“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:19-12)
 
Review
We are currently sharing about the ascension of Jesus Christ. Although the ascension of Jesus Christ does not occupy many pages in the Bible and is not a subject frequently dealt with in sermons, it is a very foundational and important doctrine in our understanding of who Jesus is.
 
The Meaning of the Ascension of Jesus Christ
1. Enthronement as the Ruler of All Creation
The ascension of Jesus Christ is the event where He is officially enthroned as the true King and Lord of the entire universe.
The Bible provides various images of Jesus. In the Scriptures, we find Jesus coming as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and as the suffering servant hanging on the cross, but that is not the entirety of Jesus' image depicted in the Bible.
We also see Jesus who overcame death and rose again, who was lifted high into heaven and is at the right hand of God, ruling this world as the King of kings.
That is the important message that the ascension of Jesus Christ gives us. It lets us know that Jesus rules this world with all the power and authority He received from God.
2. Jesus, Christ, the Eternal High Priest
In the last sermon, we shared about the second important theological meaning of the ascension of Jesus Christ. The ascension is also the event where He enters the true sanctuary in heaven as our eternal High Priest. The image and ministry of Jesus as the High Priest are well recorded in the Book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 8:1-2 says,
"Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being." (Heb 8:1-2) 
Here, the author of Hebrews explains by connecting the event of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven—namely, His ascension—with His becoming our High Priest. This is an important metaphor that tells us who Jesus is, what He has done for us, and also what He is doing right now.
After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, God led them to Mount Sinai and made a covenant with them there. And God gave them the Law to follow and told them to build the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a symbol of God's presence. However, it was also a symbol of the blocked wall between God and people.
In the tabernacle, there was a place where no one was allowed to enter. It was the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. Because that was the place where the direct presence of God dwelt, a sinner could not enter. The way leading to the Most Holy Place was blocked by a curtain. That curtain symbolized the blocked wall between God and people because of sin.
However, there was only one person who could enter the Most Holy Place. It was the High Priest. The High Priest entered the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement, when the sins and offenses of all the Israelites were forgiven. Yet, because he was also a sinner, he could not enter the Most Holy Place without any preparation.
On that day, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place three times. First, he went in with incense and made smoke so that it completely covered the top part of the Ark of the Covenant. This was because that part was the throne where God said He would sit. Second, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place with the blood of a bull and sprinkled it seven times on the atonement cover. This was to make atonement for his own sins.
What these two procedures implied was that, no matter how much of a High Priest he was, he was nothing more than a sinner before God who could not enter the Most Holy Place without such procedures.
Afterwards, finally, the High Priest slaughtered a goat, entered the Most Holy Place for the third time with its blood, and sprinkled the blood on the atonement cover. This was to make atonement for the sins of all the people of Israel.
This was the most important duty given to the High Priest. However, even after the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement and sprinkled the blood of the goat on the atonement cover to forgive the sins of all the Israelites, the curtain still remained. And the Day of Atonement was repeated every year.
This shows that the efficacy of the sacrifices offered by the High Priest with the blood of bulls and goats was not perfect enough to completely remove sin, and that the way to cross the curtain and enter the Most Holy Place to come before the presence of God had not yet opened.
Hebrews 9:7-8 says,
"But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning." (Heb 9:7-8) 
However, the Gospel is that Jesus Christ came as our eternal High Priest to accomplish a perfect and eternal atonement for our sins, completing our redemption once for all through His own blood and death rather than the blood of goats, and entered the true Most Holy Place in heaven, not the sanctuary on this earth which is a mere shadow.
Hebrews 10:12 says,
"But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God," (Heb 10:12)
This short verse explains three reasons why Jesus Christ is far more excellent than all the high priests who existed in the history of Israel combined.
First, Jesus was without sin and therefore His atonement was perfect, making Him superior to the high priests of the past. While the sacrifices offered by all the high priests of the past had only a 'temporary' effect, the sacrifice offered by Jesus had an 'eternal' effect.
Hebrews 9:12 says,
"He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption." (Heb 9:12)
Second, Jesus is superior to all the high priests of the Old Testament because He is at the right hand of God's throne not in a tabernacle built by human hands, but in the true tabernacle set up by God.
Lastly, Jesus is superior to all high priests because He lives forever. There was only one High Priest at a time, but there were numerous high priests throughout the entire history of Israel. The reason was that they could not continue to carry out the office of High Priest due to the limitations of their flesh and death. But Jesus is the one who lives forever. Therefore, His ministry as High Priest is also eternal.
 
This is Jesus Christ, the eternal High Priest we have. Because He is without sin, the atonement He accomplished through the blood of the cross is perfect, and its effect is eternal. He serves in the better tabernacle of heaven and sits at the right hand of God. Lastly, furthermore, He lives forever, so He can be with us and help us eternally.
This is the reason why we must consider the ascension of Jesus Christ important, celebrate it, and meditate on its meaning. If the cross is the event where Jesus paid the price for our sins, and the resurrection is the event where God officially recognized that the price was sufficient, then the ascension is the event where Jesus, as our eternal High Priest, officially crossed the curtain, entered the sanctuary in heaven, and sat at the right hand of God's throne.
 
The Ministry of Christ as High Priest
All right. Starting from today, I would like to talk about the ministries that Jesus Christ does for us as High Priest. The author of Hebrews organizes this into four ministries. First, Jesus reconciles us with God. Second, Jesus intercedes for us. Third, Jesus helps us. And lastly, Jesus rules us with His faithfulness. Now, let us jump into each area.
 
