The Risen King Ascends
Session
12
The Risen King Ascends THEOLOGICAL THEME: Jesus is presently at the right hand of the Father,
where He exercises divine authority.
I was watching a silly movie the other day in which one of the characters burst into a courtroom to represent his client and friend in the trial proceedings. He asked the judge if he could approach the bench, and then he presented his law degree. Except that he wasn’t a lawyer. Instead, he had printed off a certificate from his computer in an attempt to have the (pretend) credentials to represent his friend. He was an impostor; his friend on trial was in a bind, and so, he faked it. The judge, however, was no fool and didn’t fall for his trickery. The judge laughed, grabbed the pseudo law degree and said something like, “Okay, whatever this is. Go ahead and present why you are here.” Since this was a movie, all of the scenes were embellished and dramatic. There isn’t much chance this would fly in a real court. Without a license to practice law, you cannot represent someone else in court; you only have the ability to represent yourself. I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to have someone without the proper credentials—let alone myself—representing me in a court of law. What are your impressions when you hear of someone choosing selfdefense in a courtroom instead of being represented by a lawyer?
What are the benefits of having a lawyer in court?
110
Date of My Bible Study:
______________________________
© 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
If we were to compare this situation to the Christian life—with God being the judge— aren’t we glad that we don’t have to represent ourselves and aren’t just left on our own? There is no one else but Jesus who is qualified to step in as our representative. And there’s no better representative that we could possibly have. We can be encouraged, knowing that Jesus is now acting as that representative—interceding with the Father on behalf of His own. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and appearances for 40 days, it was time for the King to ascend Voices from into heaven and sit down on His throne at the Church History right hand of God the Father. He had already “The Spirit of Christ is the given the Great Commission; now He would spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him, the give His final words on earth until His return. more intensely missionary He promised to send the Holy Spirit to empower we become.” 1 the disciples for their mission, and He foretold –Henry Martyn (1781-1812) the steps their mission would take as they took the gospel to the ends of the earth. Finally, Jesus ascended to the Father, where even now He is ruling over all of creation and simultaneously interceding for His people until He comes again.
1. Jesus promises to send His Spirit to empower the disciples (Acts 1:4-5). While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” 4
Following Jesus’ resurrection and before His ascension into heaven, Jesus was preparing the disciples for their ministry in His name, so He ordered them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father to come (Acts 1:4). But what was this promise? Jesus had already been crucified as the perfect sacrifice for sins, and in being raised from the dead, He had dealt sin its death blow. Furthermore, He had already commissioned His followers and strengthened and encouraged them for the mission ahead with His many appearances and conversations. So what was the promise of the Father that remained?
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Jesus describes to the disciples the promise of the Father in Acts 1:5—the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see also Luke 3:15-17). The disciples could wait confidently for the promise’s fulfillment because God’s words are true and pure and sure. When God says He is going to do it, He will. How does our perspective of earthly promises impact how we view God’s promises?
What can get in the way of your belief in God to be faithful to His promises?
As Jesus is with the disciples, the fulfillment of one of His promises, He informs them that soon they will receive the gift of the Third Person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. This is the Father’s remarkable promise, the gift of the Holy Spirit, a baptism that would forever define their identity as the followers of Jesus. Why are we prone to overlook the promise of the Holy Spirit instead of cherishing this gift?
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Voices from Church History “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” 2 –Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983)
2. Jesus prophesies the spread of the gospel throughout the earth (Acts 1:6-8). So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? ” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 6
After Jesus shared about the promise of the Father, the disciples wondered if this was finally the point at which Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel. The kingdom of God is associated with Jesus Himself (see Luke 17:20-21). So the kingdom had been with the disciples and would continue to be to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). But only God the Father knows the time and day of Jesus’ return, when the fullness of the kingdom comes and the complete restoration of God’s people and all of His creation will happen. I can imagine that the disciples were hoping for an end. They were living in a time of persecution. Their friend and Savior had been crucified just a few weeks ago, but as promised, Jesus rose from the grave. Now they were encountering the resurrected King just outside of Jerusalem, the holy city of God with the temple and where the king’s throne should be, and once again they were told to wait. And they were also told not to worry with the details; those are God’s prerogative. If I had been there, I imagine that I would have wanted to say, “Okay, but can’t You tell us something, Jesus!?” Perhaps the disciples responded differently and were okay with the mystery because of Jesus’ next promise. How do you handle the mysteries of life (what is God’s plan, how is God working, etc.)?
