WEBVTT

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 Good morning again, my name is Jeff,

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 and I'm one of the pastors here at Advent,

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 and as Tommy said, this morning is Ascension Sunday,

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 and that is what we are gonna be focusing

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 our attention on this morning, the ascension of Jesus.

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 And it's this doctrine of the ascension

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 is this thing that we often overlook.

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 We often think about the life, the death,

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 the resurrection of Christ, but we often fail

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 to think about the significance of the ascension

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 in relation to all the other aspects

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 of Christ's redemptive work.

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 And so we're gonna be looking at two questions this morning

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 related to the ascension.

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 We're gonna be looking at what happened in the ascension,

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 and then why is that good news?

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 What happened in the ascension,

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 and then why is that good news for us?

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 So first of all, let's look at what exactly happened

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 in the ascension.

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 When you read the accounts of Jesus' ascension

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 in Scripture, which come from the two passages

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 that we just read, it's honestly a little underwhelming.

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 There are just two verses that talk about what happened

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 in Luke 24 and Acts chapter one, which we just read.

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 Forty days after the resurrection,

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 Jesus gathered one final time with his disciples

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 at the Mount of Olives.

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 Luke 24, 51 says this,

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 that while he blessed them, he parted from them

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 and was carried into heaven.

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 And then Acts 1, 9 says,

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 and when he had said these things,

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 as they were looking on, he was lifted up,

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 and a cloud took him from their sight.

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 That's it.

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 Two verses, not many details,

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 not much fanfare, not much explanation.

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 And so we have to look beyond the accounts

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 of the ascension to other parts of Scripture

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 to understand the ascension's full significance.

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 For example, in Acts chapter two,

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 the apostle Peter is preaching the gospel

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 in Jerusalem on Pentecost.

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 And in Peter's presentation of the gospel,

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 he talks about the death and the resurrection of Christ,

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 but he goes right into the ascension

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 and talks about how Jesus has been exalted

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 to the right hand of the Father.

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 Paul, in his letters,

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 comments on the ascension more fully.

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 For example, in places like Ephesians chapter two,

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 Paul goes into the ascension in more depth.

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 In Ephesians two, Paul says,

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 God raised him from the dead

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 and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

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 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion

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 and above every name that is named,

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 not only in this age, but also in the one to come.

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 And he put all things under his feet

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 and gave him his head over all things.

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 Now there are lots of other places in the New Testament

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 that talk about the ascension,

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 but those are just two examples.

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 And so what does this tell us about Christ's ascension?

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 These explanations of what happened,

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 what do these tell us about what happened?

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 They tell us pretty clearly and straightforwardly

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 that Christ's ascension is his coronation as king.

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 It's his coronation as king.

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 Some of you may have seen several weeks ago

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 the coronation of King Charles in England.

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 There was this large ceremony in London

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 filled with lots of pomp and circumstance,

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 sort of a once in a generation event.

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 There were several hours of media coverage

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 from TV stations and media stations

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 and journalists all around the world covering this thing.

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 I saw the account on ABC News

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 and Michael Strahan was covering it.

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 And he was a formal NFL player.

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 And I just, I felt some cognitive dissonance

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 with an NFL player covering the coronation of King Charles.

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 I don't know.

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 But King Charles in the morning

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 traveled in a processional in a horse-drawn carriage

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 from Buckingham Palace all the way to Westminster Abbey

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 where the coronation took place.

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 And the climax of the service

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 is when the Archbishop of Canterbury,

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 of course, anoints him with oil,

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 places a crown on his head,

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 puts a sword and a scepter in his hands

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 and he is crowned as king.

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 And then following the service,

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 King Charles and his wife Camilla

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 paraded out back into the streets

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 where they were greeted with thousands of people

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 celebrating and rejoicing.

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 Now, maybe you got up at 5 a.m. to watch this

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 or maybe you totally forgot it happened

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 and you could totally care less.

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 But regardless of where you fall on that spectrum,

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 what this shows us is that this coronation ceremony

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 is a tiny picture of what happened

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 in the ascension of Christ.

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 And just to be clear,

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 it wasn't that Jesus was not a king before

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 and then became king.

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 But rather, it was the vindication

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 and the authentication of his kingship.

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 After his incarnation, after his life,

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 after his suffering, after his death,

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 it was the vindication that Christ really is

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 the king that he claimed to be.

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 He really is who he claimed to be all along.

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 And so in this way,

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 the ascension is the coronation.

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 It's the capstone of all that Jesus accomplished

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 through his redemptive work on earth,

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 not only as a king,

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 but as a prophet and a priest as well.

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 If Jesus' incarnation,

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 if his life, his death, his resurrection,

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 if all those things were the check,

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 then the ascension is the proof

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 that that check has cleared,

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 that there are sufficient funds in the account,

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 that redemption has been paid for and accepted.

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 So, for example,

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 if we think about the death of Christ on the cross,

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 which is something that we can and should celebrate

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 as the center of our gospel,

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 Jesus' death on the cross actually would not be complete

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 without the ascension.

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 Because in the Old Testament,

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 a priest would make a sacrifice of an animal

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 on behalf for the sins of the people,

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 but sacrificing the animal alone

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 did not complete the process

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 in order for atonement to be made for sin.

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 A second step had to happen.