1. Christ Who Reconciles
First, Jesus Christ reconciles us with God as our High Priest. The word reconciliation has a deeper meaning than the word forgiveness. What do you think salvation is? Some Christians say that salvation is the forgiveness of sins. Other Christians say that salvation is entering the Kingdom of God.
Both answers are correct. Salvation includes both the forgiveness of sins and entering the Kingdom of God to enjoy eternal life. However, we cannot capture the full meaning of salvation with only the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This is because the true meaning of salvation is precisely becoming reconciled with God.
The forgiveness of sins is nothing more than a condition for this. Since no sinner can stand before the holy God, a sinner must first be forgiven of their sins and made righteous in order to be reconciled with God. That is what Jesus did. Because Jesus knew that we could not pay the price of sin on our own, He paid that price of sin, opening the way for us to receive forgiveness of sins through faith in Him and be made righteous freely.
However, the forgiveness of sins was not the ultimate purpose of Jesus' death on the cross. What Jesus wanted to achieve through His death on the cross was to reconcile us with God. The forgiveness of sins was nothing more than a necessary prerequisite for this.
We can discover this in the two names of Jesus as well. The meaning of the name Jesus is the one who will save his people from their sins. However, another name of Jesus prophesied in the Old Testament is Immanuel. It means God is with us. When we connect the meanings of these two names, the purpose that Jesus wants to achieve through the death and suffering of the cross is clearly seen. It is to reconcile us with God by saving us from sin and making us righteous.
Peter wrote this in his first letter:
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Pet 3:18)
 
Then, what does it mean more specifically that we have been reconciled with God? It means that we have gained the qualification to enter the Most Holy Place in heavenly tabernacle and come before the throne of God boldly.
This is something that truly makes no sense when viewed from an Old Testament mindset. As mentioned earlier, the Most Holy Place in the Old Testament was a forbidden zone. It was a place where only the High Priest could enter one day a year, and even then, he could enter only after passing strict conditions such as burning incense and sprinkling the blood of a calf on the atonement cover. The Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place was an object so dangerous that anyone other than a Levite would die just by touching it. Furthermore, that Most Holy Place was not even the real one. It was a mere shadow of the true sanctuary in heaven.
Yet, what Jesus does as our High Priest is to enable us to enter the sanctuary in heaven and come before God's throne, not into a sanctuary built by human hands. That is a tremendous blessing that is unimaginable from an Old Testament perspective.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 2,
"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," (Eph 2:4-6) 
Here, four things that God did for us through Christ are written. God caused our old self to die, made us alive again, raised us up, and seated us in heaven. This matches exactly with the four core ministries of Jesus Christ—namely, His death on the cross, resurrection, ascension, and seating in heaven. What Paul is saying is that all those things Christ experienced were for us, and when we believe in Him, all those things become our spiritual reality.
When we believe in Jesus Christ, we experience death. Just as He died on the cross, we also, united with His death, have our old self and sinful desires crucified and put to death on the cross.
The Apostle Paul stated in Romans 6:4 that "we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death" (Rom 6:4) and in verse 6 he said, "our old self was crucified with him"  (Rom 6:6) and in Galatians 5:24 he wrote, "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Gal 5:24)
But death is not the end here. It is merely the first step for the beginning of a new life. By believing in Jesus Christ, we become united not only with His death but also with His resurrection life. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:5:
"For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Rom 6:5)
Most Christians are well aware of these two meanings. However, this is not the entirety of the meaning of the reconciliation with God that Christ gives us. There are still two more stages left.
The third thing God did for us through Christ is to raise us up with Him. When many people read this part, they confuse this expression 'raise up' as another expression for resurrection. But it is not. Paul already used a clear expression for resurrection by saying 'God made us alive with Christ when we were dead.'
Therefore, that God 'raised us up' with Christ must be interpreted in connection with His ascension, not the resurrection. After rising again, Jesus Christ entered the Kingdom of God by ascending into heaven.
In this way, by raising us up with Him, God made us those who hold citizenship in the Kingdom of God and let us to enter the heavenly sanctuary.
Hebrews 9:24 says,
"For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence." (Heb 9:24)
The author of Hebrews says that Christ entered heaven and appeared before God 'for us.' Christ did not enter the heavenly sanctuary alone. Now, all those who believe in Him can also enter the heavenly sanctuary with Him and come before the throne of God. We too have spiritually participated in Christ's ascension.
Hebrews 6:19-20 also proclaims the same truth.
"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…” (Heb 6:19-20) 
Here, the author of Hebrews says that Jesus became our High Priest and entered behind the curtain 'on our behalf' and 'as our forerunner.' That means, if we believe in and follow Him, we also can cross the curtain with Him and reach the heavenly Most Holy Place.
 
