The fact that God has glorified Him whom they crucified (continued)
Ascension
and yet may have a just cause, and the cause of a just person, in that case, to plead, and may accordingly carry his cause. But here the clients are all guilty. Their innocence and legal righteousness cannot be pleaded. Their sin must be confessed or supposed. It is the advocate's own righteousness that he must plead for the criminals. He has been righteous to the death— righteous for them. He has brought in everlasting righteousness. This the Judge will not deny. Upon this score he pleads that the clients' sins may not be imputed to them.
(11) By the sacrifice He has made. He is the expiatory victim, the propitiatory sacrifice that has been offered to the Judge for all our offences against His majesty, law and government. In vain do the professors of Rome distinguish between an advocate of redemption and an advocate of intercession, or a mediatory of such different service. The mediator of intercession, the advocate for us, is the mediator of redemption, the propitiation of our sins.
(iv) By the universality of His care and concern. It is not confined to one nation, and not particularly to the ancient Israel of God. 'He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."
So a throne of grace has been set up, which implies:
7. THE MESSAGE OF THE ASCENSION FOR CHRISTIANS TODAY (a) A way of worship has been instituted (Heb. iv. 16) in which God may with honour meet poor sinners, and treat with them, and they may with hope draw nigh to Him, repenting and believing. God might have set up a tribunal of strict and inexorable justice. He may have dispensed death, the wages of sin, to all that are convened before it; but He has chosen to set up a throne of grace. A throne speaks authority, and bespeaks awe and reverence. A throne of grace speaks great encouragement even to the chief of sinners. There grace reigns, and acts with sovereign freedom, power and bounty.
(5) It is our duty and interest to be found often before the throne of grace, waiting on the Lord in all the duties of His worship, secret, private and public.
(c) Our business and errand at the throne of grace should be: that we obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(d) That besides the daily dependence we have upon God for present supplies there are some seasons in which we shall most sensibly need the mercy and grace of God. We should therefore lay up prayers against such seasons, times of temptation, either by adversity or prosperity, and especially a dying time. We should every day put up a petition for mercy in our last day (2 Tim. i. 18).
(e) That in all our approaches to this throne of grace for mercy we should come with a humble freedom and boldness, with liberty of spirit and liberty of speech. We should ask in faith, nothing doubting. We should come with a spirit of adoption, as children, to a reconciled God and Father.
(f) That the office of Christ, as being our High Priest, and such a High Priest, should be the ground of our confidence in all our approaches to the throne of grace. We cannot go into the presence of God alone. We must either go in the hand of the mediator or our hearts and our hopes will fail us.
Jesus Christ is the object and ground of the believers' hope: (i) As He is entered within the veil to intercede with God in virtue of that sacrifice which He offered up without the veil, hope fastens upon His sacrifice and intercession.
(ii) As He is the forerunner of His people, gone within the veil to prepare a place for them, and to assure them that they shall follow Him, He is the earnest and first-fruits of believers, both in His resurrection and ascension.
(iii) As He abides there a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, He is a priest for ever, whose priesthood shall never cease,never fail, till it has accomplished its whole work and design, which is the full and final hope of all that have believed in Christ.
SERMON OUTLINE
THE ASCENSION
'THE PROMISE OF THE ASCENSION
(a) A Word of Caution (6) A Word of Comfort
Li:
THE RECORD OF THE ASCENSION (Acts ii.) (a) The Ascension of the Lord (i) From whence He ascended (ii) The witnesses of the ascension (iii) The farewell He gave them (iv) How He left them (v) How His ascension is described (6) The Wonder of the Disciples (c) The Message of the Angels (i) To check the disciples' curiosity (ii) To confirm the disciples' faith THE RESULTS OF THE ASCENSION
Lil.
(a) The Coming of the Holy Spirit to the Church (5) The Condemnation of the Jews THE MESSAGE OF THE ASCENSION
IV.
(a) In Regard to our Lord's Exaltation (6) In Regard to our Lord's Gifts to His Church (c) In Regard to our Lord's Priestly Office THE CHALLENGE OF THE ASCENSION (a) The Way to the Throne of Grace is Open (b) The Mercy of God is Freely Available (c) The Priesthood of Christ Guarantees Our Acceptance