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How does Jesus’ response to the disciples in this passage encourage you regarding the unknowns in life?
Instead of allowing the disciples to focus on the details of the kingdom, which they couldn’t know, Jesus redirected their attention to the task at hand—it was a time for mission. Jesus had laid out the details of His mission for them in Matthew 28: Jesus’ disciples are to go and make disciples of all nations. Here in Acts 1, Jesus expounds on the mission He laid out. Jesus was serious about His disciples making disciples of all nations. They were not going to proclaim the gospel in Judea alone; they were going to share about Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and, if the mission wasn’t clear enough, “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This was an impossible mission for the first disciples on their own, but think of how comforting for them it must have been to know they weren’t going alone? Jesus had promised to be with them, and He would be, not physically but spiritually through the promise of the Father. They were going with and in the power of the Holy Spirit. And isn’t it comforting for us to know that our mission to share the gospel of Jesus isn’t done alone either? What are some examples of the Holy Spirit’s power that you have seen in Scripture?
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3. Jesus ascends to heaven, where He exercises divine authority (Acts 1:9-14). After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 9
After Jesus encouraged His disciples to wait for the Father’s promised gift and prophesied about the spread of the gospel to the end of the earth, He was taken up in a cloud to heaven. The fact that the disciples were given the privilege to watch the ascension is one thing, but in God’s kindness to them, they were reminded once again that the Father was with them, that His promises are true, and that Jesus would come again just as He had left. He departed in a cloud, and He will return on the clouds of heaven. The term cloud in the Bible is often found in conjunction with the presence of God, as it most certainly is here too. Examples of this connection can be seen in the following passages: Exodus 13:21; 19:9; Isaiah 19:1; Matthew 17:5; 24:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 1:7.
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What is the significance of Jesus ascending into heaven and a cloud taking Him out of sight?
The angels’ comforting statement for the disciples also pointed to the form in which Jesus ascended. He ascended in bodily form, scars and all, and He will return as a man coming for His bride, the church. Remarkably the God-man will remain fully God and fully man for eternity. He didn’t shed His skin upon His return to heaven. Even as He is interceding for us at the right hand of the Father, it is as a man. He continues to relate to us in a glorified state. He had the power to be rid of that body, but in His great love and care for us, He has chosen to be like us in every way, except without sin, for all eternity (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15). And after Jesus’ ascension, the angels assured the disciples that Jesus would return again and return in the same form.
99 Essential Christian Doctrines 54. Christ’s Exaltation Whereas the death of Christ was the ultimate example of His humiliation, the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the first and glorious example of Christ’s exaltation. Christ was exalted when God raised Him from the dead, and Christ was exalted when He ascended to the Father’s right hand. He will be exalted by all creation when He returns. All of these aspects work together to magnify the glory and worth of Christ, resulting in the praise of the glory of His grace in rescuing sinners.
It is this Christ who is seated at the Father’s right hand interceding for His disciples with full knowledge of their weaknesses and frailties. Christ has all authority—full authority as fully God and fully man—and He has all authority for all eternity. He is the only One who is able to stand between sinful man and the holy God. He is the One who is able to save those who come to the Father through Him, both now and forevermore (Heb. 7:25). So we can share the gospel of this Savior-King with full assurance that He is reigning even now and that He still saves those who believe.
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When Jesus was gone from their sight, the disciples traveled to a home, gathered with other men and women, and waited and prayed in unity. They devoted themselves to one another and to prayer for what was about to happen. They were not anxious because they knew that God’s promises were true. They had been given the mission to spread the gospel, and the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit would work powerfully through them, and us, to accomplish it. How can our prayers, both individual and corporate, express our faith in our risen and exalted King in heaven who is interceding with the Father on our behalf?
Conclusion God calls us to join His global mission of spreading the fame and gospel message of Jesus in our city, our country, our continent, and to the very ends of the earth. But we aren’t doing it alone. We couldn’t hope to accomplish this mission through our own strength and wisdom. God has sent His Spirit, and all of us who have placed our hope in the finished work of Jesus on the cross have the Spirit in us and access to the Spirit’s power. Let us rely on Him more and more as we seek to live out the Great Commission, spreading the fame and name of our Savior throughout the world. The King who is reigning in heaven is with us still here on earth!
