This sermon was preached on May 12, 2013 at The Patterson Avenue Baptist Church

What does Jesus Ascension mean”

What are the implications of Jesus Ascension for the Christian’s life?

What are the implications of the Ascension of Christ for the mission and witness of the church?

That’s what this sermons aims to address!

Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Father, after earning our redemption during his earthly life, next ascended to be with the Father, NOT to be apart and distant from us, but so that He could (with the Father) fill all time and space with the message of God’s love. 

Jesus Ascended: The Meaning of Christ’s Continuing Incarnation
by: Gerrit Dawson
publisher: T&T Clark, published: 2004-05-01
ASIN: 0567082210
EAN: 9780567082213
sales rank: 223962
price: $36.26 (new), $71.67 (used)

The book presents the Ascension as public truth, examining questions such as when did Jesus ascend – and how, where did he go, with what kind of body and into what kind of space? It discusses the nature of Jesus’ victory, how it has been challenged, how it has been understood at different times in history, and how it relates to his second coming. The author examines the relevance of the doctrine for personal spiritual life: our union with Christ, Jesus praying for us, worship, and our own prayers. He goes on to consider living in God’s kingdom, the tension between waiting for the kingdom and working for it now, suffering, humanisation, and the church and the world today. The book approaches the Ascension thematically, making it a useful teaching tool. Its themes arise from the categories in which the Church Fathers employed the doctrine. Gerrit Dawson shows the Ascension to be a vital key to understanding in a fresh way the person and work of Christ, union with Christ, the mission of the church in the world, Christian identity and spiritual theology. A unique feature of the book is the way Dawson combines a full presentation of Nicene trinitarian Christology with its application to the practicalities of Christian life today. Praise for Jesus Ascended: ‘Gerrit Dawson harkens back to an older vision of ministry, that of the pastor-theologian. This vision is remarkably illustrated in this beautifully written book that can properly lay claim to being practical theology…. Very highly recommended for both pastors and theologians who want to have a faith grounded in the continuing reality of the incarnation in the ascension of Jesus.’ Andrew Purves, Princeton Theological Seminary ‘This is a truly outstanding book for students, pastors and thinking Christians alike. I could not recommend it more enthusiastically!’ Alan Torrance, St Andrew’s University, UK ‘A yawning gulf often appears between the interests of preacher and scholar, of pastor and theologian. Serious attempts to bridge that gulf are too few. This book is one of them. It brings to life the voice of the Fathers on the subject of the ascension of Jesus, and calls the church back to the roots of its faith.’ Douglas Farrow, McGill University, Canada>

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