Another View of the Ascension

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Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne. And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:1-14)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

“It all depends upon your point of view.” That’s a common answer you hear to many questions. Was a particular rainstorm a blessing or a burden? It depends upon your point of view and whether or not you have your crops in. Is the picture a picture of a sunrise or a sunset? It depends upon your point of view. And the most famous of such questions, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”

You may have never thought of it, but Scripture actually gives us two points of view of the Ascension of our Lord. We are most familiar with the earthly view where the disciples watch as Jesus ascends into heaven and is covered up by clouds. You heard that in our First Lesson and Gospel reading. But our text gives us another view of the ascension. It’s the heavenly view.

Let’s look again at these two views.

First, let’s join the disciples near the town of Bethany and review that earthly view. Jesus gathers His disciples together to speak to them. As we glean the Gospel accounts, we find that He told them to “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). He told them to, “Make disciples of all nations” by going and baptizing and teaching (Matthew 28:19-29). He “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” which had been written concerning Him (Luke 24:45). He promised they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). Then, after He had spoken these things, He lifted up His hands to bless them. While blessing them, He ascended and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

What an astonishing sight for the disciples! (We know it was because an angel had to come and tell them to stop staring!) The Ascension of our Lord as viewed by the disciples that day was the earthly culmination of all the events God had set in motion so long ago in order to redeem humanity.

Jesus had been conceived in a womb and born in a stable—humbling events in which He laid aside His heavenly glory to take the form of a servant, to live as one of us—tempted and tried in every way as we are, though without sin.

Jesus was crucified—a horrible event, an event in which He made payment for our lack of obedience by obediently suffering God’s anger and punishment in our place, an event through which He restored to us the relationship with God for which we were created.

Jesus rose from the dead—a spectacular event, an event in which our own resurrection and eternal life were made certain.

Jesus ascended into heaven—a glorious event, an event in which that heavenly glory He laid aside and the glory He earned as God’s Messiah were given Him again, an event in which took up His place at the Father’s right hand.

Yes, in this earthly view of the ascension, we see the culmination of all the events God had set in motion so long ago.

We also see in this earthly view of the ascension these salvation events were to be shared and carried forward by the disciples and Christ’s Church. The disciples were given understanding of what Jesus accomplished and why. But this understanding was not just for meditation purposes. It was to be proclaimed. The effective proclamation of that saving Word would only be possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, as He had told them, it was necessary for Jesus to ascend in order to pour out His Spirit upon them.

The earthly view of the ascension then, reminds us that Christ’s redemptive work on earth had been finished and that this message is to be shared.

But there is another view of the Ascension, the one described in our text from Revelation. The one see by the Apostle John who had been transported in his vision to the throne room of God in heaven. What we see here is even more astonishing than seeing Jesus ascend into heaven. We see God sitting upon a throne holding a scroll that has been sealed with seven seals. Around the throne are four heavenly angelic beings continually praising Him. Around that whole scene are twenty-four other thrones on which sit twenty-four elders.

Suddenly an angel proclaims, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (5:2). No one comes forward. No one from heaven or earth is worthy. John weeps. But then, directed by the angel speaking to him, he sees between the throne and the four angelic beings a Lamb standing and looking as if it had been slain. This, of course, is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who accomplished His bloody, redemptive work on earth and now ascends into His Father’s throne room. What is the very first thing the ascended Jesus does? He walks over to the throne and takes the scroll from the Father’s hand.

Now it gets really exciting. You’ve heard the expression, “All hell broke loose”? When Jesus takes the scroll from the Father’s hand, all heaven breaks loose! In fact, every creature in the entire universe breaks out singing praise to Jesus. “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (5:9). Why? What’s the big deal about the scroll?

As Jesus breaks the seals of the scroll, the rest of this Revelation to John unfolds. In a very short summary, the scroll contains everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen to God’s people. And where is all of that past, present, and future? It’s in the hands of your Savior! Now we’re beginning to see the great meaning behind this event.

Jesus did not ascend into Heaven just to sit at His Father’s right hand and twiddle His thumbs waiting for the day of His return. He did not ascend to remove Himself from history or from His Church. He ascended to take control of both!

Jesus’ resurrection tells us He lives. His ascension tells us He lives and reigns to all eternity! He ascended to take control of history. Now that may sound a little strange in an age where history and world events seem a little out of control. But just as God was active in history getting everything ready and shaping the events of history so that they would be just right for the Christ’s first coming, so now Christ is shaping and using history and world events to get things just right for His second coming. World events are not out of control. The ascended Christ has the scroll in His hands. He is very much in control.

Christ ascended to take control of His Church. That which He established during His ministry on earth, He now rules from Heaven. That which He commanded His disciples and you and me to extend, is in His hands. He’s in charge. When the Church is attacked, when it is maligned; when Christians are scorned and persecuted and martyred, He’s in charge. When the Church capitulates to the ways of the world and becomes truthless and voiceless and weak, Jesus remains in charge. Nothing can prevail against the Church from without or within because it’s His Church and He’s in control. Nothing can be victorious against His Church because it is founded upon His victory. Nothing can stop the spread of His Kingdom because it’s all in the hands of the King.

Jesus ascended to take control of history into His hands. He ascended to take control of His Church, His people, into His hands. That means—now listen closely—that means, you are in His hands and He is in control of your life! That which God created with His hands—knitting you together in your mother’s womb—that which He redeemed with His hands—stretching them out to receive the nails of the cross in your place—He now holds in His hands.

This has powerful implications for our lives, especially when things go wrong and seem out of control. The ascended Christ, with the scroll in His hands, tells us that they never, ever are! A terrible divorce that left the family shattered? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

A spouse, parent, child who abuses you? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

Sadness, loneliness, depression? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

An unplanned, unmarried pregnancy? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

A horrible mistake that seems too big to be forgiven? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

A chronic, debilitating, painful illness? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

A terminal disease? Facing end-of-life decisions? The ascended Christ has taken you into His hands.

It is good on this Ascension Day to be reminded of this. Because when we forget, it becomes too easy to turn to the solutions for problems that the world offers… solutions that provide short-term relief, but only postpone the day of reckoning… solutions that promise deliverance but lead us to set aside our Christian ethics and values… solutions that may look very appealing, but often involve death like abortion or suicide or assisted suicide… solutions that promise shining hope and good, but lead to despair and eternal death, when they are revealed as the idols we have crafted in our own mind.   

However, there is never a time we need to turn to such solutions. For there is never a time when Christ is not in control. There is never a time He does not hold us in His hands.

“It all depends upon your point of view.” We’ve been given two points of view of the ascension today, an earthly view and a heavenly view. So, the next time you say in the creed, “He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,” recall that time near Bethany and that earthly view. Be reminded that we are His Church with a mission to accomplish.

But also recall there is another view of the ascension, the heavenly view, the Lamb of God taking the scroll from the Father’s hand. Be reminded, He is in control. He is in control of this world. He is in control of His Church. He is in control of your life. He will bring you to be home with Him.

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of world—that means your sins, too. For the sake of His atoning sacrifice and by the power of His holy Word, you are forgiven of all of your sins.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This is an adaptation of a sermon by the Rev. James I. Lamb, former executive director of Lutheran For Life.