Ascension

Summary: The Ascension of Christ, The called for man to ascend

(Acts 1:9 KJV)  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Let's look close at:
(Acts 1:9 )  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up( [ G1869. epairo, ep-ahee'-ro; from G1909([ G1909. epi, ep-ee'; a prim. prep. prop. mean. superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the gen.], i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dat.) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the acc.) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, [where-]) fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of) over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (lit. or fig.). ]) and G142([ G142. airo, ah'ee-ro; a prim. verb; to lift; by impl. to take up or away; fig. to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); spec. to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor); by Heb. [comp. H5375] to expiate sin:--away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up). ]); to raise up (lit. or fig.):--exalt self, poise (lift, take) up. ] ); and a cloud received ([ G5274. hupolambano, hoop-ol-am-ban'-o; from G5259 and G2983; to take from below, i.e. carry upward; fig. to take up, i.e. continue a discourse or topic; ment. to assume (presume):--answer, receive, suppose. ]) him out of their sight.
 

Acts 1:9:  (vv. 9-11) Only Luke records the ascension (received) of Christ (cf. Luke 24:49-53). Where his Gospel ends, his history of the church begins. The language here simply indicates that Jesus bodily left this earth and entered into that other order of reality, namely, the spirit world. The phrase "taken up" or its equivalent appears four times in this chapter (cf. vv. 2, 9, 11, 22). The word "up" makes clear metaphorically that the ascension removed Christ from the realm of time and space in which He accomplished the redemption of mankind. He returned to the order of infinity and eternity with the Father. The ascension impressed upon the minds of the disciples four crucial truths: (1) During a 40-day period the Lord had disappeared and reappeared to the disciples. Now they would see Him no more. A formal exodus from the earth was necessary to make that departure certain to His followers. (2) Simultaneously, Jesus prepared the disciples for the coming ministry of the Holy Spirit, which was to begin in a new manner at Pentecost. (3) Furthermore, the ascension brought to an official, glorious, and triumphant end the earthly ministry of the Lord and initiated His ministry at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 1:3). (4) Finally, as the angelic messengers testified, His manner of ascension gave a unique insight into the manner of His future return (Matt. 24:29-31).
 

(Acts 1:10 KJV)  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

One of the most gracious of God's promises is given in Roman 8:1. The word "condemnation" may also be translated "judgment." " curse" There is no judgment or curse for those who are in Christ because sin has already been judged in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. This chapter beautifully begins with "no condemnation," and it marvelously ends with no separation (v. 39) for those who are in Christ Jesus. By reading further we come across the reality of how man should live to respond to the called to ascend to heaven or to be intimate with God. The word should be Resurrection.

(Rom 8:6 KJV)  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

(Rom 8:7 KJV)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

(Rom 8:8 KJV)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

ASCENSION Act of going to heaven in bodily form from earthly life. Experienced by Enoch (Gen. 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-2) but supremely by Jesus Christ (Acts 1:9).  The Bible gives only brief notices. Still, the ascension of Jesus provides important theological foundations. It concluded the earthly ministry of Jesus, allowing eyewitnesses to see both the risen Christ on earth and the victorious, eternal Christ returning to heaven to minister at the right hand of the Father. The ascension expanded Christ's ministry from its geographically limited earthly dimensions to its universal heavenly dimensions. The ascension (1) allowed Jesus to prepare a heavenly place for His followers (John 14:2), (2) return to the Father (John 16:5), (3) send the Holy Spirit to the disciples (John 16:7) to bring conviction of sin, open the way to righteousness through faith, and condemn the devil, (4) comfort those suffering for Him through visions of the Ascended One (Acts 7:54-60), (5) call persons to fulfill His missionary task (Acts 9:1-18), (6) open doors of ministry for His people (2 Cor. 2:12-14), (7) demonstrate God's power and His rule over all who would exercise power and authority on earth or in heaven (Eph. 1:20-23), (8) give gifts for ministry to His people (Eph. 4:7-12), (9) give hope to troubled followers showing they would join Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4), (10) rescue His servants from persecution so they can preach His gospel (2 Tim. 4:16-18), (11) demonstrate that glory, not death, is God's final word for the Son and for disciples (Heb. 2:9), (12) exercise a heavenly priesthood (Heb. 4:14), (13) make revelation of future trials and final victory possible (Rev. 1:1), (14) discipline His church so He may have fellowship with it and provide final full fellowship in ruling with Christ (Rev. 3:19-22).
    Most of all the ascension combined with the resurrection exalted Christ (Phil. 2:9). Contrasted to Christ's act of humbling Himself to move from heaven to earth and especially to the cross (Phil. 2:5-8) is God's act of exalting Jesus to the highest position in the universe, in charge of everything that exists and all that happens. Thus in ascension Jesus showed He had defeated death for good and made eternal life possible. The ascension thus calls on all people to bow in worship and obedience to the Ascended One (Phil. 2:10). Also to come to the knowledge, we are sitting with him in heavenly places and need to be transform into his image. Rom 8:29

Let's consider close at:
(Rom 8:17 KJV)  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Do you  understand or believed this  scripture, heirs ( [G2818. kleronomos, klay-ron-om'-os; from G2819 and the base of G3551 (in its orig. sense of partitioning, i.e. [reflex.] getting by apportionment); a sharer by lot, i.e. an inheritor (lit. or fig.); by impl. a possessor:--heir.  ] ) and joint-heir ( [ G4789. sugkleronomos, soong-klay-ron-om'-os; from G4862 and G2818; a co-heir, i.e. (by anal.) participant in common:--fellow (joint) -heir, heir together, heir with.  ] ) My brother or sister can you accept who you are in Christ.

