“Ascension Power For Us” Ephesians 1:15-23

St. John’s – East Moline 05/20/07

Introduction: “P = W/T” Unless you are currently taking a physics course you may not be aware of what this means, yet it is something that has a tremendous impact on your life. It is the mathematical formula for power and it is always at work around you and through you and for you whether you acknowledge it or not. In today’s readings from Holy Scripture we receive another formula for power of which we may not always be aware and to which we may fail to give much attention, but nonetheless it is always at work around, through and for us. The biblical formula is this: The resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ equals heavenly power for all of us who believe. At first, the disciples who watched Jesus ascending into heaven must have felt that their rock and strength had left them. In our epistle, however, Paul reminds us that this was all the working of God’s power.

I. God Worked His Power By Raising Christ. (vv19-21)

The apostle teaches us God’s formula for power when He writes: “[God the Father] worked [His power] in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places..” (vv.19-20)

A. God showed His power first by raising Jesus, His eternal Son who became man, from the dead.

The death of Jesus was both an act of absolute surrender to the will of His Heavenly Father and an act of absolute love for the people He created to live in His image. Sadly because of our wickedness that image had been lost to us and we had turned away from God’s perfect will. Christ’s work was to take our place in offering perfect obedience in life and a perfect sacrifice in death as payment for our sin. By raising Him from the dead God showed His acceptance and approval of all that Christ had done for us. As the apostle writes in his letter to the Romans: “[Christ] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom. 4:25)

The glorious truth is that death could not keep its hold on the mighty and holy Son of God (nt. Acts. 2:24), and because of Him it no longer has any hold on us either. The apostle assures us that Jesus’ resurrection is only the beginning and the guarantee for all of us who will follow. He writes: “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep...in Christ all will be made alive...each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.” (I Cor. 15:20,22b,23)

B. After raising Christ from death God also worked His mighty power by seating Jesus at His own right hand in the heaven.

Because of His humble obedience Christ has been raised up and exalted. Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians that after Jesus made himself as nothing to serve us, that after he “humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross… God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name...” (Phil. 2:8-9)

Because He is now seated at the right hand of the Father we are comforted in knowing that we have a powerful advocate with the Father. The One who intercedes for us before a Holy God is both true God and true man. He is the great high priest can sympathize with our weaknesses and who has been tempted like us in every way, yet remained without sin. He knows everything we are going through, all our hurts, all our sorrows, and all our struggles. Because of this we can boldly approach God with all confidence to receive mercy and grace. (nt. Heb. 4:15-16; 7:25) The man Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for us all, has become the one and only mediator between God and men. (nt.I Tim. 2:5-6) Seated at the Father’s right hand, ever displaying His glorified wounds which declare His love for us, He makes His appeal and we are forgiven. Now…

II. Christ Has Been Given All Power As Head Over All. (v21-22)

A. Our Savior, Jesus, the same one who loved us so much that He was willing to lay down His life for us has been given ascension power to rule over all creation. Our epistle says, “[He has been seated…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (v21)

The message of Christ’s ascension is that everything has been placed under His feet, and all His enemies have become His footstool. In ancient days when a king would conquer his enemies as a show of His power he would often have the captive leader brought into his throne room to bow down on his hands and knees. The victorious king would then sit upon his throne and kick his feet up to rest upon the back of his defeated enemy so that everyone could see His power and offer their praises. When Christ ascended into heaven God placed all his enemies under his feet. Even sin, death and the devil have been defeated and disarmed by Jesus, as scripture declares “Death has bee swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:54b-57).

B. Now Christ has been made head over all things. Whether you understand or realize the significance of the formula P = W/T, the power it describes continues to have its impact. In the same way Christ’s ascension power has it’s way whether or not we understand it, realize it, or acknowledge it. Even when wicked rulers and wayward people deceive themselves into thinking that they are shaping the world according to their plan, Christ continues to be head over all earthly governments. Even when we wander away from the truth of His Word and exchange the teachings of God for our own opinions, Christ is still head over His Church. And even when we attempt to exert our own will and go our own ways Christ is still the head over every one of us. The Father has place Him as head over all and given Him ascension power over all things in heaven and on earth. And the best part of this is that all of this is for us.