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 The priest had to enter the sanctuary,

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 had to enter the Holy of Holies behind the curtain,

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 and offer the sacrifice to God

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 in order for the sacrifice

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 to be effectual for the sins of the people.

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 And that points us to who Jesus is

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 and what he did in his ascension.

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 As our great high priest,

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 he offered his perfect and sufficient sacrifice

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 once for all

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 and all the fruits of his heavenly ministry

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 in the heavenly sanctuary

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 to God the Father on our behalf.

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 And God the Father received it

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 and accepted it so that there is no longer

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 any sacrifice needed for sin.

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 And you can draw out all the different aspects

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 of Jesus' redemptive work

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 and how the ascension is the capstone of that work.

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 And so this is why the gospel

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 and our view of salvation

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 is not complete without the ascension.

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 It's the coronation of King Jesus

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 and it marks the capstone,

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 the completion of his redemptive work on earth.

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 Now that actually raises a question for us

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 because if we're honest,

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 we living in modern America today

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 have a complicated relationship to human kings.

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 We might enjoy watching

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 the coronation of King Charles on TV.

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 We might enjoy hearing stories

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 about kings and queens and mythology.

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 But as Americans living

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 in a modern democratic republic,

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 most of us are probably pretty skeptical

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 of absolute monarchies.

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 And that's because we've seen

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 throughout human history

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 that if one person,

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 one human being gets absolute power,

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 that power can often be abused

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 to harm others.

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 And so the founders of our country

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 in wisdom organized

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 our entire structure of government

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 with checks and balances

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 to make sure that no one person

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 had all the authority,

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 had all the power.

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 And so as modern democratic people

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 who are generally skeptical

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 of absolute monarchies,

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 we have to ask this question.

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 If the ascension of Christ

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 is the coronation of Christ the King,

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 then why is that good news?

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 Why is that good news for us?

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 And why is that good news for the world?

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 And so that's the second half

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 of what I wanna look at today

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 about the ascension.

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 Why is the ascension good news for us today?

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 And I wanna look at three aspects of this.

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 Three aspects of why the ascension is good news.

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 Here's the first.

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 The first is that as the ascended savior,

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 Jesus raises our humanity to heaven.

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 As the ascended savior,

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 Jesus raises our humanity to heaven.

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 The passage that we read earlier

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 in Ephesians chapter two

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 talks about Jesus being seated

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 in the heavenly places.

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 I don't know if you've ever thought about

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 this language of being seated

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 as you've read the New Testament,

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 but it is the language of kingship.

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 In the ancient world,

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 a king would leave his throne

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 to go off and fight a battle

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 against his enemies.

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 In his throne,

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 his seat would be empty

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 as he went off to fight the war.

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 And if he was successful,

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 if he was victorious in battle,

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 he would come home to his people

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 and he would sit back down on his throne

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 as a sign that the victory was won.

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 And not only could he rest

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 from the work of battle,

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 not only could he rest secure

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 from his enemies,

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 but his people could rest secure

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 from their enemies as well.

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 And this is part of what it means

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 for Jesus to be seated.

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 His work of conquering his enemies

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 of sin and death and Satan

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 is over,

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 it's finished,

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 it's done.

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 And the incredibly good news

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 of the gospel

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 is not only that Christ is seated,

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 but also that he shares his victory

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 with us by seating us with him

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 in his ascension

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 and glory with the Father in heaven.

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 This is what Ephesians chapter two says

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 when it says that,

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 and God raised us up with Christ

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 and seated us with him

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 in the heavenly realms,

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 in Christ Jesus,

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 in order that in the coming ages

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 he might show the incomparable riches

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 of his grace.

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 Colossians three,

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 one puts it this way,

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 since then you have been raised with Christ,

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 set your hearts on things above

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 where Christ is,

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 seated at the right hand of God.

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 The reality of being seated with Jesus

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 is not something that we often think about

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 and yet it is central

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 to our understanding

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 of how we think about our salvation

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 and our union with Christ.

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 And so I just want us to think about this

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 and meditate on this together for a moment.

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 That right now in heaven,

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 there is a human being,

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 fully God, fully man,

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 but a human being

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 with a physical human body

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 who is in perfect, loving communion

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 and fellowship with God the Father.

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 And somehow, mystically, spiritually,

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 in a way that we don't fully understand,

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 we are united to him,

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 those who have faith in him

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 are united to him

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 by the Holy Spirit

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 so that we have,

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 we share in his status

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 and we share in the communion

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 with the Father that he has.

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 Now, if thinking about that

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 makes your head hurt,

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 that's okay.

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 Because it makes my head hurt too.

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 I don't fully understand how that works.

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 But I believe that it's true

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 because scripture bears witness to it.

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 But even though it may be,

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 even though it may make our head hurts,

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 may make our heads hurt to think about that,

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 it is also intensely practical.

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 The implications of thinking about

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 that a human being

00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:39.440
 with a physical human body

00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.120
 is ascended in glory in heaven

00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:43.340
 has vast implications.

00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.559
 Let me talk about one.

00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:48.639
 And it's this.

00:12:49.939 --> 00:12:53.379
 There is no greater affirmation

00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:55.619
 of human dignity

00:12:55.619 --> 00:12:59.059
 and the sacredness of the human body

00:12:59.059 --> 00:13:02.039
 than the ascension of Christ's physical body

00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:02.719
 in heaven.

