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Into Heaven Itself (Ascension Sunday 2023)
Christ Church on May 21, 2023
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Postmillennialism for Such a Time as This

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INTRODUCTION

It would not be surprising for someone to look around at the present state of things and ask the cheery Postmillennialist, “Oh, so you think things are getting better, do you?” Many things could be said in reply. But the chief response would be, “Yes, there are giants in the land. They are very big. Too big to miss.” We are with David selecting stones by faith. We are with Esther going before the king given the bad news that Haman wants to destroy us.

You can find us alongside Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, not bowing to false gods, knowing we will soon take a fire bath; the Son of God will be with us in the flames. We are with Israel in Egypt right up against the Red Sea before it moves out of the way—”And Moses said unto the people, Fear yet not, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13). Why are we cheerful, confident, and laboring in a time like this? Well, the battle belongs to the LORD and we have seen this story before.

THE TEXT

Psalm 110

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

David says that the LORD said to his Lord, “Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (v. 1). Jesus cites this verse when tying the Pharisees up in knots, establishing that he is David’s Lord who will soon ascend to heaven and sit down at the right hand of the LORD. He will remain there until all of his enemies are placed beneath His feet (v. 1).

Even so, while seated there, the LORD will send the rod of his strength out of Zion. He will rule on earth from heaven (v. 2). This can be accomplished because this seated Christ will have people on earth who offer themselves freely in the day of His power (v. 3). The earthly reign of Christ through His people is not something up for grabs for the LORD has sworn that Christ is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (v. 4). Kings will be struck through by Him, kings over the whole wide earth (v. 5-6). He will not break off His pursuit of the fleeing enemy. He will drink from the brook by the way and rise up to advance His reign (v. 7).

THE MILLENNIUM

Generally speaking, there are three views of the “thousand years” John speaks of in Revelation 20:1-6. Premillennialism teaches that Christ will return to earth and then comes an unprecedented “thousand years” of blessing for the church. Amillennialism teaches that Revelation 20 speaks to the spiritual or heavenly reign of Christ now resulting in the parallel growth of good and evil. Postmillennialism teaches that the millennium is a present reality for Christians now, as Christ reigns on earth from heaven; and Christ will return at the end of the millennium once the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

The rule and reign of Christ announced in Psalm 110 is something we are in the midst of. Kings are falling all around us. We offer ourselves freely in the day of his power. And when the conquest of Christ has reached the ends of the earth, He will stand up from His throne, and return bodily.

HEAVEN AND EARTH

How you conceive of the interplay between heaven and earth is more important than it may first appear. Christ our Head is seated in heaven and we are his body on earth. Christ is our Great High Priest in heaven, in the true tent. And we are a kingdom of priests, as was promised in the Mosaic Covenant, who announce good news on earth saying, “Be reconciled to God.”

The Amillennialist position can be charged with leaving Christ’s reign up in heaven and neglecting the kingdom of God coming on earth. When Postmillennialism goes wrong, it could begin to neglect heaven in the attempt to see the kingdom come on earth. The goal is to live in the flesh by faith. As the old phrase puts it, we must be in the world but not of the world; we must be in the world and of the heaven. Our prayer is not, “Thy kingdom come in heaven as it is on earth.” It is, “Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” and that prayer is addressed to our Father in heaven.

DOMINION

Postmillennialism highlights the need for Christians to do Christianity and not merely think it. It has a special place for blisters and callouses. One temptation we want to avoid is living in the cloud, where all of our music, documents, and text messages are stored. As Christ approached his Calvary—Tomb—Mount of Olives Exodus, He prayed to the Father saying, “Now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee” (John 17:11). He went on, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world” (John 17:15).

As John Newton was making his way to glory he said, “I am still in the land of the dying; I shall be in the land of the living soon.” That day will come for us all. But while we remain in the land of the dying, we must die well. While in this body, we use it, spend it, lose it for Christ and His kingdom.

THE MELCHIZEDEKIAN PRIEST

The only way to spend and be spent for Christ is to come to Christ. We want to fill the earth and subdue it, pressing the crown rights of King Jesus into the four corners of the earth. And the only way to get there is to look by faith to one spot, the place where the Priest offered Himself as the sacrifice.

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Break Forth and Sing, O Barren

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INTRODUCTION

There is a perennial temptation for the people of God to go back to slavery. After Israel was delivered from Pharaoh’s tyranny, they found that freedom had its costs. They had no food; they ran into giants. So they longed to return to Egypt where there was bread, meat, and at least the semblance of protection—those chariots, pretty fancy.

A similar temptation came upon the Galatian Christians. God had brought them the gospel of Jesus Christ through Paul. But the Judaizers showed up shortly after preaching a different gospel, one that would take the Galatians back to bondage (Galatians 5:1). These Judaizers did not deny that Christ was the Messiah. But they insisted that if a man would be saved, then he must be circumcised, and thus keep all of the laws of Moses.

