(6/23/21) Recovering the Lost Half of the Gospel - Grace Groups

A STUDY IN BIBLE INTERPRETATION:
Recovering the Lost Half of the Gospel
Passage: John 20:11-18

QUESTION: Have you ever thought about the importance of the ascension as it relates to the gospel?


QUESTION: Why do you think Christ's return to heaven is not often discussed or looked to for encouragement?

When we are interpreting our bibles, we must look at them with theological lenses. We need to be aware of what all of the scripture teaches to help us put all the pieces together.

Often, we look at the words in front of us and ignore what has come before and after. Jesus warned Mary that He was about to leave this world and she needed to let him go. She had a mission to go and tell of his imminent departure.

Jesus, throughout His ministry, pointed to his ascension. He warned the disciples that he would not be here long. What the Father sent Him here to do would be accomplished, and He would return.

But His work was not simply finished once he left the world as if, "My job is done, now it's time for you guys to get to work."

Jesus didn't leave us here to go back to the Father and wait until the end of time. What we are about to read next is the introduction to the last part of the gospel.

The part that most of us are never really taught. We hear of how we are saved, but not how we are sustained in this life and how God cares for us while awaiting His return. How to deal with our shame and struggles.

Theological lens - Ascension: What Christ is doing now after His ascension

FIVE BENEFITS OF THE ASCENSION

1. It is finished … for real.

When Jesus ascended and sat down at the Father's right hand, the Father verified the accomplishment of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and confirmed that the final payment for sin had been made (Heb. 10:11-14).

Heb. 10:11 ¶ And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Heb. 10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
Heb. 10:13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
Heb. 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

If you are ever tempted to try and pay God back for your sins against him, you need to think about Christ sitting down at the Father's right hand.

He is sitting because His work is done. There is nothing left for you to do, ever.

QUESTION: How would you use this lens to help encourage someone who is struggling with seeing their forgiveness in Christ?

2. His present work – our advocate
When Jesus ascended, the intercessory work of Jesus on behalf of His people began. In this ministry, we are assured that we will always have access to the Father forever.

1John 2:1 ¶ My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

"It's Jesus Christ who pleads our case when Satan attempts to prosecute us before God for the sins we've committed. Christ, as our advocate, mediator, and high priest pleads our case before God. The case He presents His Father doesn't rest on our successes or fall apart because of our failures. Instead, the case Christ presents is based on His perfect life and His shed blood. Christ, our advocate, has never lost a case." - By Chris Hulshof

QUESTION: Does anyone else struggle with approaching God as if you do not deserve to be asking for anything? How is Christ as a our dvocate helpful?


3. The Spirit within us

On two occasions, Jesus prepared His followers for the coming of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 He tells them, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever."

He builds on this a little later in John 16:7. Jesus says to His disciples, "Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don't go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you."

Counselor, comforter, guide, help…many words could be used about this "paraclete", is the Greek word. It means, "the one who comes alongside to carry us." The promise is that we are never left alone.

He lives within us, to guide us, to comfort us, to lead us. We are not left trapped in our mortal bodies to suffer its enslavement to the powers of this world.

Rom. 8:9 ¶ You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Rom. 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom. 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

QUESTION: What do you believe is the most significant evidence that the Holy Spirit is active and living within us?

4. Christ now rules with power

When Jesus ascended, His eternal reign over all enemies began. As Peter wrote, "Now that He has gone into heaven, He is at God's right hand with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him" (1 Pet. 3:22). This world may feel as if it is in total chaos. But according to Peter, everything is in the control of Christ.

This is hard for our bodies to comprehend, but our hearts can know we are not under the control of Tyrants or Satan. Christ is the ruler, and all will be made right in his time.

QUESTION: How can Peter's hope to the believer encourage those who are currently suffering?


5. A home awaiting us

Rev. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Rev. 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Rev. 21:5 ¶ And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

What we believe about Jesus matters. It is what truly gives us the ability to die with dignity and hope.


Praise, Prayer, and Confession:
•What can you offer to the Father in praise?
•What is a sin you need to confess?
•What is a burden we can carry?
•What can we take to our Father in prayer?