00:13:04.199 --> 00:13:06.239
 We believe in the dignity

00:13:06.239 --> 00:13:07.019
 and the worth

00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:08.659
 and the value of every person

00:13:08.659 --> 00:13:12.279
 not just because it seems to be common sense

00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:14.959
 or because it seems to be intuitive or obvious

00:13:14.959 --> 00:13:17.500
 and not even because our government

00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:18.839
 or our society

00:13:18.839 --> 00:13:20.459
 has agreed on it together.

00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:23.839
 But because in the ascension of Christ,

00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:25.539
 the human and the divine

00:13:25.539 --> 00:13:28.000
 are inextricably

00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.019
 and inseparably

00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:31.459
 and eternally

00:13:31.459 --> 00:13:32.939
 bound up together

00:13:32.939 --> 00:13:34.039
 in love.

00:13:34.039 --> 00:13:37.620
 And so to be ascension people,

00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:40.099
 to be people who are marked by the ascension,

00:13:40.439 --> 00:13:42.099
 means that we should be the first

00:13:42.099 --> 00:13:44.139
 to uphold the dignity

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:45.699
 and the value and the worth

00:13:45.699 --> 00:13:47.439
 of every human being

00:13:47.439 --> 00:13:49.279
 in every sphere of life

00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:50.719
 and

00:13:50.719 --> 00:13:53.259
 to be the first to protest

00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:55.319
 wherever it is dishonored

00:13:55.319 --> 00:13:58.439
 and wherever it is denigrated.

00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:01.460
 Some people might criticize Christianity

00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:03.680
 for having

00:14:03.680 --> 00:14:05.800
 too low of a view of humanity

00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:07.840
 because our doctrine of original sin.

00:14:08.540 --> 00:14:10.020
 That the idea of original sin

00:14:10.020 --> 00:14:11.300
 is too negative,

00:14:11.460 --> 00:14:12.340
 it's morally regressive,

00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:13.100
 it's unhelpful.

00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:14.720
 That a more enlightened view

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.720
 is to see that people are basically good deep down

00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.480
 or at least they're morally neutral.

00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:21.840
 But the ascension shows us

00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:23.660
 that nothing

00:14:23.660 --> 00:14:25.240
 exalts

00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:27.480
 and affirms

00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.899
 and honors

00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:29.740
 and protects

00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:31.139
 the dignity

00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:32.519
 of being human

00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:33.600
 and the sacredness

00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:34.360
 of the body

00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:36.300
 like Jesus.

00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:38.060
 He has

00:14:38.060 --> 00:14:39.740
 exalted our humanity

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:40.860
 to the right hand of the Father

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:42.340
 and it's not just that

00:14:42.340 --> 00:14:43.139
 He's up there

00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:44.060
 and we're down here

00:14:44.060 --> 00:14:45.720
 but that those who trust in Him

00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:46.159
 by faith

00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:46.840
 are actually

00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:48.120
 seated with Him

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:49.960
 in the heavenly places.

00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:52.940
 And this has profound implications

00:14:52.940 --> 00:14:56.139
 for how we think about our salvation

00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:57.659
 and for how we live

00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.539
 our lives.

00:14:59.399 --> 00:15:00.319
 So that's the first thing.

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.899
 That as the ascended Savior,

00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:03.379
 Jesus raises our humanity

00:15:03.379 --> 00:15:04.100
 to heaven.

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:05.500
 The second thing is this.

00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:08.439
 That as the exalted Lord,

00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:11.179
 Jesus empowers His people

00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:12.580
 for a global mission.

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.519
 He empowers His people

00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:15.879
 for a global mission.

00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:17.279
 This is what Jesus says

00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:18.519
 in Acts chapter 1 verse 8.

00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:20.740
 He directly ties His ascension

00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:21.379
 to the mission

00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:22.879
 that He gives His disciples.

00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.100
 He says,

00:15:24.259 --> 00:15:25.439
 but you will receive power

00:15:25.439 --> 00:15:26.639
 when the Holy Spirit

00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.539
 has come on you

00:15:27.539 --> 00:15:28.960
 and you will be

00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:29.980
 my witnesses

00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:30.759
 in Jerusalem

00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:31.820
 and all Judea

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:32.379
 and Samaria

00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:33.720
 and to the end of the earth.

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.679
 Before Jesus

00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:37.019
 ascends into heaven,

00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:39.039
 He commissions His disciples

00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:40.439
 and He promises

00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:41.740
 to send the Holy Spirit

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:43.200
 in order to empower them

00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:45.000
 for a global mission

00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:46.100
 of taking the gospel,

00:15:46.779 --> 00:15:47.919
 the good news of His reign

00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.200
 to every language

00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:49.899
 and culture

00:15:49.899 --> 00:15:50.460
 and people

00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:51.039
 and nation.

00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:53.539
 and then

00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:56.279
 He leaves.

00:15:58.259 --> 00:15:58.599
 Now,

00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.259
 why on earth

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:00.919
 would He do it?

00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:02.059
 Why would He give

00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:02.779
 such a mission

00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:03.539
 to His disciples

00:16:03.539 --> 00:16:05.579
 and then leave?

00:16:05.719 --> 00:16:05.860
 I mean,

00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:06.219
 have you ever

00:16:06.219 --> 00:16:07.219
 thought about this?