Lastly, Hebrews 10:19 through 22 says,
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb 10:19-22)
Here, the expression that we have come to enter the sanctuary by relying on the precious blood of Jesus Christ appears more directly. This means that the ascension of Jesus Christ is a spiritual blessing given equally to those who believe in Him.
This is the true appearance of the reconciliation that Christ wanted to accomplish. It goes beyond simple forgiveness of sins and reconciles us with God. It means that, beyond merely dying to our old person and living as a new person, we boldly go out to the throne of God in the heavenly sanctuary and dwell in His presence. What a great blessing this is!
We were those who could not dare to enter even the sanctuary set up on this earth, which is a mere shadow of the true heavenly sanctuary. This was because our sin blocked our relationship with God.
But now, we have gained confidence to enter the heavenly sanctuary. The curtain has been removed, and the way has been opened. Now, not by our strength, ability, or righteousness, but relying only on the blood of Jesus and relying on His righteousness, we can follow behind Jesus—our eternal High Priest who goes ahead of us—and go out to God.
That is the reason why Jesus said that He is the only way through which we can go to God. That is the reason why there is no other name under heaven given to us by which we must be saved except the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ becomes the new and only living way that allows us to enter the Most Holy Place with confidence and have an intimate relationship with God the Father.
Today, despite our weakness, sinfulness, and unworthiness, the reason we can sit in this place of worship, call God our Father, and boldly go out into His presence is solely because that unique channel called the name of Jesus is open to us.
At this time, I want us to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ once again. If you are struggling with your own worthlessness, or if you think you are not qualified to come to God, the only advice I can give you is to look at Jesus Christ. We can never stand before God by our own strength. We cannot go out to the Most Holy Place where God's throne is by our own righteousness.
However, when we believe in and welcome Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Lord of our lives, and when we move forward relying on His precious blood, we too can follow Christ—who entered the Most Holy Place for us and ahead of us—and boldly go out before the throne of God. Only Jesus becomes our way, our truth, and our life.
I bless your lives to always live in victory amidst an intimate and reconciled relationship with God by believing in and relying on Him.
Let us pray.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, rich in mercy and boundless in love, we bow before You with hearts full of gratitude. Thank You for revealing to us today the glorious depth of Your salvation. We praise You that Your ultimate purpose in the death of Jesus Christ was not merely to wipe away our sins, but to reconcile us completely to Yourself—bringing us out of the darkness of separation and into the light of Your eternal presence.
Lord, we marvel at the reality of our union with Christ. We proclaim that that when He died, our old self and sinful desires were crucified with Him and that when He rose, we were united with His resurrection life.
And today, we especially praise You for the reality of His ascension—that You did not leave us in this dark world, but You have raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms. Thank You for giving us our true citizenship in heaven and allowing us to spiritually participate in His heavenly victory.
Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have struggled with our own unworthiness and allowed our flaws to keep us at a distance from You. Remind us daily that the curtain has been torn, the barrier has been removed, and a new and living way has been opened through the body of Jesus.
We thank You that we do not stand here on our own merit, but we enter the Most Holy Place boldly, relying solely on the precious blood of our eternal High Priest, who has gone before us on our behalf.
We proclaim that Jesus Christ is our only Way, our only Truth, and our only Life. Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus alone.
May we live each day in victory, walking in deep intimacy with You.
We commit our lives into Your hands. In the precious and mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen
 
[Reflection Questions]
1. That Jesus Christ reconciles us with God means that, beyond mere forgiveness of sins, our identity and belonging have been completely transformed. It means that we have been enabled to enter the Most Holy Place in heaven and come before the throne of God. How are you currently enjoying this reconciled relationship with God that Jesus Christ has accomplished? What hinders you from doing so, and how can you overcome it?
 
2. To believe in Jesus Christ means that all the things He has done—His death, resurrection, ascension, and seating in heaven—become your own spiritual reality. Among these four aspects of union, which one do you need most in your life right now?

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:19-12)
 
Review
We are currently sharing about the ascension of Jesus Christ. Although the ascension of Jesus Christ does not occupy many pages in the Bible and is not a subject frequently dealt with in the sermons of the church, it is a very foundational and important doctrine in understanding who Jesus is.
 
The Meaning of the Ascension of Jesus Christ
1. Enthronement as the Ruler of All Things
Last week, we talked about the first theological meaning of Jesus' ascension. The ascension of Jesus is the event where He is officially enthroned as the true King and Lord of the entire universe.
The Bible provides many images of Jesus. Among them, the most familiar image to us is probably Jesus on the cross. Jesus came to this earth in the form of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, in the form of a weak baby, and in the form of the suffering servant prophesied in the book of Isaiah, in order to pay the price for our sins instead and rescue us from sin and death.
It is very important for us to know about these images of Jesus. Because it explains the purpose for which the Son of God emptied Himself and came to this earth, and what kind of beings we have become because of it.
But what we must also know is that these images are not the entirety of Jesus' appearance recorded in the Bible. The Bible also depicts Jesus as the One who overcame death and triumphed, and the One who rules this world with the authority and power of the King of kings and the name that is above every name. And what shows this best is precisely the ascension.
In Philippians chapter 2, after recording the humility, lowering, and obedience of Jesus Christ unto death on a cross, the apostle Paul stated that God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that every knee should bow before Him and every tongue acknowledge that He is Lord.
Here, saying that God exalted Jesus to the highest place does not simply mean that He gave Him honor and glory. It means that God actually raised Him up to the highest place, which refers to the ascension of Jesus.
 
Paul also wrote something similar in Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 1, Paul prayed that the eyes of the hearts of the saints in the Ephesian church would be enlightened so that they might know the incomparably great power of God toward them, and revealed how that power was manifested in the life of Jesus Christ.
God's great power was evidenced primarily through raising Jesus Christ from the dead, and subsequently through exalting Him to heaven and seating Him at His right hand. That power is a divine authority that only God possesses. It is a tremendous power that we cannot even dare to imagine.
However, Paul went further than that and said that the amazing divine power of God revealed through the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ is operating in the same way for believers. Ephesians 2:4-6 says,
“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” (Eph 2:4-6) 
The death, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of God of Jesus Christ are not events that apply only to Him. It is also a spiritual reality that believers who have been united with Him through faith experience and enjoy.
Our believing in Jesus Christ is fundamentally a matter of passing through death. It is to kill the old self. It is to cast away the way we used to live in sin and passion before. It is to deny myself and take up my cross.
But our believing in Jesus Christ also means that we participate in His resurrection. Now we live in the likeness of the new self He has given us, with our relationship with God reconciled and the image of God restored. That is the new creation and the rebirth spoken of in the Bible.
That is what we confess when we are baptized. Full immersion baptism shows our faith that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again for our sins, and also our determination to live by participating in His death and resurrection.
 