Voices from Church History “There is no use in running before you are sent. There is no use in attempting to do God’s work without God’s power. A man working without this unction, a man working without this anointing, a man working without the Holy Ghost upon him, is losing his time after all.” 3 –D. L. Moody (1837-1899)
CHRIST CONNECTION: Jesus’ ascension into heaven is a fulfillment of
Psalm 110 and is the sign that God has marked out Jesus as the Lord of the universe. Seated at the right hand of God, Jesus intercedes for His people, gives us access to the Father, and fulfills God’s original intention to have a human reign over a created world. We wait for Jesus to return to this world in the same manner that He left. Session 12
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HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION MISSIONAL APPLICATION: God calls us to join His global mission of
spreading the fame of Jesus in our city, our country, our continent, and to the ends of the earth.
1. How can we as individuals, as a group, and as a church rely more and more upon the Holy Spirit’s power, wisdom, and guidance as we live on mission?
2. H ow will the reality of being empowered by the Holy Spirit impact how you carry out the Great Commission this week?
3. W rite a prayer for the unity of your group/church in heart and mission to honor the risen King who is enthroned in heaven.
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About the Writers
The Gospel Project® Adult Personal Study Guide CSB Volume 6, Number 1 Fall 2017 Eric Geiger
Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer and Trevin Wax
General Editors Brian Dembowczyk
Unit 1: Matt Chandler is the Lead Pastor of Teaching at The Village Church in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and the president of the Acts 29 church-planting network. He has authored several books, including Mingling of Souls, Recovering Redemption, Creature of the Word, and The Explicit Gospel. Matt is married to Lauren, and they have three children, Audrey, Reid, and Norah.
Managing Editor Daniel Davis
Content Editor Josh Hayes
Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy
Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley
Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Content Editor by email to [email protected] or mail to Content Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at lifeway.com. Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide CSB (ISSN pending; Item 005461524) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax 615.251.5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked ESV® are taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geoff Ashley serves as pastor at The Parkway Church in McKinney, Texas, after having served for ten years of ministry at The Village Church. He received a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and is married to Kaci. Together they have a beautiful daughter named Larken. Unit 2: Steven Mathewson (sessions 7-10) serves as senior pastor of CrossLife Evangelical Free Church in Libertyville, Illinois. He received a DMin (preaching) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books, including Risen: Fifty Reasons Why the Resurrection Changed Everything. He and his wife, Priscilla, have four children and seven grandchildren. Trillia Newbell (sessions 11-12) is the author of Enjoy, Fear and Faith, United, and God’s Very Good Idea (forthcoming, Sept. 2017). She is the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Trillia is married to Thern, and they reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee. You can find her at trillianewbell.com. Daniel Davis (special session) is the content editor for The Gospel Project for Adults and a part-time student pastor at Edgefield Baptist Church in East Nashville, Tennessee. He received an MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Christy, have three children and also provide care for foster children.
WRITERS
Notes SESSION 1
SESSION 7
SESSION 10
1. Herbert W. Bateman IV, “A Call to Authentic Worship,” in Authentic Worship: Hearing Scripture’s Voice, Applying Its Truths, ed. Herbert W. Bateman IV (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2002), 48.
1. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers (New York: Ballantine Books, 1982), 379.
1. John Wesley, “John XXI,” in Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/ notes.i.v.xxii.html.
2. Sean Douglas O’Donnell, Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth, in Preaching the Word (Wheaton: Crossway, 2014), [WORDsearch]. 3. Jim Elliot, quoted in Through Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1986), 172. 4. Don Richardson, Peace Child (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2005), 151. 5. C. S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory,” in The Weight of Glory: And Other Addresses (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), 26.
SESSION 2 1. Andrew Peterson, “Hosanna!” The Rabbit Room, March 24, 2013, https://rabbitroom.com/2013/03/hosannaa-free-song-for-palm-sunday. 2. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible [WORDsearch].
SESSION 3 1. Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 82.1, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2001) [WORDsearch]. 2. Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on John, 6.13.3-5, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2007), 89. 3. Jonathan T. Pennington, “The Lord’s Last Supper in the Fourfold Witness of the Gospels,” in The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, eds. Thomas R. Schreiner and Matthew R. Crawford (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 56.