00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:07.399
 I mean,

00:16:07.459 --> 00:16:07.860
 think about this

00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:08.719
 just for a second

00:16:08.719 --> 00:16:09.659
 that He gives them

00:16:09.659 --> 00:16:12.159
 this insanely huge mission

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.779
 that is strategically challenging,

00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:18.899
 radically counter-cultural.

00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:21.259
 it will inevitably involve

00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:22.259
 sacrifice and risk.

00:16:22.340 --> 00:16:23.340
 It may even

00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:25.759
 involve costing them

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.559
 their lives

00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.459
 and then He just

00:16:28.459 --> 00:16:29.059
 peaces out.

00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:30.539
 See you later.

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.840
 It's like if parents

00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:33.980
 were to tell their kids

00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:35.220
 this afternoon,

00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:36.679
 all right kids,

00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:37.360
 you know,

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.559
 we're going on vacation

00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:39.259
 for a week

00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:40.539
 but you know,

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.539
 we are actually going

00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.679
 to leave you here

00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:43.319
 at the house.

00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:44.920
 And oh,

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.440
 by the way,

00:16:45.540 --> 00:16:47.160
 as we leave on vacation

00:16:47.160 --> 00:16:48.060
 and as you stay here

00:16:48.060 --> 00:16:48.580
 at the house,

00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:49.980
 we would really love

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:50.500
 the kitchen

00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:51.220
 and the bathroom

00:16:51.220 --> 00:16:52.480
 to be remodeled

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.500
 by the time we're done

00:16:53.500 --> 00:16:55.080
 and we'd really love

00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:56.780
 the landscaping

00:16:56.780 --> 00:16:57.640
 and all of the carpet

00:16:57.640 --> 00:16:58.580
 to be replaced.

00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.400
 We'd love for all the paint

00:17:00.400 --> 00:17:01.180
 to be redone

00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:01.920
 and all the walls

00:17:01.920 --> 00:17:02.560
 of the house

00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:04.660
 and if you could just

00:17:04.660 --> 00:17:05.279
 throw in some new

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:05.820
 hardwood floors,

00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:06.279
 that'd be great.

00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:07.180
 All right,

00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:07.779
 see you later.

00:17:08.580 --> 00:17:09.559
 We'll be back in a week.

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.500
 If you're a kid,

00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:12.019
 you'd be like,

00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:13.700
 what on earth is happening?

00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:14.700
 First of all,

00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:16.139
 why aren't we going

00:17:16.139 --> 00:17:17.179
 on vacation with you?

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.839
 You're abandoning us

00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:21.019
 and secondly,

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:22.200
 how do you expect

00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:22.819
 all of us

00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:23.559
 to do this

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:24.599
 without you?

00:17:25.179 --> 00:17:25.919
 How do you expect us

00:17:25.919 --> 00:17:28.000
 to fulfill this commission

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.819
 that you've given us

00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:29.700
 without you here?

00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:30.480
 It's crazy.

00:17:32.460 --> 00:17:32.779
 I don't know

00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:33.399
 if you've thought about this

00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:34.740
 but don't you think

00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:35.440
 that the mission

00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.019
 of the church

00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:37.399
 would be more successful

00:17:37.399 --> 00:17:39.359
 if Christ was physically

00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:40.659
 here on earth?

00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:42.339
 I don't know about you

00:17:42.339 --> 00:17:44.619
 but I would kind of like

00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:46.099
 Jesus to be physically

00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:46.819
 with me

00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:48.099
 as I go about

00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:48.819
 my daily life.

00:17:48.899 --> 00:17:49.079
 I mean,

00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.559
 that would be super helpful

00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:52.039
 to have him physically

00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:52.740
 right beside me

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:54.139
 as I try to live my life

00:17:54.139 --> 00:17:56.659
 but because,

00:17:57.479 --> 00:17:58.359
 this is what it helps us

00:17:58.359 --> 00:17:58.639
 to see,

00:17:58.719 --> 00:17:59.439
 that because Jesus

00:17:59.439 --> 00:18:00.299
 is ascended

00:18:00.299 --> 00:18:01.399
 and exalted

00:18:01.399 --> 00:18:02.779
 as the Lord

00:18:02.779 --> 00:18:03.740
 over all things,

00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:06.779
 it makes it crystal clear

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:07.240
 to us

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.120
 that even though

00:18:08.120 --> 00:18:09.579
 he has a physical

00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:10.700
 human body

00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:13.940
 that the power

00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.680
 and the efficacy

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:15.460
 of his ministry

00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:16.579
 is not confined

00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:18.019
 to one geographic

00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:19.319
 physical place.

00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:21.120
 If Jesus was physically

00:18:21.120 --> 00:18:21.859
 here on earth

00:18:21.859 --> 00:18:23.460
 then we would want to be

00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:24.460
 wherever he was

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:25.880
 and we would be tempted

00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:26.380
 to believe

00:18:26.380 --> 00:18:28.200
 that wherever Jesus was

00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:29.240
 that's where the real ministry

00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:29.740
 was happening.

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:31.200
 That's where the real

00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:32.740
 spiritual power was.

00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.819
 You had to go to Jesus

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:35.299
 where he was physically.