Many Christians know up to this point very well. We celebrate this every year at Christmas and Easter. But that is not all. Paul says that God not only made us alive with Jesus Christ when we were dead because of sin, but also 'raised us up' with Him and seated us with Him in heaven.
This is a truly amazing expression. Here, the expression 'made alive' refers to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the expression 'raised up' refers to His ascension.
In other words, what Paul is saying here is that we have become one not only with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but even with His ascension and seating in heaven. That’s because the exact same power that raised Jesus Christ from death, exalted Him high, and seated Him on the heavenly throne is operating right now in the lives of believers.
That is the spiritual blessing and authority we enjoy in Jesus Christ even at this very moment. We have received the authority to rule this earth together with Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
This is the very wonderful meaning that the ascension of Jesus Christ gives us. That is the reason why we must consider important and commemorate not only the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also His ascension.
Our believing in Jesus means that we accept all the appearances revealed about Him in the Bible as truth. We must believe in the entirety of Him—not only the appearances when He first came to this earth 2,000 years ago, but also His resurrected appearance, His ascended appearance, His appearance seated at the right hand of the throne of God, and also His appearance to come again. Choosing and believing only the appearance we want among them is not half a faith, but a false faith.
Therefore, recognizing Jesus only as a Savior and not acknowledging Him as a Lord cannot be a true faith. Because that is denying Jesus who ascended into heaven and is still sitting at the right hand of God, ruling over all creation. The faith that God wants us to have is not a faith that picks and accepts only what is comfortable for us to believe, but a true faith that believes and follows all the truths recorded in the Bible regarding His Son.
 
2. Christ Becoming the Eternal High Priest
Today, I would like to share with you about the second important theological meaning of the ascension of Jesus Christ. Along with His enthronement as the King of kings, the ascension of Jesus is the event where He enters the true heavenly sanctuary as our eternal High Priest. We can confirm this in the book of Hebrews.
I personally like the book of Hebrews because it does a great job explaining who Jesus is and what He does. The author of Hebrews shows how closely related Jesus' ministry of salvation is to that of the high priest in the Old Testament.
 
Hebrews 8:1-2 says,
“Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.” (Heb 8:1-2) 
Here, the author of Hebrews explains Jesus Christ's ascension by linking it with His ministry as a high priest. In the Old Testament, high priests served in the earthly tabernacle built by human hands.
But the new High Priest we have now, Jesus Christ, does not serve in an earthly sanctuary. He is serving in the true tabernacle in heaven set up by God Himself, not by a human being.
Then the question arises. What does Jesus do as our high priest? What does that mean for us Christians today?
In order to understand Jesus' role as our high priest, we first need to know what the tabernacle was and what high priests did there.
 
The Tabernacle
According to Exodus, after the Israelites came out of Egypt, God led them to Mount Sinai. And God made a covenant with them there. Afterward, God called Moses up the mountain, where He gave him the law that the Israelites needed to follow as His people, including the Ten Commandments.
At that time, one of the commands God gave to Moses was precisely to make the tabernacle. God said,
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” (Ex 25:8-9)
God wanted to dwell among the Israelites and speak with them. So God showed Moses how to make the tabernacle. The tabernacle served as a powerful symbol of God's presence.
The most important place in the tabernacle was the sanctuary. The sanctuary consisted of two rooms divided by a curtain. The first place was called 'the Holy Place,' and only priests could enter. It housed the golden lampstand, the table of bread, and the altar of incense.
Behind the Holy Place was 'the Most Holy Place.' It was the most holy place because God's direct presence was there. The ark of the covenant was inside, and God said that He would speak with His people there.
 
Hebrews chapter 9 describes these details well.
“Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant... Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover... When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry.” (Heb 9:1-6) 
Just as the author of Hebrews says, the sanctuary was divided into two spaces by a curtain. Priests could enter the first room on a regular basis, but they could not enter the second room, the Most Holy Place. Because it was the place where God's direct presence was.
However, there was one person who could enter the Most Holy Place. It was the high priest. Hebrews chapter 9 continues to say this.
“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” (Heb 9:7)
What the author of Hebrews is explaining here is the Day of Atonement. Why did the high priest enter the Most Holy Place once a year, on this Day of Atonement?
 
The Day of Atonement
We can find specific regulations for the Day of Atonement in Leviticus chapter 16.
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest enters the Most Holy Place three times.
First, he enters the Most Holy Place with burning coals and fragrant incense. He put the incense on the fire to make smoke, and he burned the incense until the smoke concealed the atonement cover, the Mercy Seat, above the ark of the testimony. The reason the high priest concealed the Mercy Seat with incense like this was because it was the throne where God directly was present and sat.
Leviticus 16:13 says,
“He is to put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the tablets of the covenant law, so that he will not die.” (Lv 16:13)
After that, the high priest came out and entered the Most Holy Place for the second time with the blood of a bull. He had to take the blood of the bull and sprinkle it on the atonement cover with his finger seven times. This was to make atonement for the high priest's own sin.
Then he came out of the room again. And after he slaughtered a goat, he entered the Most Holy Place for the third time with its blood and sprinkled the blood on the atonement cover. This was to make atonement for all the sins of the Israelites.
Leviticus 16:15 and 16 say this.
“He shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and take its blood behind the curtain and do with it as he did with the bull’s blood: He shall sprinkle it on the atonement cover and in front of it. In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been...” (Lv 16:15-16)
This was the most important sequence on the Day of Atonement. Because through this ritual, all the sins, uncleanness, and rebellion of the Israelites were forgiven.
 