SESSION 4 1. A. B. Bruce, “The Synoptic Gospels,” in The Expositor’s Greek Testament, vol. 1, ed. W. Robertson Nicoll (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1902), 316. 2. John Wesley, “On Divine Providence,” in The Essential Works of John Wesley, ed. Alice Russie (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour, 2011), 732. 3. John Huss, quoted in The Renaissance and Reformation in Northern Europe, ed. Kenneth R. Bartlett and Margaret McGlynn (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014), 13.
SESSION 5 1. Maximus of Turin, Sermons, 57.1, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 2. Thomas Aquinas, quoted in St. Thomas Aquinas: Universal Doctor of the Church, c. 1225-1274 (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 1995), endnote 1. 3. Craig S. Keener, Matthew, in The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (1997) [WORDsearch].
SESSION 6 1. Nik Ripken with Gregg Lewis, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 304. 2. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 317, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 3. Charles Wesley, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 270.
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2. Herschel H. Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message (Nashville: Convention Press, 1971), 39. 3. Martin Luther, Sermon on Easter Monday (1521), quoted in Luke, ed. Beth Kreitzer, vol. III in Reformation Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove: IVP, 2015), 484. 4. Adrian Rogers, in Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 2 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding, 2007), 33. 5. Zach Myers, “Taylor University remembers case of mistaken identity 10 years later,” IndyStar, April 26, 2016, http://www.indystar. co m /s to r y/n ew s / 2016/04/ 25/t ay lo runiversity-remembers-case-mistakenidentity-10-years-later/83522446/index.html.
2. Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LXXXVIII, The Homilies of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. John, Part II, in A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church, ed. J. H. Parker (London: Oxford, 1852), 792.
SESSION 11 1. C. H. Spurgeon, “A Sermon and a Reminiscence,” in Sword and the Trowel (March 1873), The Spurgeon Archive, http:// www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/srmn1873.php.
6. Trevin Wax, Gospel-Centered Teaching (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 23.
2. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 4.28.18–20, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch].
7. Steven D. Mathewson, Risen: 50 Reasons Why the Resurrection Changed Everything (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 48.
3. John Owen, The Golden Book of John Owen, ed. James Moffatt (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 135.
SESSION 8
4. Robby Gallaty, Rediscovering Discipleship (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015) [eBook].
1. Francis Dubose, “The Pilgrimage of New Life,” in The Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 1115. 2. Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary (Georgetown, WORDsearch, 2011) [WORDsearch].
Bible TX:
3. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008) [WORDsearch]. 4. Gary M. Burge, John, in The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012) [WORDsearch]. 5. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, 12.1, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 6. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary [WORDsearch].
SESSION 9 1. Oswald Chambers, in The Quotable Oswald Chambers, comp. and ed. David McCasland (Grand Rapids: Oswald Chambers Publications Associations, 2008), 94. 2. Gary R. Habermas, The Thomas Factor (Nashville: B&H, 1999), 37-57. 3. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies, 26, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament, 367. 4. Mark Buchanan, “The Benefit of the Doubt,” Christianity Today, April 3, 2000, h t t p : // w w w. c h r i s t i a n i t y t o d a y. c o m / ct/2000/april3/3.62.html. 5. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary [WORDsearch]. 6. Athanasius, Letter 59.10, To Epictetus, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament, 372.
5. David Platt, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Nashville: B&H, 2014) [WORDsearch].
SESSION 12 1. Henry Martyn, quoted in The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament, vol. 1, by Warren W. Wiersbe (Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2001), 456. 2. Corrie ten Boom with Jamie Buckingham, Tramp for the Lord: The Story That Begins Where the Hiding Place Ends (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 1974), 63. 3. D. L. Moody, Secret Power (Gainesville, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2006), 75.
SPECIAL SESSION 1. Louisa M. R. Stead, “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 502. 2. Geoffrey W. Grogan, “Isaiah,” in Proverbs–Isaiah, vol. 6 in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), 551. 3. Ambrose, Explanation of the Twelve Psalms, 37.31-32, quoted in Isaiah 1–39, ed. Steven A. McKinion, vol. X in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2001) [WORDsearch]. 4. Gary V. Smith, Isaiah 1–39, vol. 15a in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2007), 284.
12
The Risen King Ascends THEOLOGICAL THEME: Jesus is presently at the right hand of the Father,
where He exercises divine authority.