00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:36.759
 But the ascension

00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:37.740
 helps us to see

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.339
 that Jesus empowers

00:18:39.339 --> 00:18:39.940
 his people

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:41.319
 for his mission

00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:42.000
 wherever they are.

00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:43.319
 You know,

00:18:43.399 --> 00:18:43.940
 if Jesus

00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:45.139
 this morning

00:18:45.139 --> 00:18:46.579
 was in Cincinnati

00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:48.399
 or in Istanbul

00:18:48.399 --> 00:18:49.639
 or in Nairobi

00:18:49.639 --> 00:18:51.039
 we would tell people

00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:52.059
 who want to learn

00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:53.159
 and know about Jesus

00:18:53.159 --> 00:18:54.539
 to go and be

00:18:54.539 --> 00:18:55.220
 where he is.

00:18:56.099 --> 00:18:56.740
 But Jesus

00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:57.879
 is not in Cincinnati

00:18:57.879 --> 00:18:58.599
 or Istanbul

00:18:58.599 --> 00:18:59.279
 or Nairobi.

00:18:59.419 --> 00:19:00.139
 He has ascended

00:19:00.139 --> 00:19:01.279
 to the Father's right hand

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.139
 in glory.

00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:03.740
 which means

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.020
 that you and I

00:19:05.020 --> 00:19:06.140
 don't get to opt out

00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:06.820
 of our role

00:19:06.820 --> 00:19:07.460
 in his mission.

00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:09.980
 To be ascension people

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.660
 is to remember

00:19:10.660 --> 00:19:12.700
 that he has empowered us

00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.540
 by his spirit

00:19:13.540 --> 00:19:14.680
 to be his presence

00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:16.560
 among our neighbors,

00:19:17.540 --> 00:19:18.400
 among our coworkers,

00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:19.360
 among our friends,

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.140
 and among our family.

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.140
 And so all of a sudden

00:19:23.140 --> 00:19:24.360
 everything

00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:26.080
 that you and I

00:19:26.080 --> 00:19:27.320
 are doing tomorrow morning

00:19:27.320 --> 00:19:28.080
 at 9 a.m.

00:19:28.080 --> 00:19:28.840
 just got

00:19:28.840 --> 00:19:30.100
 a thousand times

00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:31.699
 more significant.

00:19:33.139 --> 00:19:34.699
 Because the Holy Spirit

00:19:34.699 --> 00:19:35.519
 in us

00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:36.980
 is better

00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:38.000
 than Jesus

00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.079
 beside us.

00:19:39.899 --> 00:19:41.019
 The Holy Spirit

00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:41.619
 in us

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.419
 is better

00:19:42.419 --> 00:19:43.139
 than Jesus

00:19:43.139 --> 00:19:44.219
 beside us.

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.379
 And Jesus tells himself,

00:19:45.819 --> 00:19:46.699
 he tells the disciples

00:19:46.699 --> 00:19:47.339
 that this is true

00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:47.919
 in John 16.

00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:48.539
 He says,

00:19:49.019 --> 00:19:50.039
 it is to your advantage

00:19:50.039 --> 00:19:50.919
 that I go away.

00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:53.219
 For if I do not go away

00:19:53.219 --> 00:19:53.679
 the helper

00:19:53.679 --> 00:19:54.659
 will not come to you.

00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:55.659
 But if I go

00:19:55.659 --> 00:19:56.500
 I will send him

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:57.359
 to you.

00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:59.919
 And the fact

00:19:59.919 --> 00:20:00.979
 that the Holy Spirit

00:20:00.979 --> 00:20:01.679
 in us

00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:03.319
 is better

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:03.899
 than Jesus

00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:05.059
 beside us

00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:07.339
 focuses on our mission

00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.379
 and it focuses us

00:20:08.379 --> 00:20:09.839
 on the global scale

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.539
 of the mission

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:12.639
 he has entrusted to us.

00:20:12.679 --> 00:20:13.019
 He says,

00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:13.919
 you will be my witnesses

00:20:13.919 --> 00:20:15.099
 in Jerusalem

00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:15.879
 and Judea

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.459
 and Samaria

00:20:16.459 --> 00:20:17.059
 and to the ends

00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:17.459
 of the earth.

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.439
 And this shows us

00:20:19.439 --> 00:20:20.479
 not only the geographic

00:20:20.479 --> 00:20:22.219
 but the cultural scope,

00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:23.899
 the cross-cultural scope

00:20:23.899 --> 00:20:24.679
 of God's mission.

00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:25.779
 The good news

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.480
 of Jesus' victory

00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.200
 over sin and death

00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:27.779
 is good news

00:20:27.779 --> 00:20:29.000
 for every nation

00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:29.500
 and people

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.420
 and language

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:30.859
 and culture.

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.660
 It is because Christ

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:35.259
 ascended to the throne

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:35.839
 in heaven

00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.579
 that we can send

00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:38.279
 missionaries

00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:40.359
 to places like Thailand

00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:41.599
 and the Middle East

00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:43.059
 and Central Asia

00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:44.200
 and all over the world

00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.339
 because the power

00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:46.039
 of the Holy Spirit

00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:47.799
 is not confined

00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:49.019
 to one physical place

00:20:49.019 --> 00:20:50.660
 because Christ

00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:51.759
 is ascended.