This is exactly what the high priest did on the Day of Atonement. Although the high priest had many duties and responsibilities, his most important mission was to go into the Most Holy Place with the blood of a goat and sprinkle it on the atonement cover in order to offer a sacrifice that makes atonement for the sins of the entire people.
However, even though all the sins of the Israelites were forgiven on the Day of Atonement, this sacrifice had to be repeated every year. The fact that the Day of Atonement had to be kept every year shows that those sacrifices were not perfect.
 
Hebrews 10:4 and 11 say,
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins... Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” (Heb 10:4, 11)
Even though countless high priests offered a vast number of bulls and goats every year throughout the history of Israel, it could never perfectly wash away the sins of the Israelites.
Despite the numerous sacrifices, the curtain still remained. The people still could not enter the Most Holy Place where God's direct presence was. It shows that their relationship with God had not yet been fully restored and that the high priest's ministry of atonement through the blood of goats was not perfect.
Hebrews 9:7-8 says,
“But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.” (Heb 9:7-8) 
 
Jesus Christ Becoming the Eternal High Priest
But the good news, the gospel, is that Jesus Christ came into this world as our eternal High Priest to accomplish a perfect and everlasting atonement for our sins, paid the price for our sins instead, and entered not into the earthly Most Holy Place which is merely a shadow, but into the true heavenly Most Holy Place with His own blood, not the blood of goats.
 
Hebrews 10:12 says,
“But when this priest had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,” (Heb 10:12)
In this short verse, we can find three reasons why Jesus Christ is superior to all the high priests who existed in the history of Israel.
 
First, Jesus is superior to past high priests because He was sinless and therefore His atonement was perfect.
In this verse, the author of Hebrews describes Jesus Christ's ascension and the event of Him sitting at the right hand of God as the completion and result of His ministry of atonement. Previously, describing the ministry of the numerous high priests who existed in the Old Testament era, the author of Hebrews says that day after day they 'stand' and serve, repeating the same sacrifices.
However, Jesus, who offered Himself as a sacrifice through the cross, is no longer standing. He is sitting down. What this seating implies is completion. It shows that the sacrifice Jesus offered was perfect, and through it, salvation has been eternally completed.
 
Hebrews 7:26 and 27 say,
“Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” (Heb 7:26-27) 
Hebrews 9:12 also says,
“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” (Heb 9:12)
 
Second, the reason Jesus is superior is that the place where He now serves as the high priest is not a tabernacle built by human hands on this earth, but the true tabernacle set up by God Himself, namely the heavenly tabernacle.
The author of Hebrews says that after Jesus offered a single sacrifice for sins for all time, He is sitting at the right hand of God. That place is where the true throne of God is, that is, the heavenly tabernacle.
 
Let us read the word from Hebrews chapter 8 again.
“Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.” (Heb 8:1-2) 
Hebrews 9:11-12 also says,
“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” (Heb 9:11-12) 
 
Lastly, the reason Jesus is superior to all high priests is that He lives forever and is One who can always help us.
Hebrews 7:23 through 25 say,
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Heb 7:23-25) 
In the Old Testament, there was only one high priest in a given era, but there were numerous high priests throughout the entire history of Israel. The reason was that due to their physical limitations and death, they could not carry out the office of high priest for a long time. When one high priest died, the next high priest was established. And this continued on and on.
But Jesus is different. He is the One who remains forever. Therefore, His ministry as a high priest is also eternal. He does not have any physical limitations. Therefore, He can always intercede for us, He can help us at any time, and He can save us completely.
 
This is the very High Priest we have, Jesus Christ. Since He is sinless, His atonement is perfect. He serves in the better heavenly tabernacle and sits at the right hand of God. Lastly and furthermore, He lives forever and is able to help us and save us.
Paul says that we died, were made alive, were raised up, and sat at the right hand of God together with this Jesus Christ. This means that spiritually, we have also become those who entered the heavenly sanctuary where God's direct presence is, where His throne is.
 
Hebrews 9:24 says,
“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” (Heb 9:24)
It says that Christ entered heaven 'for us' and appeared before God. What that implies is that we have also become able to enter the heavenly sanctuary and appear before God, following Jesus Christ who went ahead of us and together with Him.
 
Hebrews 6:19-20 also proclaims the same truth.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb 6:19-20) 
 
Here, the author of Hebrews says that Jesus has entered 'as a forerunner.' He did not enter alone. He became the forerunner of our journey of faith. He opened the way to the heavenly sanctuary on our behalf, and entered there first so that we who follow Him could also enter the Most Holy Place together with Him.
 
Let us read Hebrews 10:19 through 22 together for the last time.
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:19-22)
 
We were those who could not even dare to enter the sanctuary set up on this earth, which was merely a shadow of the true heavenly sanctuary because our sins blocked our relationship with God. That is what the curtain implies.
But now, we have obtained confidence to enter the heavenly sanctuary. The curtain has been removed, and the way is opened. Now, not by our own strength, ability, or righteousness, but solely by relying on the blood of Jesus, relying on His righteousness, and depending on Him who is our eternal High Priest who always helps us, we are able to follow behind Him and draw near to God. What an amazing blessing this is!
He is the new and only living way that He opened so that we could enter the Most Holy Place with confidence and have an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.
 