I was watching a silly movie the other day in which one of the characters burst into a courtroom to represent his client and friend in the trial proceedings. He asked the judge if he could approach the bench, and then he presented his law degree. Except that he wasn’t a lawyer. Instead, he had printed off a certificate from his computer in an attempt to have the (pretend) credentials to represent his friend. He was an impostor; his friend on trial was in a bind, and so, he faked it. The judge, however, was no fool and didn’t fall for his trickery. The judge laughed, grabbed the pseudo law degree and said something like, “Okay, whatever this is. Go ahead and present why you are here.” Since this was a movie, all of the scenes were embellished and dramatic. There isn’t much chance this would fly in a real court. Without a license to practice law, you cannot represent someone else in court; you only have the ability to represent yourself. I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to have someone without the proper credentials—let alone myself—representing me in a court of law. What are your impressions when you hear of someone choosing selfdefense in a courtroom instead of being represented by a lawyer?
What are the benefits of having a lawyer in court?
110
Date of My Bible Study:
______________________________
© 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
If we were to compare this situation to the Christian life—with God being the judge— aren’t we glad that we don’t have to represent ourselves and aren’t just left on our own? There is no one else but Jesus who is qualified to step in as our representative. And there’s no better representative that we could possibly have. We can be encouraged, knowing that Jesus is now acting as that representative—interceding with the Father on behalf of His own. After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and appearances for 40 days, it was time for the King to ascend Voices from into heaven and sit down on His throne at the Church History right hand of God the Father. He had already “The Spirit of Christ is the given the Great Commission; now He would spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him, the give His final words on earth until His return. more intensely missionary He promised to send the Holy Spirit to empower we become.” 1 the disciples for their mission, and He foretold –Henry Martyn (1781-1812) the steps their mission would take as they took the gospel to the ends of the earth. Finally, Jesus ascended to the Father, where even now He is ruling over all of creation and simultaneously interceding for His people until He comes again.
1. Jesus promises to send His Spirit to empower the disciples (Acts 1:4-5). While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” 4
Following Jesus’ resurrection and before His ascension into heaven, Jesus was preparing the disciples for their ministry in His name, so He ordered them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father to come (Acts 1:4). But what was this promise? Jesus had already been crucified as the perfect sacrifice for sins, and in being raised from the dead, He had dealt sin its death blow. Furthermore, He had already commissioned His followers and strengthened and encouraged them for the mission ahead with His many appearances and conversations. So what was the promise of the Father that remained?
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Jesus describes to the disciples the promise of the Father in Acts 1:5—the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see also Luke 3:15-17). The disciples could wait confidently for the promise’s fulfillment because God’s words are true and pure and sure. When God says He is going to do it, He will. How does our perspective of earthly promises impact how we view God’s promises?
What can get in the way of your belief in God to be faithful to His promises?
As Jesus is with the disciples, the fulfillment of one of His promises, He informs them that soon they will receive the gift of the Third Person of the Trinity—the Holy Spirit. This is the Father’s remarkable promise, the gift of the Holy Spirit, a baptism that would forever define their identity as the followers of Jesus. Why are we prone to overlook the promise of the Holy Spirit instead of cherishing this gift?
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Voices from Church History “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” 2 –Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983)
2. Jesus prophesies the spread of the gospel throughout the earth (Acts 1:6-8). So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? ” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 6
After Jesus shared about the promise of the Father, the disciples wondered if this was finally the point at which Jesus would restore the kingdom to Israel. The kingdom of God is associated with Jesus Himself (see Luke 17:20-21). So the kingdom had been with the disciples and would continue to be to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). But only God the Father knows the time and day of Jesus’ return, when the fullness of the kingdom comes and the complete restoration of God’s people and all of His creation will happen. I can imagine that the disciples were hoping for an end. They were living in a time of persecution. Their friend and Savior had been crucified just a few weeks ago, but as promised, Jesus rose from the grave. Now they were encountering the resurrected King just outside of Jerusalem, the holy city of God with the temple and where the king’s throne should be, and once again they were told to wait. And they were also told not to worry with the details; those are God’s prerogative. If I had been there, I imagine that I would have wanted to say, “Okay, but can’t You tell us something, Jesus!?” Perhaps the disciples responded differently and were okay with the mystery because of Jesus’ next promise. How do you handle the mysteries of life (what is God’s plan, how is God working, etc.)?
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How does Jesus’ response to the disciples in this passage encourage you regarding the unknowns in life?