00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:54.559
 And wherever Jesus

00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.599
 the power of the Holy Spirit

00:20:56.599 --> 00:20:57.500
 is wherever Jesus

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.379
 dwells through his people.

00:20:58.740 --> 00:20:59.960
 So we see that

00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:00.500
 the good news

00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:00.980
 of the ascension

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:02.319
 is that Jesus

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.399
 raises our humanity

00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:03.839
 to heaven.

00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:05.960
 We also see that

00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:07.639
 he empowers his people

00:21:07.639 --> 00:21:08.839
 for a global mission.

00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:10.039
 And thirdly,

00:21:10.139 --> 00:21:10.440
 finally,

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:12.059
 we see that the good news

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:12.599
 of the ascension

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:14.480
 is that as the returning king

00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.339
 he promises

00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:17.899
 to bring true justice

00:21:17.899 --> 00:21:18.480
 and renewal

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:18.960
 to the world.

00:21:19.619 --> 00:21:20.819
 As the returning king

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.579
 Jesus promises

00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:22.759
 to bring true justice

00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:23.579
 and renewal

00:21:23.579 --> 00:21:24.259
 to the world.

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:26.140
 Acts chapter 1,

00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:27.059
 verse 10 says,

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.140
 And while they were

00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:28.960
 gazing into heaven

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.640
 as he went,

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:30.640
 behold,

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:31.859
 two men stood by them

00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:32.559
 in white robes

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.559
 and said,

00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.279
 Men of Galilee,

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.279
 why do you stand

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.200
 looking into heaven?

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.480
 This Jesus

00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:38.460
 who was taken up

00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:39.339
 from you into heaven

00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:40.440
 will come

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.299
 in the same way

00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:42.059
 as you saw him

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:43.440
 going into heaven.

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.640
 The ascension

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:46.940
 not only marks

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:47.579
 the completion

00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:49.019
 of Christ's

00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:49.619
 redemptive work

00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:49.980
 on earth,

00:21:50.019 --> 00:21:51.180
 it also anticipates

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:52.120
 his return.

00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:53.400
 And the return

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:53.920
 of Christ

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.519
 as king and judge

00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:56.279
 assures us

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.480
 that final justice

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:58.299
 belongs to him

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.140
 and that he will make

00:21:59.140 --> 00:22:00.519
 all things new.

00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:02.019
 As we say

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:02.980
 every week in the creed

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:03.960
 that he will come again

00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:05.299
 to judge the living

00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:05.820
 and the dead.

00:22:07.120 --> 00:22:08.000
 And this is

00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.680
 incredibly good news

00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:11.180
 for the world

00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:12.080
 and it is incredibly

00:22:12.080 --> 00:22:12.680
 good news

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.259
 for people who live

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:14.680
 and work

00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:15.700
 in Washington, D.C.

00:22:16.320 --> 00:22:17.560
 Part of what I love

00:22:17.560 --> 00:22:18.200
 about living

00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:18.740
 in the city

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:20.160
 is that so many

00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:22.220
 people come here

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:23.539
 to live and work

00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:24.259
 because they want

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:25.019
 to make a difference

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:25.400
 in the world.

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.400
 This is a good

00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:27.980
 and beautiful thing

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:29.019
 about so many of you

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:29.900
 and about so many

00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:30.839
 of our neighbors.

00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:33.160
 But how many

00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:33.500
 of you

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:34.059
 and how many

00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:35.059
 of our neighbors

00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:36.019
 have ever gotten

00:22:36.019 --> 00:22:37.000
 jaded

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:38.640
 in the frustratingly

00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:39.059
 difficult

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:41.640
 sometimes painful

00:22:41.640 --> 00:22:43.359
 slow process

00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.700
 of making a difference

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.680
 in the world?

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.799
 Maybe you come

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.659
 to work in government

00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:49.639
 and you over the years

00:22:49.639 --> 00:22:50.299
 get frustrated

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:50.980
 with the bureaucracy.

00:22:51.879 --> 00:22:52.480
 Maybe you come

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:53.419
 to work for a non-profit

00:22:53.419 --> 00:22:55.119
 and you get frustrated

00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:56.079
 with the inefficiencies

00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:56.940
 and the lack of funding

00:22:56.940 --> 00:22:58.119
 and the lack of vision.

00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.579
 Maybe you come

00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:01.960
 to work in the school system

00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:02.519
 and you realize

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:04.279
 how complicated it is

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:06.379
 to teach a kid

00:23:06.379 --> 00:23:07.460
 math and science

00:23:07.460 --> 00:23:07.960
 and history

00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:08.960
 when they don't have

00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:10.319
 a stable family

00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:11.180
 or safe housing

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.159
 or a good food to eat.

00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:15.139
 There's a famous quote

00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:16.540
 by Martin Luther King Jr.

00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:19.360
 And King says

00:23:19.360 --> 00:23:20.120
 that the arc

00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:21.560
 of the moral universe

00:23:21.560 --> 00:23:22.320
 is long

00:23:22.320 --> 00:23:24.460
 but it bends

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:25.360
 towards justice.

00:23:26.020 --> 00:23:27.460
 The arc of the moral universe

00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:27.960
 is long

00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:28.440
 but it bends

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:29.100
 towards justice.

00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:30.880
 And I think

00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:31.660
 this is a line

00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:32.820
 that we love to quote

00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:34.840
 but it's not always

00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:35.759
 easy to believe.