The Galatian situation maps on to Israel’s situation in Moses’ day. For Israel, there was no going back to slavery in Egypt. Egypt was under the judgment of God. For the Galatians, there was no going back to Jerusalem’s Old Covenant with its sign of circumcision. Jerusalem was under the judgment of God. In our text, Paul develops an allegory to teach the Galatian Christians that through Christ they have been set free and must not turn back to a yoke of slavery.

The message is: You’re children of the free woman so live free.

THE TEXT

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free (Gal. 4:22-31).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Let’s consider a survey of the text. Paul writes to those who desired to be under the law (v. 21), not sweet Christians who wanted to obey God, but those who thought they would really get right with God by circumcision and keeping the laws of Moses.

It is as if Paul questioned these people, “But what about Abraham’s two sons?” Ishmael came by a slave woman, Hagar; and Isaac by a free woman, Sarah (v. 22). These sons were not born in the same way. Ishmael was born after the flesh and Isaac by promise (v. 23). Isaac, of course was a natural or biological son of Abraham just as much as Ishmael. But Isaac’s birth came about by divine promise, not mere flesh or nature.

These things are an allegory; they are two covenants. Hagar corresponds to Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage (v. 24). Hagar also corresponds to the Jerusalem that existed in Paul’s day, a Jerusalem that was in bondage with her children (v. 25). Remember that Jerusalem was the city that killed the prophets and it was the city that killed the Son. It was the city which was soon to be leveled by the Romans in AD 70.

Paul contrasts the Jerusalem which then was with the Jerusalem which is above. That heavenly Jerusalem is free and mother of us all (v. 26). She is Sarah. Isaiah says that this heavenly Sarah-Covenant, though she was barren, will have many more children than Hagar (v. 27).

The Galatians needed to grasp that they were Isaac, children of the promise (v. 28). They were the Spirit-born son being persecuted by the merely flesh-born son (v. 29). But they did not need to fret. For Scripture had already said through the mouth of Sarah that the slave woman and her son would be cast out (v. 30). And we in the new covenant are not slave-born, but freeborn (v. 31). You’re children of the freewoman so live free.

NO MORE SCHOOLMARM

Being a freeborn child of the new covenant means that you are no longer under a schoolmarm (Galatians 3:24-25). Say goodbye to all of the tsk-tsking and wrist-slapping. And if you’re response to this good news is to say, “Great, no more studying for me. Let me prepare my spit balls,” then know all of the freemen around you in this New Covenant classroom are chuckling to themselves saying, “This guy has no idea what the Spirit of holiness is about to do to him. He may not be ready for freedom. But freedom is coming for him and it is about to do a number on him.” If you think it hurt when the schoolmarm grabbed you by the ear, just wait until the Spirit does it.

ENLARGE YOUR TENTS

Sarah’s children have to join their free mother in enlarging their tents. The spirit of the Judaizers was an constricting one. The Galatians Christians couldn’t get into their little tent. They had put a few man-made hurdles in the way. In the face of this, Paul quotes Isaiah, and here it is with context:

“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited” (Isaiah 54:1-3)

Peter got caught up with the Judaizing spirit when he pulled back and away from the Gentiles (Galatians 2:12). But the spirit of the new covenant says, “We’re going to need more space.” We both anticipate the Gentiles pouring in and our hearts are enlarged and wide open toward them. We care not what language you speak, what color you are. We care not what mess you have been tangled up in. Come sinners poor and needy, bruised and broken by the fall.

HEIRS, NO MERE SERVANTS

We happily say with Paul that we are servants of Christ (Romans 1:1). Yet this same Paul says that we are no longer a servant, but a son (Galatians 4:7). The slave woman’s son would not be heir, but the children of the freewoman would be (Galatians 4:30). An heir inherits. And what does an heir inherit? All that the Father determines to give. Our Father has not left us without a word on the matter: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things” (Romans 8:32)?

BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT, NOT JUST THE FLESH

We are members of the new covenant. Like the Galatian Christians, we are born after the Spirit, not merely the flesh (v. 29). The Galatians made the foolish mistake of beginning by the Spirit and then trying to proceed by the flesh, and they heard Paul’s dismay (Galatians 3:3). So let us learn the lesson.

Put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3). You can’t get the job done by might or power. You are children of promise. You are children of gift. You are children of a barren woman, and an old one at that. We are supernaturally-wrought sons and daughters and members of a heavenly covenant and kingdom that is now at hand.

We must learn that sacred art of living in our flesh (for there is no other way for us to live) without living by our flesh. Plan by the Spirit. Confess sin by the Spirit. Make your resolutions by the Spirit. Provide for your families by the Spirit. Teach your children by the Spirit. Everything must be done by the work of the angels, by the wind that blows where it wills.