Instead of allowing the disciples to focus on the details of the kingdom, which they couldn’t know, Jesus redirected their attention to the task at hand—it was a time for mission. Jesus had laid out the details of His mission for them in Matthew 28: Jesus’ disciples are to go and make disciples of all nations. Here in Acts 1, Jesus expounds on the mission He laid out. Jesus was serious about His disciples making disciples of all nations. They were not going to proclaim the gospel in Judea alone; they were going to share about Jesus in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and, if the mission wasn’t clear enough, “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This was an impossible mission for the first disciples on their own, but think of how comforting for them it must have been to know they weren’t going alone? Jesus had promised to be with them, and He would be, not physically but spiritually through the promise of the Father. They were going with and in the power of the Holy Spirit. And isn’t it comforting for us to know that our mission to share the gospel of Jesus isn’t done alone either? What are some examples of the Holy Spirit’s power that you have seen in Scripture?
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3. Jesus ascends to heaven, where He exercises divine authority (Acts 1:9-14). After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. 9
After Jesus encouraged His disciples to wait for the Father’s promised gift and prophesied about the spread of the gospel to the end of the earth, He was taken up in a cloud to heaven. The fact that the disciples were given the privilege to watch the ascension is one thing, but in God’s kindness to them, they were reminded once again that the Father was with them, that His promises are true, and that Jesus would come again just as He had left. He departed in a cloud, and He will return on the clouds of heaven. The term cloud in the Bible is often found in conjunction with the presence of God, as it most certainly is here too. Examples of this connection can be seen in the following passages: Exodus 13:21; 19:9; Isaiah 19:1; Matthew 17:5; 24:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 1:7.
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What is the significance of Jesus ascending into heaven and a cloud taking Him out of sight?
The angels’ comforting statement for the disciples also pointed to the form in which Jesus ascended. He ascended in bodily form, scars and all, and He will return as a man coming for His bride, the church. Remarkably the God-man will remain fully God and fully man for eternity. He didn’t shed His skin upon His return to heaven. Even as He is interceding for us at the right hand of the Father, it is as a man. He continues to relate to us in a glorified state. He had the power to be rid of that body, but in His great love and care for us, He has chosen to be like us in every way, except without sin, for all eternity (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15). And after Jesus’ ascension, the angels assured the disciples that Jesus would return again and return in the same form.
99 Essential Christian Doctrines 54. Christ’s Exaltation Whereas the death of Christ was the ultimate example of His humiliation, the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the first and glorious example of Christ’s exaltation. Christ was exalted when God raised Him from the dead, and Christ was exalted when He ascended to the Father’s right hand. He will be exalted by all creation when He returns. All of these aspects work together to magnify the glory and worth of Christ, resulting in the praise of the glory of His grace in rescuing sinners.
It is this Christ who is seated at the Father’s right hand interceding for His disciples with full knowledge of their weaknesses and frailties. Christ has all authority—full authority as fully God and fully man—and He has all authority for all eternity. He is the only One who is able to stand between sinful man and the holy God. He is the One who is able to save those who come to the Father through Him, both now and forevermore (Heb. 7:25). So we can share the gospel of this Savior-King with full assurance that He is reigning even now and that He still saves those who believe.
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When Jesus was gone from their sight, the disciples traveled to a home, gathered with other men and women, and waited and prayed in unity. They devoted themselves to one another and to prayer for what was about to happen. They were not anxious because they knew that God’s promises were true. They had been given the mission to spread the gospel, and the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit would work powerfully through them, and us, to accomplish it. How can our prayers, both individual and corporate, express our faith in our risen and exalted King in heaven who is interceding with the Father on our behalf?
Conclusion God calls us to join His global mission of spreading the fame and gospel message of Jesus in our city, our country, our continent, and to the very ends of the earth. But we aren’t doing it alone. We couldn’t hope to accomplish this mission through our own strength and wisdom. God has sent His Spirit, and all of us who have placed our hope in the finished work of Jesus on the cross have the Spirit in us and access to the Spirit’s power. Let us rely on Him more and more as we seek to live out the Great Commission, spreading the fame and name of our Savior throughout the world. The King who is reigning in heaven is with us still here on earth!
