he was 80. He retired when he was 89, 90. But his wife encouraged him there they are in their 80s, to keep going. His son-in-law told Dave and Andy later that since his 80th birthday his ministry has produced another 30 books. I hope to have this kind of joy when I'm 90. And I can, and you can too, with the same Holy Spirit working in us Now. Some fruit will be more difficult than others, as it were, based on how we're wired and put together, but the Spirit of God is in all of us who are redeemed.

Speaker 1 28:48

Well, there are more promises attached here to the Lord's ascension. Let me give you another one. If Jesus hadn't ascended in heaven and ready for his after all, jesus said to his disciples in John 14, I'm going away to prepare a place for you. So heaven is ready and waiting for every believer. The moment they die, their spirit goes to be with Christ in heaven immediately. The body waits for that rapture. With Christ in heaven, immediately the body waits for that rapture. Here's another If he hadn't ascended, then he is not interceding for us. Think about it If Jesus didn't ascend, he's not up there acting as our high priest, our mediator, our intercessor. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Romans 8 34. Listen to this Christ Jesus is the one who died, more than that, who was raised, who, indeed, is interceding for us. Jesus promised I go to prepare a place for you. What else? Well, let me give you another. Jesus doesn't go up, then Jesus isn't coming back down for us. One day I go to prepare a place for you and if I go, you can run to that and I will and prepare a place for you. I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am there you may be also Beloved. Your hope of heaven isn't just in his crucifixion, isn't just in his resurrection. It includes his ascension. Every promise must come true and they all will. I close with this.

Speaker 1 30:41

A young man had been raised in a home with an alcoholic, abusive father. When he had friends over from school as a teenager, he'd take his drunken father out to the barn they lived on a farm and he'd tie him up. And then he'd drive his father's car around behind the silo and tell his friends his dad was away on a business trip. He later would write if there was anybody that I hated, it was my father. He went on to university. He met some Christians. He didn't believe the gospel but took up the challenge to study, and everything he uncovered changed his mind. God opened his eyes and heart and he trusted Christ. Years later he would write that the Spirit of God began doing a work in me, producing spiritual fruit. After a year and a half, he said, I was able to look at my father with pity instead of hatred, and I even told my father that I loved him.

The Spirit's Transforming Power

Speaker 1 31:55

Well, after six months, into one of his university years, he had an accident and was sent home to the farm to recuperate, lying on a bed, couldn't move. One day his father came into his room. He was sober, he was thoughtful and he said I don't understand how you can tell somebody like me that you love me. You can tell somebody like me that you love me. And with that the door opened. He was able to share the gospel once again with his father, who now listened. And then he told his dad you know, a year ago I hated you, but Jesus Christ has changed my life and the risen savior has sent his Spirit who indwells me, and because of him I can love you.

Speaker 1 32:43

Josh McDowell writes within a few minutes, my father knelt down beside my bed and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior. He writes about that event in his book entitled the Resurrection Factor. This is the transforming ministry of the Holy Spirit who indwells him, indwells you, indwells me, enabling us to deliver this gospel proclamation, to live as witnesses and to anticipate his return, for he indeed went up, up and away, but he's coming back down. It might be today, so let's live today in light of that day. Thank you for your love for us, lord.

Speaker 1 33:41

We know that we arrive here with a thousand different stories, biographies, past experiences. Biographies, past experiences. We come to the assembly as you've directed us and we're refreshed and encouraged that, no matter our past, there is a future. No matter how great our sin, we have a Savior. You died for those sins, the ones we'll even commit tomorrow, commit tomorrow, nailed to that cross placed on your body. We thank you for ratifying the atoning work by rising from the dead. And then, the consummation of your passion week was your ascension Back to heaven, exalted on the throne, a human being, our brother, but our king, still bearing the wounds, the marks of nails, to tell us forever. This is how we got in, for just a moment, with your heads bowed.

Speaker 1 35:33

If you're a believer, why don't you thank the Lord for dying, rising and ascending While you're doing that? If you're here today, my friend, and you don't know Christ as your Savior, I can't think of a better Sunday to settle it and invite the Lord to become your king, repent of your sin, confess it to him Unworthy, claim the promise of forgiveness I'll be glad to talk with you after this service. I'll be here on the platform if I can help you. Thank you for the gospel, and the gospel of Luke that you've privileged us to study for these years and how you drive us back to it. This is your word You've spoken. This is your word You've spoken. This is our assurance. So make us better students and more ready and available to apply it to our lives. We pray In Jesus' name and everyone said amen, amen.