May it please Almighty God to
bless us together this morning as we meditate in His Holy Word.
Let's turn to the Acts of the Apostles and the first chapter
and we'll read verses 9, 10 and 11. So chapter 1 in the Acts
of the Apostles and reading verses 9, 10 and 11. And when he had
spoken these things, While they beheld, he was taken
up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while
they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, ye
men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven. Without doubt this was an amazing
event and a very important event for all of us. And to realise
that God in his love granted those people to be witnesses
of this. And also to think that the Lord
then sent these two men, two angels, who stood in white apparel
to explain to them and to tell them, ye men of Galilee, why
stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come. in light manner as we
have seen him go into heaven. Now, we can perhaps imagine,
can't we, Jesus there in the midst of this little group and
then this cloud descending and he's received out of their sight
and taken up to glory. Well, we're then told that the
Lord Jesus will come again. And it won't be just a little
group. It won't just be a few. We're told every eye shall see
him. All that have ever lived on this
earth will witness the glorious return of the Saviour. And the solemn word tells us,
some to everlasting life and happiness, and some to everlasting
misery. It'll be an amazing day, and
a day only known to the Father. Jesus told his disciples when
they asked, And he said, it's a day known to my father. We don't know when that day will
come, but we can be sure that it will come. We can be sure because we know
that the Bible is true. Every word contained in the Bible
is true. And therefore we should not think
that somehow this won't occur. Many people today hope it won't
occur because they know what they would deserve. And they
perhaps tremble at the thought of God returning and finding
them in a situation which is not good. But we should remember
here that this is true. This is the Word of God. And so, as these angels said
that Jesus will return, He will. And how wonderful it is to just
trace back the life of the Lord Jesus on this earth. Yes, and the wonderful proof
that He was alive. He died. We know He died. He was crucified on that cross. Many witnesses were there to
see that. He was taken down from the cross,
he was laid in the sepulcher in the tomb, and then he rose
from the dead. A third day. No one else has
ever risen from the dead. The Lord Jesus was the first
fruits of them that slept. And my friends, everyone will
rise from the dead. And therefore, he was shown to
many witnesses before he actually ascended up to his father. He
was on the earth for those 40 days that we're told of here
in this chapter after the crucifixion. 40 days expired. He was shown
to his disciples, at one time to over 500 people, and to individuals,
all very clear evidences that the Lord Jesus was alive, was
alive, and alive for evermore. Would never die again. He died
on Calvary for that specific reason. to die in the place of
his church, to pay that price to take away their sins, and
how wonderful it is to think of the glorious plan of salvation. It's good sometimes just to sit
down and to meditate upon this great and glorious plan that
was agreed in eternity past between the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit. Something that is beyond our
capability of actually fully understanding. But there it was
and it's recorded before the world was created. Father, Son
and Holy Spirit agreed on this great plan to save rebellious
man. And the great reason, of course,
was that this plan, when it was fulfilled, would indeed bring
honour and glory to God. And my friends, that honour and
glory comes from his saints. It comes from those who are believers. those who have been shown their
lost condition, and those who have fled to the Saviour, that
refuge for sinners, and have found that abiding place in Christ. It's a wonderful, wonderful revelation
to have that made over in our own lives, in our own hearts,
that we are amongst those for whom Christ died. yea, rather,
is risen again. Death could not hold him. He
died for those three days and then he rose from the dead, a
conqueror over sin. Conqueror over death. Conqueror
over hell and the grave. it's a wonderful truth isn't
it to meditate upon and then as I've said he was those 40
days revealed on this earth to many people as we know he wasn't
physically on the earth for that time but he was for much of that
time and what a revelation it was and what a glorious time
for those who saw it And my friends, you and I don't see it today
physically, but we all need to receive that faith that God gives
to believe in these great and wonderful truths. They're not
fables, they're truths and it's fundamental. to our faith to
believe and to understand the greatness of these truths and
to then be given that grace to believe that by his grace one
day we shall be with the Saviour. and join with that great throng
in glory, and that not for time, but for eternity. It surely should be a wonderful
thought and a wonderful prospect, and it should never be something
which is morbid and something that we don't want to think about.