Voices from Church History “There is no use in running before you are sent. There is no use in attempting to do God’s work without God’s power. A man working without this unction, a man working without this anointing, a man working without the Holy Ghost upon him, is losing his time after all.” 3 –D. L. Moody (1837-1899)
CHRIST CONNECTION: Jesus’ ascension into heaven is a fulfillment of
Psalm 110 and is the sign that God has marked out Jesus as the Lord of the universe. Seated at the right hand of God, Jesus intercedes for His people, gives us access to the Father, and fulfills God’s original intention to have a human reign over a created world. We wait for Jesus to return to this world in the same manner that He left. Session 12
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HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION MISSIONAL APPLICATION: God calls us to join His global mission of
spreading the fame of Jesus in our city, our country, our continent, and to the ends of the earth.
1. How can we as individuals, as a group, and as a church rely more and more upon the Holy Spirit’s power, wisdom, and guidance as we live on mission?
2. H ow will the reality of being empowered by the Holy Spirit impact how you carry out the Great Commission this week?
3. W rite a prayer for the unity of your group/church in heart and mission to honor the risen King who is enthroned in heaven.
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About the Writers
The Gospel Project® Adult Personal Study Guide CSB Volume 6, Number 1 Fall 2017 Eric Geiger
Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer and Trevin Wax
General Editors Brian Dembowczyk
Unit 1: Matt Chandler is the Lead Pastor of Teaching at The Village Church in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and the president of the Acts 29 church-planting network. He has authored several books, including Mingling of Souls, Recovering Redemption, Creature of the Word, and The Explicit Gospel. Matt is married to Lauren, and they have three children, Audrey, Reid, and Norah.
Managing Editor Daniel Davis
Content Editor Josh Hayes
Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy
Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley
Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Content Editor by email to [email protected] or mail to Content Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at lifeway.com. Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide CSB (ISSN pending; Item 005461524) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax 615.251.5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked ESV® are taken from the English Standard Version® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geoff Ashley serves as pastor at The Parkway Church in McKinney, Texas, after having served for ten years of ministry at The Village Church. He received a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and is married to Kaci. Together they have a beautiful daughter named Larken. Unit 2: Steven Mathewson (sessions 7-10) serves as senior pastor of CrossLife Evangelical Free Church in Libertyville, Illinois. He received a DMin (preaching) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of five books, including Risen: Fifty Reasons Why the Resurrection Changed Everything. He and his wife, Priscilla, have four children and seven grandchildren. Trillia Newbell (sessions 11-12) is the author of Enjoy, Fear and Faith, United, and God’s Very Good Idea (forthcoming, Sept. 2017). She is the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Trillia is married to Thern, and they reside with their two children near Nashville, Tennessee. You can find her at trillianewbell.com. Daniel Davis (special session) is the content editor for The Gospel Project for Adults and a part-time student pastor at Edgefield Baptist Church in East Nashville, Tennessee. He received an MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Christy, have three children and also provide care for foster children.
WRITERS
Notes SESSION 1
SESSION 7
SESSION 10
1. Herbert W. Bateman IV, “A Call to Authentic Worship,” in Authentic Worship: Hearing Scripture’s Voice, Applying Its Truths, ed. Herbert W. Bateman IV (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2002), 48.
1. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers (New York: Ballantine Books, 1982), 379.
1. John Wesley, “John XXI,” in Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/ notes.i.v.xxii.html.
2. Sean Douglas O’Donnell, Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth, in Preaching the Word (Wheaton: Crossway, 2014), [WORDsearch]. 3. Jim Elliot, quoted in Through Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1986), 172. 4. Don Richardson, Peace Child (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2005), 151. 5. C. S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory,” in The Weight of Glory: And Other Addresses (New York: HarperCollins, 2001), 26.
SESSION 2 1. Andrew Peterson, “Hosanna!” The Rabbit Room, March 24, 2013, https://rabbitroom.com/2013/03/hosannaa-free-song-for-palm-sunday. 2. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible [WORDsearch].
SESSION 3 1. Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 82.1, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2001) [WORDsearch]. 2. Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on John, 6.13.3-5, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2007), 89. 3. Jonathan T. Pennington, “The Lord’s Last Supper in the Fourfold Witness of the Gospels,” in The Lord’s Supper: Remembering and Proclaiming Christ Until He Comes, eds. Thomas R. Schreiner and Matthew R. Crawford (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 56.
