The Ascension of Christ: How the Entire Old Testament Points to Jesus

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:44-53

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Sermon on the Ascension of Christ

Understanding Christ’s Ascension and the Fulfillment of Scripture

Preacher: James Huenink

Opening Blessing and Introduction

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God, our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Tonight is a night of joy as we celebrate one of the great high festivals of the church year: the Ascension of Christ into heaven. We read the stories of Him with the apostles and the other disciples, and they watch Him go up into heaven and disappear in a cloud.

You know how you get used to reading the Bible, and you kind of are used to what it says? And every once in a while, it seems a little weird. Today it seemed to me, as the text was being read, they are all looking up into heaven, and then the men in white show up and say, “Men of Galilee, why are you looking up into the sky?” Like—didn’t you see Him go up there? I’d still be looking too.

But of course, the message is to remind us that Jesus is coming back, that He’ll come back the same way He went into heaven. He will return in power and majesty.

But that’s not the text I’d like to focus on today.

Jesus Opens the Scriptures to His Disciples

Tonight, I want to talk about what Jesus did with His disciples right before He ascended into heaven. In our Gospel reading, it shows us that Jesus was with the disciples for 40 days, and He taught them.

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He said to them that it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Jesus comes to His disciples and explains the Scriptures. This is an important moment, because up until now, everything Jesus had done had been a huge surprise to the disciples. No matter how many times Jesus told them what was going to happen, or how many proofs He gave from the Old Testament, they never really got it.

Now Jesus has died on a cross, risen from the dead, and is with the disciples, and it says He opens their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Christ as the Fulfillment of the Entire Old Testament

Jesus shows them that everything that happened to Him has always been the plan from the very beginning. The entirety of the Scriptures—Law of Moses, Prophets, and Psalms—points to Him. Not just that He would come, but that He would die and rise again.

We’re used to seeing the prophecies:

• The virgin will conceive and bear a child

• Isaiah 52–53, the Suffering Servant

But it’s not just those. It’s the whole Old Testament.

Jesus as the New and Greater Abraham

We see it in Abraham. Jesus is a new and greater Abraham, the fulfillment of everything Abraham did.

Abraham left his father’s household for a promised land he never fully possessed. Jesus left His Father’s heavenly household to come to a small nation that rejected Him. Abraham was promised a great name; Jesus receives the name above all names.

Jesus as the New and Greater Isaac

Jesus is the great Isaac too.

Isaac carried the wood of his sacrifice up the mountain and willingly allowed himself to be bound. But God stopped Abraham’s hand.

Christ carried the wood of the cross, beaten and tortured, and climbed onto it willingly. No angel stopped the nails or the spear. Now we know the Father loves us, because He did not withhold His Son, His one and only Son.

Jesus as the New and Greater Moses

Moses freed Israel from slavery in Egypt. Jesus frees us from slavery to sin, death, and the devil.

Moses led Israel through the Red Sea; Jesus leads us through the waters of baptism.

Moses brought down commandments that condemned; Jesus fulfills the commandments and takes the punishment Himself.

Jesus as the New and Greater Israel

Israel grumbled in the wilderness and failed every temptation. Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days and resisted every temptation on our behalf.

Jesus as the New and Greater David

David was a king who sinned grievously. Jesus is the true King who reigns forever, using His power not to take life but to give it through His sacrifice.

Christ in the Psalms and the Prophets

The Psalms point to Christ everywhere.

Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—not a cry of despair, but a psalm of trust.

Psalm 16: “You have assigned me my portion and my cup”—a cry of confidence in God even in suffering.

The prophets point to Him as well:

• Jonah in the fish three days

• Elijah persecuted for proclaiming God’s Word

• The temple rituals fulfilled in Christ, our High Priest and perfect Sacrifice

We could go on and on. Christ is the center of Scripture.

The Eternal Plan of God Revealed in Christ

The reason we walk through all of this is to remind you that it was always God’s plan that the Christ should suffer, rise, and bring forgiveness to all nations.

Even when Jesus was beaten, abandoned, and dying, God’s plan was unfolding perfectly.

And this reminds us that we can trust God’s plan for us as well.

Trusting God’s Plan in Our Lives

If God ordered all of salvation history—from Adam and Eve to the Ascension—around Christ and His salvation, then He continues to order all things for your good.

When you feel abandoned, alone, hurt, or in despair… When you wonder, “Where is God’s plan in all of this?”…

Remember: His plan was true from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Moses and all the rest. His plan is true for you as well.

Because the Savior who went up into the clouds will come back one day.