(Phil 3:9 KJV)  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

(Phil 3:10 KJV)  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

(Phil 3:11 KJV)  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
 
 

ASCENSION OF CHRIST The return of the resurrected Christ to live with the Father. The ascension of Christ receives brief mention in the gospels, not appearing in Matthew, appearing only in the long ending of Mark (16:19) which is not in the Greek manuscripts used by most modern translations; being noted in one verse by Luke (24:51); and not appearing in John. Acts uses the ascension as its starting point (1:2-11) and as reason to believe Christ will return (1:11). Despite its brief mention, the ascension has important theological meaning.
    The ascension marks the close of Christ's earthly ministry, the return of the resurrected body to be with the Father (Acts 7:56) where the eternal Word had been prior to His birth (John 1:1; Rev. 12:5). The ascension gave final confirmation that Jesus was the victorious, eternal Son of God (Heb. 1:1-13). In the ascension God exalted Christ and made possible His continuing ministry of intercession for believers, allowing Him to prepare an eternal place for His followers (John 14:2) or actually as we read further He tell us in ( John 14:6 )  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The Father is the place that He went to prepare for us.
The ascension emphatically placed Christ's last commission to evangelize the world in the minds of the eye-witnesses. With the ascension, Christ prepared the way for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to come in power for His mission with believers (John 16:5-10) and to give spiritual gifts to His people (Eph. 4:7-10). The ascended Lord continued to call people to fulfill His mission (Acts 9:1-18; Rom. 15:18; 1 Cor. 1:17; 2 Cor. 2:12-14; 2 Tim. 4:17-18). The ascension in its ultimate meaning shows God's unsurpassed power and made plain that Jesus is the supreme Power and Ruler of the universe for all eternity (Eph. 1:20-23). The ascended Christ gives hope of resurrection and eternal life with Christ to all believers and thus encourages them to live the life to which Christ calls them (Col. 3:1-4).

Let's glance at:
(Exo 24:15 KJV)  And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

(Exo 24:15)  And Moses went up ( [5927. 'alah, aw-law'; a prim. root; to ascend, intrans. (be high) or act. (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, lit. and fig. (as follow):--arise (up). (cause to) ascend up, at once, break [the day] (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, [make] up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.  ] ) into the mount, and a cloud covered. ( [ 3680. kacah, kaw-saw'; a prim. root; prop. to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by impl. to cover (for clothing or secrecy):--clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Comp. H3780. ] ) the mount

(Exo 24:16 KJV)  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

(Exo 24:16)  And the glory of the LORD abode ( [ G7931. shakan, shaw-kan'; a prim. root [appar. akin (by transm.) to H7901 through the idea of lodging; comp. H5531, H7925]; to reside or permanently stay (lit. or fig.):--abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell (-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up). ] ) upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Exo 24:16:  The verb translated "rested ( abode)" is shakan (Heb.), usually meaning "to dwell." The word for tabernacle, mishkan (Heb.), is from the same root. Most of the remainder of the book is concerned with preparing the tabernacle so that God could continue to "dwell" among His people as He had dwelt on Mount Sinai (cf. 25:8).
 
(Exo 24:17 KJV)  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

(Exo 24:18 KJV)  And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Believers Mosses ascended to God and was with God for  forty days. I believed we can do the same thing, by walking a Holy walk, becoming more intimate with God.

We are His Offerings for His  Sanctuary. We need to give our lives willingly.

(Exo 25:2 KJV)  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

(Exo 25:8 )  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

(Exo 25:8 )  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among ( [ 8432. tavek, taw'-vek; from an unused root mean. to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by impl.) the centre:--among (-st), X between, half, X (there-, where-) in (-to), middle, mid [-night], midst (among), X out (of), X through, X with (-in). ] ) them.

(Exo 32:31 KJV)  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

(Exo 32:32 KJV)  Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

(Exo 32:33 KJV)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

(Exo 34:4 KJV)  And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

(Exo 34:5 KJV)  And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
 
Beloved you can ascend to God the Father today, We don't have to wait. What  we need is to walk before Him, holy and obedient to the Word.

(1 Pet 1:14 KJV)  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

(1 Pet 1:15 KJV)  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

(1 Pet 1:16 KJV)  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.