It's something that we should want to think about. Many people
don't want to think about their death. I remember hearing somebody
say once, and this person said, they hated birthdays. Why do
they hate birthdays? It reminded them their life was
passing away. Well, it's good, isn't it? if,
as we may have birthdays, to think that we are a year nearer
home, nearer that place where we shall be with this great and
glorious Saviour. And every eye shall see Him on
that day, but our eyes will see the Saviour. Remember Job said,
he said, his eyes His eyes would see the Saviour. And it's true,
my friends, of all God's people, to think that you and I would
see Him. It's wonderful, isn't it? That One who died to redeem
our souls. That One who willingly gave His
life, paid the price, and how painful that was, in that death
of crucifixion. And yet, how willing was Jesus
to die that we fellow sinners might live. The life they could
not take away, how willing was Jesus to give. And when we think
about that, there was Jesus on the cross and he gave up his
life. He finished the work that his
father gave him to do. And he spoke those God-glorifying
words. Three words. It is finished. And then died. Then went to glory. Wonderful, isn't it, to realise
we have such a saviour. And to think that that Saviour
is very God, very God. So great, so high, so lifted
up as Isaiah saw. I saw the Lord lifted up, high
and lifted up. It's good when you and I have
those views by faith, to realise that the Lord Jesus Christ is
high and lifted up, in glory there, interceding for his people,
so that when you and I pray, we cannot pray directly to our
Father, because our Father in heaven is holy, he's just, he
cannot look upon sin, and you and I are sinful creatures, But,
you see, we can pray to our Saviour who presents our prayers to His
Father. And it is Him that is seen instead
of us as we approach to God. What a great and wonderful Saviour
then we have. And how compassionate He is.
And how wonderful that we have this revelation, this truth contained
in the Word of God to remember that this same Jesus, this same
Jesus, will come again. He's alive forevermore. And you
and I, by his grace, if we are his people, will be also alive
forevermore. There'll be no more death, there'll
be no more pains, there'll be no more things which distract
us and make us sound, but all will be eternal happiness. Happiness. Wonderful, isn't it? To think of that and to rejoice
in it and to be able to come and praise God. Well, this morning
then, I trust you and I may be able to come and praise our God,
that blessed Saviour who is immutable that means he doesn't change
he's the same yesterday and today and forever that's a very clear
statement isn't it and how relevant and how important it is that
you and i have the evidence of it in our own hearts well we're
we should be very thankful that we have a record of this and
to realize that Perhaps although we don't, I suppose, keep these
days like or this week like we are doing for his wonderful ascension,
it's good to ponder these things. It's easy to pass by them. We
don't often read this first chapter in Acts. We perhaps read more
the 24th chapter of Luke. But nonetheless, it's good to
recognize the reality religion it's not something which is irrelevant
and it's not something which is just a fable it's that which
is very true and I always go back to the words of the Savior
himself in the 17th chapter of John which you may remember and
if you don't just remember it now The 17th chapter of John
is a prayer that Jesus made to his father. It's very wonderful,
isn't it, to think that we have a record of a prayer like that
for our encouragement and strength. And we're told, these words spake
Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, And
then we have that wonderful declaration and wonderful truth. And in this
chapter, the Lord says so very wonderfully in the 17th verse,
it's easy to remember, 17th chapter of John, and the 17th verse,
right? Just remember 17 and you've got
both. And it says, sanctify them through
thy truth. Thy word is truth. Now that's the blessed Jesus
speaking to his father in that wonderful prayer. And it's good
to read this prayer. It's very humbling and it's very
strengthening Because it does declare to us exactly who the
Lord was praying for. And he's not praying for everyone. He's praying for those whom his
Father has given him. And how good it is when we come
and recognize that. He tells us, Now they have known
that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For
I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they
have received them. Well, it's a good question, isn't
it, for you and me? Have we received the words of
God? The words of the Savior? Or have
we rejected them? We may have said, well, I don't
receive that. Some people, they think they're bold enough to
argue with God. But what a blessing it is. if
God humbles us and shows us that these things are really relevant
and really true. And so to be thankful indeed,
for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they
have received them. Well, how wonderful if we received
the words of God. I wonder whether you and I have.