SESSION 4 1. A. B. Bruce, “The Synoptic Gospels,” in The Expositor’s Greek Testament, vol. 1, ed. W. Robertson Nicoll (New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1902), 316. 2. John Wesley, “On Divine Providence,” in The Essential Works of John Wesley, ed. Alice Russie (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour, 2011), 732. 3. John Huss, quoted in The Renaissance and Reformation in Northern Europe, ed. Kenneth R. Bartlett and Margaret McGlynn (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2014), 13.
SESSION 5 1. Maximus of Turin, Sermons, 57.1, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 2. Thomas Aquinas, quoted in St. Thomas Aquinas: Universal Doctor of the Church, c. 1225-1274 (Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 1995), endnote 1. 3. Craig S. Keener, Matthew, in The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (1997) [WORDsearch].
SESSION 6 1. Nik Ripken with Gregg Lewis, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 304. 2. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment 317, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 3. Charles Wesley, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 270.
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2. Herschel H. Hobbs, The Baptist Faith and Message (Nashville: Convention Press, 1971), 39. 3. Martin Luther, Sermon on Easter Monday (1521), quoted in Luke, ed. Beth Kreitzer, vol. III in Reformation Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove: IVP, 2015), 484. 4. Adrian Rogers, in Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 2 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding, 2007), 33. 5. Zach Myers, “Taylor University remembers case of mistaken identity 10 years later,” IndyStar, April 26, 2016, http://www.indystar. co m /s to r y/n ew s / 2016/04/ 25/t ay lo runiversity-remembers-case-mistakenidentity-10-years-later/83522446/index.html.
2. Saint John Chrysostom, Homily LXXXVIII, The Homilies of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the Gospel of St. John, Part II, in A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church, ed. J. H. Parker (London: Oxford, 1852), 792.
SESSION 11 1. C. H. Spurgeon, “A Sermon and a Reminiscence,” in Sword and the Trowel (March 1873), The Spurgeon Archive, http:// www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/srmn1873.php.
6. Trevin Wax, Gospel-Centered Teaching (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 23.
2. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 4.28.18–20, quoted in Matthew 14–28, ed. Manlio Simonetti, vol. Ib in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch].
7. Steven D. Mathewson, Risen: 50 Reasons Why the Resurrection Changed Everything (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013), 48.
3. John Owen, The Golden Book of John Owen, ed. James Moffatt (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 135.
SESSION 8
4. Robby Gallaty, Rediscovering Discipleship (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2015) [eBook].
1. Francis Dubose, “The Pilgrimage of New Life,” in The Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville: B&H, 2012), 1115. 2. Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary (Georgetown, WORDsearch, 2011) [WORDsearch].
Bible TX:
3. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008) [WORDsearch]. 4. Gary M. Burge, John, in The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012) [WORDsearch]. 5. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, 12.1, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament [WORDsearch]. 6. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary [WORDsearch].
SESSION 9 1. Oswald Chambers, in The Quotable Oswald Chambers, comp. and ed. David McCasland (Grand Rapids: Oswald Chambers Publications Associations, 2008), 94. 2. Gary R. Habermas, The Thomas Factor (Nashville: B&H, 1999), 37-57. 3. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies, 26, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament, 367. 4. Mark Buchanan, “The Benefit of the Doubt,” Christianity Today, April 3, 2000, h t t p : // w w w. c h r i s t i a n i t y t o d a y. c o m / ct/2000/april3/3.62.html. 5. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary [WORDsearch]. 6. Athanasius, Letter 59.10, To Epictetus, quoted in John 11–21, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, vol. IVb in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament, 372.
5. David Platt, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Nashville: B&H, 2014) [WORDsearch].
SESSION 12 1. Henry Martyn, quoted in The Bible Exposition Commentary: New Testament, vol. 1, by Warren W. Wiersbe (Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2001), 456. 2. Corrie ten Boom with Jamie Buckingham, Tramp for the Lord: The Story That Begins Where the Hiding Place Ends (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 1974), 63. 3. D. L. Moody, Secret Power (Gainesville, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2006), 75.
SPECIAL SESSION 1. Louisa M. R. Stead, “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 502. 2. Geoffrey W. Grogan, “Isaiah,” in Proverbs–Isaiah, vol. 6 in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), 551. 3. Ambrose, Explanation of the Twelve Psalms, 37.31-32, quoted in Isaiah 1–39, ed. Steven A. McKinion, vol. X in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2001) [WORDsearch]. 4. Gary V. Smith, Isaiah 1–39, vol. 15a in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2007), 284.
