ASCENDED LORD

Ascension Day occurs on the Thursday forty days after Easter Sunday

Thursday was Ascension Day, the fortieth day after Easter Sunday. An article in Christianity Today online said this:

“The Ascension is often underrated and undervalued by evangelicals. We make a big deal of Christ's coming at Christmas, celebrating with gifts, baked goods, and carols. With solemn services we mourn his horrific death on Good Friday. And with exuberant celebration, we rejoice in his Resurrection on Easter Sunday, with glorious services, extravagant bouquets of flowers, Easter eggs, and big hunks of glazed ham. But to Christ's farewell we give very little attention—if any at all.”

The book of Hebrews tells us that:

After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrews 1:3-4

Let’s magnify the name of our Lord Jesus, allowing the words of CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS to verbalize the magnificent truth of our ascended and reigning Lord.

Majesty
Words and Music by Jack Hayford© 1981 New Spring

Majesty worship His majesty
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor and praise
Majesty kingdom authority
Flow from His throne unto His own His anthem raise

So exalt lift up on high the name of Jesus
Magnify come glorify Christ Jesus the King

Majesty worship His majesty
Jesus who died now glorified, King of all kings

[*sing only once then transition to “Crown Him With Many Crowns”]

Crown Him With Many Crowns
Words by Matthew Bridges (1851); Music: DIADEMATA by George J. Elvey

Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
And hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity.

Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save;
His glories now we sing who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown him the Lord of love; behold his hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified;
No angels in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends their burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of years, the potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! for thou hast died for me;
Thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity.

Prayer

Jesus, we thank you that our faith is based in historical fact – the fact that right now in your glorified state you are seated on the throne of the universe, and you are the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth.

Every part of your incarnate life played a unique role in mending what Adam destroyed at the Fall. Incarnated, you joined human nature to your divine person and reunited the broken bond between God and humanity.

In self–sacrificing service, you reached out to sinners, to outsiders and the despised, and in so doing set the blueprint for the Christian life.

In your death you bore our sin and took the punishment we deserved. You experienced the depths of death and rested among the dead in order to kill death. And then you rose, and in your resurrection, you broke the bonds of sin and death, and released us from captivity. And now seated in the heavens, at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, while you make your enemies your footstool. Encourage us with these truths this morning, Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6–11

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
Words by Edward Perronet (1780); Music: CORONATION by Oliver Holden
This Arr. © 2012 McKinney Music, Inc. (Tommy Walker)

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him Lord of all

Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race, ye ransomed from the fall
Hail him who saved you by his grace and crown him Lord of all
Hail him who saved you by his grace and crown him Lord of all

Crown him Lord of all (Crown him Lord of all)
At his feet we fall (At his feet we fall)
Crown him (Crown him), Crown him (Crown him)
Hail the King of kings (Hail the King of kings)
Robed in majesty (Robed in majesty)
Crown him (Crown him), Crown him (Crown him)

Let ev’ry kindred ev’ry tribe on this terrestrial ball
To him all majesty ascribe and crown him Lord of all
To him all majesty ascribe and crown him Lord of all

Oh that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall
We’ll join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all
We’ll join the everlasting song and crown him Lord of all

Crown him Lord of all (Crown him Lord of all)
At His feet we fall (At his feet we fall)
Crown him (Crown him), Crown him (Crown him)
Hail the King of kings (Hail the King of kings)
Robed in majesty (Robed in majesty)
Crown him (Crown him), Crown him (Crown him)

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4–7

Before The Throne Of God Above
Words by Charitie Bancroft; Music by Vicki Cook
© 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands, my name is written on his heart.
I know that while in heav’n he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there, who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the just, is satisfied to look on him and pardon me,
To look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there, the risen Lamb, my perfect, spotless righteousness,
the great unchangeable I AM, the King of glory and of grace!
One with himself I cannot die. My soul is purchased by his blood!
My life is hid with Christ on high, with Christ, my Savior and my God,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Offering Prayer

Offertory:

Jesus Shall Reign Where’er the Sun (instrumental)
Words by Isaac Watts (1719); Music: DUKE STREET

Prayer of Illumination

Blessed are you, Lord God, King of all creation: You have taught us by your Word. Open our hearts to your Spirit, and lead us on the paths of Christ, your Son. All praise and glory be yours forever. Amen.

Sermon

The Lord’s Supper

[instrumental music played or congregational singing]

The Mystery of the Faith

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!

He is exalted the King is exalted on high
I will praise Him
He is exalted forever exalted
And I will praise His name

He is the Lord forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and earth rejoice in His holy name

He is exalted the King is exalted on high

Benediction

People of God, let’s not just stand here, gazing into heaven as the disciples did after they saw Jesus leave. Instead, let’s take up the mission Jesus left us: to be his witnesses, to tell everyone we meet who Jesus is, and how he has changed us. And may the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit go with us all. Amen.