All of these are what the ascension of Jesus Christ means. The ascension is the event where Jesus Christ, as the eternal High Priest of us all, completed salvation with His own blood and entered the true sanctuary in heaven.
He is alive even now and is helping us. He is defending us and interceding for us. When we rely on Him, there is nothing to fear. He is the Only Way, the Truth, and the Hope through whom we can reach the heavenly Father.
Today, I want us to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, who overcame death, rose again, ascended, and became our eternal High Priest to enter the heavenly sanctuary ahead of us on our behalf. And I want us to live victoriously, relying on His help. Let us pray together.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You so much for the grace of the ascension of Jesus Christ. We praise You for exalting Him to the highest place and establishing Him as the true King of kings and Lord of lords over the entire universe.
Lord, forgive us for the times when we had a half-faith, seeking Jesus only as our Savior but failing to submit to Him as the Lord of our lives. Help us to truly acknowledge His sovereign rule over our lives every single day.
We also thank You, Jesus, for becoming our eternal High Priest. Thank You for offering the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice with Your own precious blood on the cross, and for entering the true heavenly sanctuary on our behalf. Thank You for becoming our forerunner and ripping the curtain open, giving us the full confidence to enter the Most Holy Place and draw near to the heavenly Father.
Even at this very moment, we find peace in knowing that You are alive, sitting at the right hand of God, interceding and defending us in all our weaknesses. As we go back into the world, help us to fix our eyes on You, our ascended King and perfect High Priest. May we live victoriously every single day, relying on Your divine power and infinite help.
In Jesus' mighty and holy name, we pray. Amen.
 
[Reflection Questions]
1. What does the ascension of Jesus Christ and His eternal High Priesthood speak to you personally? In what practical ways does this glorious truth bring deep comfort, unshakeable hope, and holy boldness into the midst of your current life situations and struggles?
 
2. The sermon highlighted three reasons for the superiority of Jesus Christ as our High Priest: His perfect atonement, His eternal priesthood, and His ministry in the true heavenly sanctuary. Among these three powerful attributes, which one do you feel your soul needs to lay hold of and rely on the most right now?
 
3. Are you currently stepping into the Most Holy Place with Jesus Christ to enjoy a deeply intimate relationship with God, or are you still hesitating and keeping your distance from Him? What specific barriers are blocking you from drawing near, and how can you overcome them to step boldly before the throne of grace today?

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:8-11)
 
Review
Last week, we began talking about the ascension of Jesus Christ. The Bible records that after He rose from the dead, Jesus stayed with His disciples for 40 days before being taken up into heaven. Since the day Jesus rose from the dead was a Sunday, the ascension occurred on the 40th day after that, which was a Thursday. Therefore, in Christianity, this day is called Ascension Thursday, and the ascension of Jesus Christ is commemorated on this day. Last Thursday was Ascension Thursday. So today, following up on last week, we would like to continue sharing the Word about this ascension.
In the last session, we looked at how the ascension of Jesus Christ was prophesied in the Bible and how it was actually fulfilled. Although the proportion of space given to the ascension in the Bible is not large compared to the cross or the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the ascension appears in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. It holds a central position in Christology, especially regarding His Lordship, Kingship, and ultimate status as the Judge.
David wrote in Psalms 68:18:
"When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious—that you, the LORD God, might dwell there." (Ps 68:18)
This brings to mind a scene where a king, after winning a battle, takes his enemies captive, gathers plunder from them, and then distributes it to his people. David foresaw that the coming Messiah would win the battle and rule as King in this manner.
This prophecy was fulfilled after Jesus rose from the dead, defeated the enemy Satan and the power of death, ascended into heaven, and distributed the gift of the Holy Spirit to His people. The Apostle Paul quoted Psalm 68 and wrote:
"This is why it says: 'When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.' (What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)" (Eph 4:8-10)
David described the ascension of the Messiah in another psalm, Psalm 110:1:
"The LORD says to my lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'" (Ps 110:1)
What is emphasized here is that the Messiah will sit at the right hand of God after His ascension. This shows that the Messiah, as King and Lord, will have equal authority, strength, and power with God.
Daniel also saw a vision given by God and wrote:
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not be passed away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." (Da 7:13-14)
Here appears the most direct description of the Messiah's ascension and His enthronement as King. And when Jesus was interrogated by the high priest, He referred to Himself as the 'Son of Man' in this passage.
"But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Mt 26:64)
After Jesus rose from the dead, He was taken up into heaven on a cloud and led into the presence of the Ancient of Days, God. Then God seated Him at the right hand of His throne, gave Him the name that is above every name, and gave Him all authority, glory, and sovereign power. In this way, the vision Daniel saw was fulfilled through the resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
Peter watched the entire process from the time Jesus began His ministry, to His arrest, death, resurrection, and ascension right by His side. And he wrote:
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit... who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." (1Pe 3:18-22) 
This is the biblical record concerning the ascension of Jesus Christ. The prophecies regarding the ascension were recorded in the Old Testament by David 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus, and about 600 years prior during the exile by Daniel. And those prophecies were accurately fulfilled through the life of Jesus Christ at the time appointed by God.
The fulfillment by Jesus is not an event that occurred by chance. It occurred at God's precise time, through His wonderful wisdom and power, within His elaborate plan for the salvation of mankind. That is the reason why we, who read the account of the ascension of Jesus Christ recorded in the Bible, offer up glory and honor to God.
 
The Meaning of the Ascension of Jesus Christ
Today, let us continue our conversation about the ascension of Jesus. What theological meaning does the ascension of Jesus hold, and how can we apply it to our lives?
 