00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:37.140
 Some days

00:23:37.140 --> 00:23:37.780
 it can feel like

00:23:37.780 --> 00:23:39.080
 the arc of the moral universe

00:23:39.080 --> 00:23:40.300
 bends towards

00:23:40.300 --> 00:23:40.960
 injustice

00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.540
 and disorder

00:23:42.540 --> 00:23:43.920
 and frustration

00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:44.640
 and decay.

00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:46.640
 Maybe you've felt

00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.180
 like that

00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:48.019
 this week

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.539
 or perhaps

00:23:48.539 --> 00:23:49.519
 the past several months.

00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.340
 And whether you're

00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:52.080
 a Christian or not

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:52.779
 whether you believe

00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.400
 in God or not

00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:53.980
 whether you are

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.660
 religious or not

00:23:54.660 --> 00:23:55.900
 this is an experience

00:23:55.900 --> 00:23:56.440
 that is common

00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.480
 to all of us.

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.039
 And so what do you do?

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.380
 What do you do

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:02.380
 on days and weeks

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.200
 where it feels like

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:03.960
 that the arc

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:05.060
 of the moral universe

00:24:05.060 --> 00:24:06.480
 bends not towards

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.080
 justice

00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:09.120
 but away from it?

00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:12.159
 The beauty

00:24:12.159 --> 00:24:13.000
 of being a Christian

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:14.339
 on days like that

00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:16.079
 is the ascension.

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.439
 Is the ascension.

00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:18.859
 The more frustrated

00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:19.319
 we get

00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:20.039
 as we try to make

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:20.419
 a difference

00:24:20.419 --> 00:24:20.919
 in the world

00:24:20.919 --> 00:24:21.939
 the more that we need

00:24:21.939 --> 00:24:22.459
 to meditate

00:24:22.459 --> 00:24:23.699
 and contemplate

00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:24.399
 and remember

00:24:24.399 --> 00:24:25.799
 the ascension

00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:26.459
 with Paul

00:24:26.459 --> 00:24:27.939
 in Colossians 3.

00:24:28.379 --> 00:24:29.099
 If then

00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:30.019
 you have been

00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:31.159
 raised with Christ

00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:32.399
 seek the things

00:24:32.399 --> 00:24:33.039
 that are above

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.419
 not on things

00:24:34.419 --> 00:24:35.239
 that are on earth

00:24:35.239 --> 00:24:37.279
 for you have died

00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:38.259
 and your life

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:38.980
 is now hidden

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:40.220
 with Christ in God.

00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:41.339
 When Christ

00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:42.259
 who is your life

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:42.660
 appears

00:24:42.660 --> 00:24:44.319
 then you will also

00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:45.160
 appear with him

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.059
 in glory.

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:48.339
 To set our minds

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:49.259
 on the ascension

00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:49.799
 of Christ

00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:50.579
 is not to

00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:51.259
 neglect

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:52.619
 or forget

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:53.539
 or ignore

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:54.960
 earthly realities

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.740
 but rather

00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:57.639
 it's to remind

00:24:57.639 --> 00:24:58.119
 ourselves

00:24:58.119 --> 00:24:58.899
 of the hope

00:24:58.899 --> 00:24:59.879
 that we have

00:24:59.879 --> 00:25:01.359
 in the ascension

00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:02.539
 and the assurance

00:25:02.539 --> 00:25:03.220
 that we have

00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:04.920
 that the arc

00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:05.920
 of the moral universe

00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.960
 although it is long

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:08.640
 it does

00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:09.240
 in fact

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.299
 bend towards

00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.180
 justice

00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:12.299
 and it bends

00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:12.779
 toward justice

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.559
 because Christ

00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:14.200
 is a king

00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:15.340
 whose coronation

00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:16.340
 has already

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:17.420
 taken place

00:25:17.420 --> 00:25:18.799
 and as this

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.579
 victorious king

00:25:19.579 --> 00:25:20.480
 Jesus reigns

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:20.960
 and rules

00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.079
 over all things

00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:22.600
 and one day

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:23.420
 he will return

00:25:23.420 --> 00:25:24.660
 to make all things

00:25:24.660 --> 00:25:24.900
 new.

00:25:26.840 --> 00:25:27.799
 True justice

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:28.620
 is in his hands

00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:29.539
 and rather

00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:30.420
 making us passive

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.039
 this actually

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:31.840
 leads us

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:32.840
 to actively

00:25:32.840 --> 00:25:33.380
 pursue

00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:34.259
 the missions

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.460
 and the callings

00:25:35.460 --> 00:25:36.059
 that God

00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:36.600
 has placed

00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:37.279
 in our lives.

00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:39.099
 After Jesus

00:25:39.099 --> 00:25:39.799
 ascends into heaven

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.919
 the two angels

00:25:40.919 --> 00:25:41.859
 essentially say

00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:42.679
 to Jesus' disciples

00:25:42.679 --> 00:25:43.619
 they essentially

00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:44.279
 say to him

00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:46.059
 what are you still

00:25:46.059 --> 00:25:46.919
 doing standing here?

00:25:47.419 --> 00:25:48.179
 Why are you still

00:25:48.179 --> 00:25:48.559
 looking up

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.159
 into the clouds?