It's good to think of it, isn't it? And have known surely that
I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst
send me. See how relevant it is that you
and I come within these words that we are amongst those who
do believe. No one, no one comes into heaven
who has not believed. There's no unbelievers there.
And so how wonderful if God has given us that wonderful ability,
that grace to believe. And what does Jesus say then?
I pray for them. I pray for them. Isn't that wonderful? to think that the Lord God, Jesus,
prays for all believers. And so he says, I pray for them. And he also says, I pray not
for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they
are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine
are mine, and I am glorified in them. It's a very clear statement,
isn't it? It's good to remember such simple
words as that when people argue about God's glorious election. And it's very clear, isn't it?
God chose the people and he tells us, you've not chosen me. But I have chosen you, and ordained
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain. You see, it's very, the Word
of God is very complete. It doesn't leave anything out.
And it gives us, therefore, a full and glorious picture to realize
here we have our Savior, the Son of God, praying to His Father. And how wonderful it is to realize
that we have such statements as this. Sanctify them through
thy truth. Thy word is truth. So my friends today, never doubt
the word of God. Never argue that the word of
God is not true. But may he give all of us that
faith to believe and to thank him for it. that we have such
a kind and gracious God and he says as thou sent me into the
world even so have I also sent them into the world the Lord
has sent us into the world and for their sakes I sanctify myself
that they also might be sanctified through the truth neither pray
I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me
through their word. Well, that's comforting, isn't
it? Because that can encompass the likes of you and me, who,
of course, were not on the earth when Jesus prayed this prayer. But he tells us, them which shall
come are wonderful to know that and to rejoice in it. Well, it's
a wonderful, I won't go through it all, I could, I'd love to
go through it really, but you can go through it. The 17th chapter
of John. It's the pure Word of God. And to think that you and I have
a record of the Son of God praying to his Father. What a wonderful
privilege that is. And what a favour it is that
God has given us that record, exactly the same as we have here. A record of Jesus ascending up
into glory. That could easily have not been
recorded. My friends, it was recorded.
And so we today are able to rejoice in this great truth that we have
blessed Savior seated on the throne at the right hand of God
the Father to intercede for us. And how wonderful it is to realize
that Jesus is so willing, so willing, to take up that glorious
position of High Priest to present our prayers to his Father. We
have a lot about the High Priest in the Word of God, especially
it's explained to us in the Hebrews, but we have it right the way
through from when Aaron was appointed as High Priest. It was always
a High Priest. generation to generation. And
to think that that high priest went in on that great day of
atonement into the holy place, first of all in the tabernacle
and then also into the temple, when the temple was built which
superseded the tabernacle. And there was that inner place,
inner sanctum, we might say, where the Ark of the Covenant
was. And in the Ark of the Covenant,
the Ten Commandments. And also placed alongside it,
the almond rod that budded, and also that jar of manna, which
gave a record of the food that God had supplied to his people. And once a year, There was the
ark with the mercy seat on top and the high priest, only the
high priest, went in, not without blood which he sprinkled on the
mercy seat to confess the sins of his people. My friends, today
we have the Lord Jesus Christ who has gone into the holy place
with his blood that he shed upon Calvary. And the great wonder
of it is, in the Old Testament times, every year, the high priest
had to go into that holy place with blood. But Jesus died. There was no need again. because he was the eternal high
priest to present our prayers to his father. And he went into
the holy place, not without blood, his blood. It's no wonder, is
it? The Apostle Peter refers to it
as the precious blood of Christ. We can use another term, invaluable
blood. It was so valuable. It was so
necessary to take away the sins of the Church of God. And so
we have the wonderful picture then here today of Jesus ascending
up. He'd already died. He paid the
price. He shed his blood. And now he
is ascending up to take his rightful place on the right side of the
Father in glory. And there he sits until that
great day when he will return as these angels have told us. Ye men of Galilee, why stand
ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken
up from you into heaven shall so come in light manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven. Well, you see what an occasion
that will be. What an occasion that will be.
And I wonder, you know, whether perhaps you and I tremble at
the thought. We may tremble at the thought.