1. Enthronement as the Ruler of All Things
The ascension of Jesus is an event like a coronation ceremony, where He is enthroned as the true King and Master of the entire universe. The ascension is not merely a relocation from earth to heaven, but an event that declares that Jesus received all authority as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5-8:
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" (Php 2:5-8)
What Paul emphasizes here is the humility of Jesus Christ. He is in very nature God. When God created all things, Jesus was His Word, and He is the firstborn over all creation. Jesus is one with God, and He is God Himself.
However, Jesus laid down all that heavenly authority and humbled Himself. He took the form of a servant and descended to the lowest place on this earth. God, who created the whole world, was born in a human body and laid in the manger of a nameless stable. This was so that by His becoming poor, He might make us rich; by His being humbled, He might exalt us; and by His becoming a servant, He might make us children of God.
Thus, when Jesus first came into this world, He came in the form of a servant, as a weak lamb carrying all the sins of this world. That is why John the Baptist saw Jesus and said, "...Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29).
This humility of Jesus, His appearance as a servant, and His suffering were already prophesied in the Book of Isaiah. Various prophets in the Old Testament spoke about the coming Messiah. But what is unique about Isaiah is that he portrayed the Messiah as a suffering servant.
Isaiah chapter 53 is a representative chapter of this. He wrote in verses 2-3:
"He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem." (Isa 53:2-3) 
Jesus came with no beauty, majesty, or anything desirable in His appearance. Therefore, He was despised by people and rejected. The One who is most worthy to receive honor and glory in this world came to be despised by His own creation.
And going further from here, Jesus bore all our infirmities, carried our sorrows, and endured punishment and suffering from God in our place, on our behalf.
The prophet Isaiah wrote in verse 11:
"After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities." (Isa 53:11)
Just as this Word prophesied, Jesus personally bore the sins of all people, and through His labor and suffering, He opened the way for many people to be justified before God. That is why Isaiah called this Messiah 'God's righteous servant.' In this way, Isaiah is special in that it portrayed the Messiah as God's suffering servant, unlike other Old Testament prophets.
And exactly according to this Word, Jesus came to this earth in the form of a servant, bore all our sins and burdens in His flesh, was rejected by God and man, endured all kinds of contempt and pain, and died on the cross as the lamb that takes away the sin of the world. This is the image of Jesus that we meditate on during the Lenten season or Passion Week.
However, the important thing is that this is not the entire picture of Jesus recorded in the Bible. The image of the suffering servant, the lamb bearing the sins of the world, is an image of Jesus we must remember and be grateful for, but it is not everything.
After writing about the humility of Jesus Christ and His lowering of Himself in the first half of Philippians 2, Paul continued to write:
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Php 2:9-11)
Here we face a huge plot twist. Jesus came to this earth in the appearance of a suffering servant, but God did not leave Him in that state. After Jesus finished the ministry of bearing all human sins and dying on the cross, God exalted Him to the highest place. He gave Him the name that is above every name, caused every knee to bow before that name, and caused every tongue to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
Now Jesus no longer remains in the appearance of a suffering servant. That work has already passed. That work has already been completed. Currently, Jesus has completed all those works and rules this world as the King of kings and Lord of lords, with all the authority, power, glory, and honor that God gave Him. That is the other side of Him that we see in the ascension of Jesus Christ.
Similar content is recorded in the latter part of Ephesians 1. Here, a prayer that Paul prays for the saints of the Ephesus church is written. I will read Ephesians 1:16-23 to you:
"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is imperiled, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Eph 1:16-23) 
In this wonderful prayer, Paul asks that through the work of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation—namely, the Holy Spirit—the saints of the Ephesus church may come to know God and that their hearts may be enlightened. And as a result, Paul asks that the saints of the Ephesus church may come to know three things.
First, Paul prayed that they would know what the hope of His calling is. This refers to the hope that God placed in our hearts when He called us to be believers in Jesus Christ. It refers to our participation in the resurrection of Jesus Christ to become like Him and our inheritance of the Kingdom of God that He is currently preparing in heaven.
Second, Paul prayed that they would know what the riches of His glorious inheritance are. Here, the inheritance refers to the Kingdom of God. Paul was praying that they would know the glory and richness of the Kingdom of God, so that they could live enduring present sufferings in hope.
What I want to focus on today is the third part. Third, Paul prayed that they would know how great the power God bestowed upon them is. And Paul described the greatness of that power in the following part.
The great power of God worked in Christ to raise Him from among the dead. What is being spoken of here is God's resurrection power. But it does not end here. The power of God not only brought Jesus Christ back to life from death, but also seated Him at His right hand and gave Him the name that is above every name.
Thus, the great power of God was evidenced through the resurrection, which raised Jesus Christ from death, and through the ascension, which raised Him to heaven and seated Him at the right hand of the throne. And Paul says that this power has been bestowed even now upon the saints who believe in Jesus Christ. In other words, if we believe in Jesus, we also participate in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ through the power of God working identically within us.
What an amazing declaration this is. Therefore, the ascension of Jesus Christ is also our spiritual reality right now. Paul wrote in the very next chapter, Ephesians 2:
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath." (Eph 2:1-3) 
Here too, we see the wonder of God's power, grace, and love. That grace and power were sufficient to completely transform our status. We were originally dead in transgressions and sins. Deceived by Satan, we thought the ways of this world were the truth and lived following them. In that way, we lived as slaves to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, that evil spirit working among the sons of disobedience. Also, we spent time following our cravings.
This was our appearance when we were outside of Christ. No hope or promise is visible here. Only despair and death are completely full.
But we see another amazing plot twist in the very next three verses. Paul continued to write:
"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," (Eph 2:4-6) 
God did not abandon us in death. We were beings who deserved to receive God's wrath, but God poured out His wrath not on us, but on His Son. In that way, God made us His children by crucifying His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to death.
That is God's mercy and God's love. With that great love, and also with God's unmeasurable power, He made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in sins and transgressions. Not only that, God raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
This is truly an amazing declaration. What Paul is saying right now is that the wonderful events of resurrection and ascension, which God did to Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago, are spiritually happening identically even now to us who believe in Him. This is because the power of God that worked in Jesus Christ—His love, grace, and mercy—is working in our lives even now.
This is our changed status at present. We are no longer of a status dead in transgressions and sins. We are no longer of a servant status dragged around by the ruler of the kingdom of the air. We are no longer objects of God's wrath.
Now we are loved children of God. We are saints who participated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not only that, we have now been united with the spiritually ascended Jesus Christ, becoming those who are already seated together on the heavenly throne with Him. That means we also have come to enjoy together the authority and power He received from God.
If the ascension of Jesus is an event where the Lord ended all sufferings of this earth and was enthroned as the King of heaven, our sitting with Him in heaven is the confirmation that the Lord's victory, glory, and ruling authority have become 'mine.'
Although our bodies still live stepping on this earth, spiritually we are already sitting at the right hand of the Kingdom of God's throne along with the ascended Jesus. This is the very amazing meaning that the ascension of Jesus Christ gives to us. By believing in Jesus Christ, we are united also in His death, resurrection, and ascension, holding the authority He received from God along with Him, and becoming beings who rule this earth along with Him.
The ultimate appearance of this is shown in Revelation 20:6:
"Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Re 20:6)
This is our changed status. We are no longer servants. We have become beings who reign along with Jesus Christ, the King of kings.
 
