GRAND OPENINGS (8): OPEN HEAVEN INSPIRES VENERATION

(Luke 24:50-53)
January 21, 2018

Read Lu 24:50-53 – Someone asked Daniel Webster, a fervent Xn, “How can
a man of your intellect believe in the Trinity?” He replied, “I do not pretend
fully to understand the arithmetic of heaven now.” That must have been how
the disciples felt at Jesus’ ascension. Someone they knew as a man, then a
prophet, then Messiah was now revealed in all His glory as the God He had
been all along. Yet he prayed to a Father! Tough Trinitarian math. But they
understood Jesus was worthy of veneration as God. It changed their lives.

Huge implications attach to the unprecedented fact of our Lord’s ascension. It

is the means by which the Father ultimately Vindicates the Son. It is the
means by which the Son Validates the disciples. And today we will see that it
inspires in the disciples a true Veneration of the Son. It’s lifechanging. So we
see here 5 things that characterize a life that venerates Jesus. Is this us?

I. Worship

52
And they worshiped him.” This is the first time Luke mentions anyone
worshiping Jesus. He’s been building to a crescendo – keeping the question in
front of Theophilus from the start – who is Jesus? That question has now been
answered with complete clarity. Great teacher? Yes. Prophet? Yes. Messiah?
Yes. But now revealed as God in human flesh. Luke has brought his gospel
full circle – from Jesus’ virgin birth to His miraculous ascension – fully
authenticating His deity. In His ascension, the disciples see that the Jesus they
ate with, conversed with, traveled with, ministered with was none other than
Jehovah and their hearts opened to Him as never before. They worshiped.

Our view of worship is often anemic. We sing a few songs – repeat a phrase
over and over to conjure an emotional response and think we’ve worshiped.
That may reflect worship, but to the extent that it’s a worked up emotion, or
manipulated experience, it is no worship at all. To worship God is to declare
His worth and THEN to live like we believe it. Worship is all the time or it is
none of the time. So we worship in music, but we also worship thru giving,
honest living, the integrity of our life, the diligence of our efforts, the ministry
of our giftedness – and through knowing and obeying His Word. Worship is
all the time or it is none of the time. Getting together, turning down the lights,
turning up the volume and jumping around in a frenzy of emotion is not
worship. Worship is declaring God’s worth by living out His truth!
1
And worshiping Jesus is declaring His worth as God. Anything less is
blasphemy. To worship Jesus is to cede the throne of your life to Him.
Sunday morning is a small part of that. An important part – but a small part.
What is Jesus worth to you? If we followed you around for 30 day what would
we conclude is the most important thing in your life? That’s what you
worship. Those who have truly encountered the dying, risen and ascended
Lord know His worth, declare His worth and live His worth – not perfectly,
but diligently, from the heart. Worship is joyful; it is also deadly serious.

Becky Pippert says, “Whatever controls us really is our god… The person
who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is
controlled by the people he or she wants to please. We do not control
ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our life.” So what drives you? At
what altar do you worship, because we all worship something daily. Is it Jesus
– or something else? It’s wonderful to have corporate worship to praise, pray,
sing, and listen to the Lord together. But does that reflect the rest of the week,
or is it a pagan exercise to placate God with no reality attached to it.

Alfred Smith was governor of NY who ran for President in 1928. He once
attended a convention where only perfunctory attention to him and his office.
The flippant introduction was, “Boys, I give you a great man, Alfred Smith.”
Well, Smith responded: “Gentlemen, when I was a little boy my father took
me to a great civic parade. There were battalions of infantry, stirring martial
music and exotic floats. But at one point I felt my father stiffen. Electricity
ran through him to me. He said, ‘Son, take off your hat. The governor of
NY is coming by.’ So I took off my hat and saluted the governor.” Then
Smith stopped for a moment, fixed the audience with his stare and said,
“Gentlemen, the governor of NY bids you good night.” And he left.
Question: Would Jesus, knowing our lifestyle, be tempted to walk out on our
“worship” – or would He see it as a true outward reflection of an inward
commitment to His lordship? The worship of the disciples was genuine, daily
and constant. They venerated Jesus with a lifestyle of worship.