III. Christ’s Ascension power is for us. (vv 15-19, 22-23)

Too many of us live as if Christ has left us alone, as if His ascension has left us weak and vulnerable. But that is not it at all. Long before Jesus ascended He told His disciple that it was for their good that He was going away (nt. John 16:7) and again at His ascension He promised them that after He went up He would send the Holy Spirit so that they would receive power. (nt. Acts 1:8) Today in our worship and everyday as we work and witness Christ’s ascension power is at work for us.

A. His power is at work so that He may live in us and we may live in Him. Our relationship with Christ is stronger and closer than with any other person, because He is our head and we are His beloved, Spirit-filled body. Because we are His body our Lord Jesus directs all of His ascension power, all of it, to feeding and caring for us. (nt. Eph. 5:29) His every thought and action is for us, and for our salvation.

Even though He has ascended Christ and His strength live in us. (nt. v 23) For most of us this first happened when we were baptized for the forgiveness of sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. St. John writes: “…This is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Holy Spirit he gave us.” (I Jn. 3:24)

After our baptism Christ and His might continues to live in us through His Word. In speaking, singing, reading and hearing it He remains in us and we in Him, as He, Himself, tells us: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” (Jn. 15:4,7)

Here in the Sacrament of the Altar Christ comes to us in His body and blood given and shed on the cross to live in us. Again Jesus, Himself tells us, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (Jn. 6:54,56) Christ’s ascension power is at work in us forever uniting us with Him through faith. And…

B. It is at work for all of us who believe. (nt. v19)

Our risen Savior exerts His incomparably great power over the world especifically for us. As St. Paul writes in His letter to the Romans: “..we know that in all things (all things) God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose… Whet then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us who can stand against us? …in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:28,31,37) All things have been placed under Christ’s feet, and by His ascension power He rules over all things for the sake of His Church, so that we may overcome the enemies He has defeated for us, and be more than conquerors over the devil, this fallen world, and our own sinful flesh. Everything that happens, every force of this world is put under his control for us and for our good.

In His mercy He also exerts His power in us for the sake of the world. St. Paul notes that we are “God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (v14) and prays that our faith and love and knowledge of Christ may continue to grow. (nt. vv15-17) Because God wants all people to come to know Christ and be saved He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses, at home, in our neighborhoods, at work and even to the ends of the world. As Christ was the Light of the world, He now works through us to be lights of the world for the glory of God the Father. We live, not for ourselves, but for the sake of others. Christ and His saving strength is not only for us but for everyone whose lives we can reach out and touch. It is at work for us in the world and in us for the world.

C. And His power is what gives us the strength to live, abundant and eternal lives.

Once we were all dead in our trespasses and sins, but now in Christ we have all been made alive. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit Christ’s power is at work to create saving faith in us. “He is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation [given] so that [we] may know him better.” (v17b) With all the saints who have gone before us who now dwell with Christ we have come to know what it is to really live. For us nothing can compare to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord, and being found in Him with a righteousness that is not by our own works, but comes from God and is by faith. We live in Christ’s fellowship and in the power of His resurrection. (nt. Phil. 3:8-10)

By that resurrection and ascension power Christ calls us to a life that looks beyond the here and now. He calls us to a living hope for the riches of a glorious inheritance with Christ. (nt. v18a) St. Peter puts it this way: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed…” (I Pet 1:3-5) If only we could always see life the way in which Peter did. If only we could understand the wonderful life and glorious future we have been given in Christ. If only we could confess the power that is at work to bless and shield us in our faith. What a joyous life it would be.

Conclusion: So, on this day as we celebrate Christ’s ascension, let us not be misled into thinking that we have been left alone and powerless. Rather let us remember the ascension power of Christ and let us ever rejoice that His ascension power is for us. Amen.