Christ the Lord
This is also an image of Jesus that we must consider important. When Jesus first came to this earth, He came in the appearance of a weak baby laid in a manger, as God's suffering servant, and as the lamb carrying the sins of the world.
What these images show us is Jesus as Savior. Jesus' coming in the flesh, His bearing of all our sins, and His enduring of suffering were all to save us from sin.
Of course, these images are so precious and are parts we must be grateful for, but we must not look at Jesus only through these images. We must also look at the Lord who overcame death and rose by the power of God. And we must look at Jesus Christ who was taken up into heaven by the same power, received all authority and power of God, and sat at the right hand of God's throne as King of kings, Lord of lords, holding the name that is above every name.
What these second images show us is Jesus as 'Lord.' He becomes not only our Savior but also our Lord. These two can never be divided. Just as Jesus and Christ cannot be divided, Jesus as Savior and Jesus as King and Master must never be separated. If He really overcame death and rose, if He really ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of God's throne, and if we really believe all of this, we must surely acknowledge and welcome Jesus not only as Savior but as the true Master and King of our lives.
When we do so, we will experience the wonderful power of God. That power which raised Jesus Christ from among the dead and took Him up to heaven will work in our lives. That power will cause us to live righteously in union with the resurrection of Jesus Christ right now on this earth, and also cause us to live ruling this earth confidently as citizens of the Kingdom of God in union with the King Jesus Christ, who was taken up to heaven and sits ruling on the throne of God.
Today, I want us to look at this Lord. I hope we look at Jesus, who becomes the true Master and King of our lives, and furthermore, of all nations and the universe. I hope we come to live with greater love and faith toward Him. In that way, I hope the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ do not just remain as records in the Bible, but that we can live right now by the power of that resurrection and ascension.
Currently, the world is very chaotic. Wars are breaking out in various places, and famines and natural disasters occur on one side. With the development of AI, many people are losing their jobs, and we are living in an era where we cannot predict at all how our future will unfold.
But even so, there is a hope we can hold onto. Even if this world looks this chaotic, at this very moment, the ascended Lord is ruling. Jesus is seated as King with that great power and authority given by God.
That becomes the strength for us to still move forward without fear, even when we face difficulties in our lives and face the chaos of this world. Jesus ascended and holds all the authority of heaven. He becomes our Savior and Master. So, what is there to fear in this world? What is there to worry about? When Jesus Christ, who overcame even death and ascended, is with us, what reason is there for us to hesitate?
Please do not succumb before the fears and worries of the world. Please look more toward Jesus Christ, who is far greater than all our problems, and who always loves us and leads us with mercy and grace. In that way, I bless your lives in the name of the Lord, that you may live winning victories on this earth with the power He gives, in union with the risen and ascended Jesus Christ.
Next week, we will look into Jesus who ascended and became the High Priest. Let us pray together.
 
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the powerful truth of Your Word proclaimed today.
Lord Jesus, we praise You for Your profound humility. You laid down Your heavenly glory, took the form of a suffering servant, and became obedient even to the point of death on the cross to save us from our sins.
But we rejoice because the grave could not hold You! Father, we thank You that by Your incomparably great power, You raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to the highest place, seating Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms.
Today, we confidently declare and proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our true King, and the absolute Lord over our lives. Help us to not only know You as our Savior who delivered us from death, but to fully surrender to You as the Master of our hearts, our choices, and our futures.
We thank You for the incredible spiritual reality we learned today—that because we are united with Christ, we are spiritually raised up and seated with Him in the heavenly realms. Remind us of this glorious identity throughout the week. When we face the chaos, uncertainties, and fears of this world, help us to stand firm, knowing that our King is currently sitting on the throne, ruling over all nations and over every circumstance in our lives. Let Your resurrection and ascension power work actively within us so that we may live as victorious citizens of Your Kingdom.
May You alone be magnified, and may Your name alone receive all the honor, majesty, and praise through our lives.
In the mighty and victorious name of our ascended King, Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.