II. Obedience

52
And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem.” Not home to Galilee?
No. Despite Jesus’ leaving, they returned to Jerusalem – the hotbed of
antagonism – to the eye of the storm. Why? Because He asked them to. Just
prior to this in Acts 1:4: “And while staying with them he ordered them not to
depart from Jerusalem.” He asked; they obeyed. How did they venerate Jesus?
2
They obeyed. Easy or hard, sensible or insensible, reasonable or unreasonable,
culturally acceptable or culturally anathema, they obeyed. That’s veneration!

It’s easy to say we obey. We don’t steal; we don’t commit adultery; we don’t
swear – too much. We don’t shoot strangers on the freeway. We are honest –
mostly. But that’s not the test. Anyone can obey what they already want to
obey. The test is how we do when it goes against the grain; when it costs. How
do we do then? Is Jesus really Lord, or do we obey when it costs nothing?

We’re expert at putting a good face on a rebellious heart. The painter, James
Whistler, was a West Point cadet in the 1850’s. He didn’t last long, but left a
strong lasting impression. He was assigned in mechanical drawing to draw a
bridge. So he did – a romantic one, with grassy bank and two small children
fishing off the bridge. The instructor was apoplectic: “Get those kids off that
bridge!” he demanded. “This is an engineering assignment.” So Whistler
redid the drawing – this time with the kids fishing off the bank. Incensed the
instructor ordered, “For the last time – get those kids entirely out of the
picture.” But Whistler was creative. On his third try the children were indeed
out of the picture – buried under two small tombstones along the riverbank.

So like us, isn’t it? Outwardly compliant; inwardly at war. God commands
we love one another – so we do – all the loveable ones. God commands
excellence at work, so we do, unless the boss doesn’t deserve it. God instructs
husbands to love our wives like Christ. So we buy flowers, but when did we
last give up a ballgame or round of golf or bound our work activities to meet
her needs? Wives are commanded to respect their husbands, but that must
mean those who earn respect. We have a million ways around the Lord’s
commands, don’t we? Know why? Bc our heart is in rebellion. To venerate
Jesus means looking for every possible way to obey His agenda rather than
the minimum to be in compliance. The disciples venerated Jesus with
heartfelt obedience, and so will we – when we see how He opens heaven to us.

III. Joy

52
And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” Why
joy? Why weren’t they devastated by the loss of their friend and Messiah and
Master? Bc they are coming into the full realization of who Jesus is and what
they have in Him. How we take precious things for granted.

Old story. Bob, is always dropping names. So one day Ken says, “If you’re
such a hot shot, get the Pres on the line.” Bob punches in a number, gives the
3
phone to Ken and a familiar voice says, “This is the president. Bob said you
have a question.” That’s impressive, but Ken, skeptical so he says, “Call the
Queen at Buckingham Palace.” Bob punches in a number and shortly the
queen is on the line asking what she can do for Ken. Impressed, but still
suspicious, Ken says, “Okay. So you know the Pres and the Queen, but let’s
see you call the Pope.” Bob says, “I’ll do you one better.” So they board a
plane and fly to the Vatican. When they arrive, Bob disappears leaving Ken to
mill around St. Peter’s Square with the tourists. Suddenly everyone’s gaze
goes to the balcony where the Pope and Bob appear side-by-side. Ken’s jaw
drops. Before he could recover, a man poked him in the ribs and with heavy
accent asked, “Hey, who’s that up there on the balcony with Bob.”

That’s gotta be how the disciples feel as they see Jesus ascend to the right
hand of God Himself. They knew Jesus was wonderful. But divine? Yes, and
what joy to realize that in Him they practically have one hand in heaven. Jesus
is far bigger than the earthly kingdom they expected. There He is received by
the Father to be their priestly representative, their advocate, their mediator –
all the priceless things we take for granted. Joy overwhelms them.

It’s the joy of I Tim 2:5: “5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom
for all.” They have a relationship with Jehovah Himself – not based on
sacrifices of bulls and lambs, but based on the one sacrifice of their friend and
Savior – Jesus of Nazareth. The joy of that realization infused them. In
Nehemiah, the people had been without the Word of God for decades. After
re-building the walls of Jerusalem, they ask Ezra to come and bring the book.
And bring the Book he did. He read; he explained; they got convicted and
repented with tears. But Neh 8:10b “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the
LORD is your strength.” That’s the joy that comes from knowing the Word –
the written Word and the Living Word of God. The disciples venerated Jesus
with their joy – so will we when we see how He opens all of heaven to us.