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.500
 You have the assurance

00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.379
 of Jesus' return

00:25:51.379 --> 00:25:53.059
 so get after

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:53.539
 the work

00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:54.000
 and the mission

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.459
 and the calling

00:25:54.459 --> 00:25:55.399
 that he has given you

00:25:55.399 --> 00:25:56.299
 to do

00:25:56.299 --> 00:25:57.319
 in the meantime.

00:25:58.579 --> 00:25:59.699
 As ascension people

00:25:59.699 --> 00:26:01.039
 who are

00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:02.079
 seated with Christ

00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:03.079
 and raised with him

00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:05.119
 we don't just

00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.179
 have the longing

00:26:06.179 --> 00:26:08.199
 the desire

00:26:08.199 --> 00:26:08.939
 the hope

00:26:08.939 --> 00:26:11.000
 that the arc

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.859
 of the universe

00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:12.419
 is long

00:26:12.419 --> 00:26:13.079
 but that it bends

00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:13.779
 towards justice

00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:15.539
 but we have

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.199
 the assurance

00:26:16.199 --> 00:26:17.419
 that it in fact

00:26:17.419 --> 00:26:18.039
 will

00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:19.439
 because Christ

00:26:19.439 --> 00:26:19.919
 is king

00:26:19.919 --> 00:26:20.980
 and because he

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:21.519
 will return

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.480
 and make all things

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.220
 new

00:26:23.220 --> 00:26:23.879
 and because of

00:26:23.879 --> 00:26:24.439
 the ascension

00:26:24.439 --> 00:26:25.859
 true justice

00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:26.500
 is rooted

00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.359
 in a story

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.399
 of hope

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.440
 and so to bring

00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:31.220
 all this together

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:32.280
 as we think

00:26:32.280 --> 00:26:32.960
 about the ascension

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.460
 as we think

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.280
 about what happened

00:26:34.280 --> 00:26:36.600
 the ascension

00:26:36.600 --> 00:26:37.380
 is this great

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:38.140
 coronation

00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.140
 of King Jesus

00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.740
 it's this

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:41.000
 cornerstone

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:41.860
 this capstone

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:42.340
 actually

00:26:42.340 --> 00:26:43.420
 of Christ's

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:43.960
 redemptive work

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:44.400
 on earth

00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:45.660
 and that's good

00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:46.380
 news for us

00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:46.820
 because

00:26:46.820 --> 00:26:48.220
 we think about

00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:49.480
 how he has

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.660
 raised our humanity

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:51.120
 to heaven

00:26:51.120 --> 00:26:52.600
 and how that

00:26:52.600 --> 00:26:53.840
 affirms and dignifies

00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:55.680
 not only our humanity

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.780
 but all of the humanity

00:26:56.780 --> 00:26:57.300
 of our neighbors

00:26:57.299 --> 00:26:59.019
 he has empowered

00:26:59.019 --> 00:27:00.119
 his people

00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:00.859
 by his spirit

00:27:00.859 --> 00:27:01.879
 for a global mission

00:27:01.879 --> 00:27:03.799
 his Holy Spirit

00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.240
 in us

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.139
 is better than him

00:27:05.139 --> 00:27:05.740
 physically

00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:06.619
 right beside us

00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:07.460
 and finally

00:27:07.460 --> 00:27:08.299
 he will return

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.799
 to bring justice

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.819
 and make all things

00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:11.099
 new

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:14.619
 you know

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:15.299
 several weeks ago

00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.579
 millions of people

00:27:16.579 --> 00:27:17.359
 spent

00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.639
 hours

00:27:18.639 --> 00:27:19.740
 and perhaps days

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:21.500
 watching King Charles'

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:22.980
 coronation

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:24.299
 celebrating it

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:25.319
 rejoicing in it

00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:27.679
 and this is a man

00:27:27.679 --> 00:27:29.139
 who

00:27:29.139 --> 00:27:30.439
 just being honest

00:27:30.439 --> 00:27:31.179
 has mostly

00:27:31.179 --> 00:27:32.599
 symbolic authority

00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:35.439
 but the ascension

00:27:35.439 --> 00:27:36.079
 of Jesus

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:38.079
 is a coronation

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.039
 that is worth

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:40.559
 spending

00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:42.559
 our entire lives

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:43.679
 celebrating

00:27:43.679 --> 00:27:45.819
 and reflecting on

00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:47.379
 and contemplating

00:27:47.379 --> 00:27:49.159
 and declaring

00:27:49.159 --> 00:27:50.700
 to the whole world

00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:52.559
 let's pray together

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:58.619
 our Father

00:27:58.619 --> 00:27:59.039
 in heaven

00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:00.980
 we pray

00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:02.019
 that you would

00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:03.220
 lift our hearts

00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:04.359
 and lift our minds

00:28:04.359 --> 00:28:06.700
 to the ascended

00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:07.799
 and seated Christ

00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:10.539
 and we pray

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:11.500
 that through the power

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.240
 of your Holy Spirit

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:14.279
 that we would be able

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:15.000
 to worship you

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:15.759
 and to be faithful

00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:17.519
 to the mission

00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:18.419
 and the callings

00:28:18.419 --> 00:28:19.359
 you've placed

00:28:19.359 --> 00:28:20.000
 in our lives

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:21.019
 by the power

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.740
 of your Holy Spirit

00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.839
 Amen