And we might tremble at the thought if we don't know that it is well
with our soul. If we haven't received that grace
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then we may tremble,
because we may think that if Jesus came, perhaps today, perhaps
tonight, we have to say, well, I'm really not ready. I don't
know whether I am born again by the Spirit of God. I don't
know. whether Jesus has died for me. Well, my friends, you and I are
on praying ground. While we're on this earth, we're
on praying ground. And we can pray, can't we, to
the Lord that he will have mercy upon us. Just like that publican
we read of so many years ago, when he came and prayed not a
long prayer, but a very direct prayer. And it was this, God,
be merciful to me, a sinner. There was the requirement, be
merciful to me. There was the statement, me,
personal. And my friends, it's just so.
You and I would have to come in that personal way. It's between
our soul and God. And we need to pray that he will
have mercy upon us. And we need to show to us that
he's had mercy upon us. It's a very simple little parable,
but it's very instructive because you may remember that he was
compared to that man who was a Pharisee. He pretended to be
a believer, a good Christian, but of course he wasn't. He wasn't
at all. He was proud of what he'd done. He didn't come seeking for mercy. And Jesus tells us a difference. When referring to the publican,
he says, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other. how good it is if you and I are
justified that means to be made just with God because of what
Jesus has done how wonderful it is then to think and to ponder
these great truths and may there be a real comfort to our soul
that we may not view them as something which is very terrible
which of course in reality it is But also what a great comfort
to know that we have a Saviour who stands between us and a holy
God and presents our prayers and tells the Father, our Father,
that He's died for us and He's taken away our sins and that
we are complete in Him. There's our hope. Our hope is
built, as the hymn writer so ably says, our hope is built
on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Well, so today,
may that be our prayer, our statement, that we're not believing on anything
else and our hope's nowhere else. It can only be in what the Lord
Jesus Christ has done. And that means that we have to
believe that he has risen from the dead, yes, and that he has
ascended to his father. And he now sits in glory there
to intercede for us. Oh, my friends, what a great
and wonderful truth this is. And I hope it may indeed encourage
us and strengthen us and indeed bless us as we are thankful indeed
for this wonderful truth. Just referring to this case in
the ninth of Hebrews and the 26th and 28th verses, this is
what we read. Well, let me first of all read,
perhaps, verse 24. For Christ is not entered into
the holy place made with hands. Now, the tabernacle and the temple
both had a holy place, as I said, where the Ark was. And that,
of course, was made with hands. For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures the truth
is just a picture for us but into heaven itself now to appear
in the presence of God for us see that's a very clear statement
isn't it sums up so succinctly what I've been saying nor yet
that he should offer himself often as the high priest entereth
into the holy place every year with blood of others. He took
the blood, didn't he, of the animals which were slain. For
then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now once in the end of the
world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself. That's a very complete statement.
And so we're told, and as it is appointed unto men once to
die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once offered to
bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall
he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Well, may you and I be amongst
those who are looking, looking to Him, looking for Him, coming
and casting all our care upon Him and believing that by His
grace, He indeed cares for us. Well, we have this wonderful
account, David, this wonderful statement, and we should indeed
truly thank God for it and indeed praise God that we have this
wonderful truth and wonderful situation. Perhaps I'll just
read in conclusion the similar scene which we read as I've said
in the last verses in the 24th chapter of Luke, where we're
told how God so gloriously and graciously was indeed with his
disciples and he led them forth as far as to Bethany. He lifted
up his hands and blessed them and it came to pass while he
blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven
and they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. We should have great joy because
of a risen, ascended Saviour. And we're continually in the
temple praising and blessing God. Amen. Well, we have reason,
don't we, to praise and bless God for this wonderful record
that we have of our Saviour. And to think that now, today,
right now, He's there in glory by His Father. to intercede for
us, so that when we come to our God in prayer, it's the Saviour
that is seen. Not us, the Saviour. He stands between. The hymn writer
says, in garments dyed in blood. What a wonderful and glorious
Saviour. Well, on this Ascension week,
may we indeed bless God for such great truths. And while they
looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men
stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus. Jesus is the
same yesterday and today and forever. He will never change. This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye
have seen him go into heaven. Amen.