IV. Fellowship

53
And were continually in the temple blessing God.” What were they doing in
the temple? Acts 2:42: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’
teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” They
were being together – hearing the Word, praying and celebrating the Lord’s
Supper. They were devoting themselves to koinonia. They wanted to be with

4
others of like faith, growing together, praying together, living together,
ministering together. They didn’t just need fellowship; they wanted it.

Christianity is communal. The Bible knows nothing of Lone Ranger Xns. We

need each other here; we’ll be with each other there; fellowship is at the
heart of Christian living. Heb 10:24: “And let us consider how to stir up one
another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the
habit of some, but encouraging one another.” Why fellowship? To challenge
each other to love and good works. How can you love someone without being
with them? How can you do good for someone without being with them?
Fellowship was and is at the heart of Xn living. To the extent we neglect
church attendance and fellowship with others in the closer context of small
groups, we miss out on the blessing of Christ, we are in disobedience, and we
are failing our responsibility to the rest of the body. That’s not what we want,
is it? Being with each other – strange as some of us may be – reminds us who
we are in Christ, places us to be in the game and challenges us to get better.

In Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones Bridget calls herself an “assured, receptive,

response woman of substance.” Then she begins to falter, “My sense of self
comes not from other people but from . . . from . . . myself? That can’t be
right.” And, it’s not right. We find our true identity in Christ by being with
Him and with the family – like an earthly family. Philip Ryken says, “The
place we most belong is not our neighborhood, our nation, our company, or
even our family, but our church – the city of God – that caring community
where we are known and loved, and where we find deeply supportive faith-
building relationships.” Fellowship’s a pleasure, not a burden.

V. Blessing

So, the disciples venerated Jesus by fellowshipping with each other. But they
were doing one other thing in the temple. 53 and were continually in the temple
blessing God.” How do you bless God? Praise songs? Emotional testimonies?
Swaying to the music? All of those are fine. But, listen, at its core, the way we
bless God is by obedience – by submission to His will. By letting God be God.

Think of this. Here for the first time since they met Jesus, the disciples have
given up on their concept of the kingdom – what it should consist of and
when it should come. They’ve submitted their expectations to the Father. For
the first time, they have quit trying to tell Jesus how to run His business and
let Him call the shots. As they see the Father giving Jesus the ultimate
5
veneration by receiving Him back to the place of glory, they get on board and
bless the Father. They’re still learning, but they’ve taken a giant step. They’re
learning whatever the circumstances, whatever the outcome; however good or
bad it looks from a human standpoint, God is good; God is right; God is in
control; and God is great. When that attitude characterizes your life, you will
be blessing God and venerating Jesus.

John Piper says, “There is a being who identifies himself as “I am.” In other
words: “Deal with it. I simply am. I had no beginning; I will have no
ending; you are not. I depend on nothing. Everything depends on me. I am
defined by nothing. I define everything. I am controlled by nothing. I
control everything. I am everything.” Everything changes if you live in the
face of a God who simply is God – is simply there. The universe is like a
peanut in his pocket. Only that’s way too big an analogy for the universe.”
When that attitude characterizes your life whether the news is good, bad or
worse; they you will be blessing God. And when you see heaven opened and
God high and lifted up, that attitude will characterize your life.

Conc – This brings us to the end of what I hope has been as fantastic a
journey for you as it has for me. How I love the Jesus that Luke has
introduced to us. Do you love Him more? Do you venerate Him as you see
Him for who He really is. In Prince Caspian, near the end of the book, the
prince encounters Aslan – the Lion/Christ figure. He says, “Aslan – you’re
bigger.” Aslan replies, “That is because you are older, little one.” Prince
Caspian says, “Not because you are older?” Aslan replies, “No, I am not
older. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.” How I pray that we
will find Jesus bigger and bigger and bigger as we learn of Him and follow
His commands. Let’s pray.