AND THIS THROUGH CHRIST

And you say, “But how do I get access to that power? I really do long for the Spirit to be poured out on my life. Where can I get more of this Living Water?” . . . Through Christ. He is the one in whom this new covenant—this Sarah covenant—is established. It was established in his blood, the blood of the new covenant. That blood-secured covenant is more solid than your fears.

You say, “But sometimes I feel like a slave.” The blood says you are free. “But sometimes I feel like a barren and lonely woman who wants to shrink her home.” The blood says enlarge your tent and enlarge your heart. You say, “I just don’t have the strength.” The blood that speaks a better word than that of Abel says, “Yes, yes, of course you don’t. You are born of the Spirit, and having begun by the Spirit, would you be now perfected by the flesh?” Of course you won’t. You will be perfected the same way all of the saints are, by the Spirit through Christ.

Christ has set you free. Christ will keep you free.

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Give Thanks By Faith

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THE TEXT

Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, Make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, Talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name:Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Israel his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant; The word which he commanded to a thousand generations; Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, And of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, And to Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance; When ye were but few, Even a few, and strangers in it. And when they went from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, And do my prophets no harm. Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; Shew forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: But the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; Strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: Bring an offering, and come before him: Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: The world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: And let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: Let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, Because he cometh to judge the earth. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; For his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, That we may give thanks to thy holy name, And glory in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:7–36).

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The Lord Gives Victory

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INTRODUCTION

You don’t really have to remind American Christians that we are sliding down a slippery slope. We all sense that the wheels are coming off. It is an easy time to be a defeatist and an escapist. But Scripture won’t let us curl up in the corner. It will not let us freeze up and wait for Jesus to return and beam us up out of our present day Sodom. “But,” someone says, “there are giants in the land.” Yes, indeed there are. And remember how it went for Israel in the wilderness when they refused to go conquer those sons of Canaan.

Our retreatism is not fruit of our humility, “Well, I just have to know my limitations. I’m simply to weak for that fight.” That’s not meekness talking. That is unbelief. God has shown us this message many times: When Christ takes the throne, he rules. When he takes the throne, he advances his kingdom. And we must offer ourselves freely in the day of his power (Psalm 110:3). 

Today is the day of his power. Christ does now what David did in our passage. David ascended to the throne only a few chapters before in the book of Samuel. Now he conquers from that throne. Likewise, Christ has ascended to His heavenly throne. And now he rules victoriously from that throne.

THE TEXT

And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass.

9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: 11 which also king David did dedicate unto the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 12 of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; 18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers (2 Samuel 8 KJV).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Let’s consider a survey of the text. Verse 1 tells us that David’s victories occurred “after this.” That is, after the covenant that God made with David. God covenanted David a sure house and kingdom. The “after this” reminds us that God fulfills His promises. We’re not presuming Christ’s conquest. We have blood bought covenant promises undergirding our confidence.

The structure of David’s victories is important. There are four groups and four directions to his victory. David defeated the Philistines who dwelt to the West of Jerusalem (v. 1). He defeated Moab who dwelt to the East of Jerusalem (v. 2). He conquered Hadadezer and his army who dwelt to the North (v. 3-10). Then, smote Edom who dwelt to the South (v. 13-14). David is victorious North, East, South, and West.

In this conquest, he fulfills what God promised to Abraham all the way back in Genesis 15:18—”Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.” David recovered the border at that river Euphrates (v. 3). The Promised Land was being filled as God said it would be.

The language throughout David’s victories is also important. We’re told repeatedly that David smote his enemies (v. 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 13). He was on the offense, not back on his heels.

As David struck down his enemies, kings were subdued, some through conquest and others like Toi through wise gifts (v. 9). David dedicated the spoils of his victory to the Lord (v. 11). And he secured his territory with garrisons (v. 6, 14). The result of David’s conquest was peace. He administered judgment and justice to all the people (v. 15). The list of his officials illustrate a well-ordered kingdom (v. 16-18). The victory was undeniable. And from where did it come? Twice we hear the vital answer to that question: “The LORD preserved David” (v. 6, 14).

David is a type of Christ who fulfills the promise of a kingdom. Christ is the antitype. As he fulfills the promise of his kingdom, he smites the enemy, spreads godly dominion, and receives riches and honor.

SMITES THE ENEMY

When Christ brings his kingdom on earth, his enemies are struck down. He said himself that he did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34). He has been doing this kind of thing from the beginning. God put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. He sent plagues on Pharaoh in Abraham’s day. He did the same in the days of Moses. He struck down great kings like Chedorlaomer and Og the king of Bashan’s land. We should learn the pattern so that we don’t cower when we face the enemy. All of the Goliaths will fall.

The point is not first to us as an individuals, but to Christ and his covenant people. That includes us as individuals. But it does not center on us as individuals . . .

SPREADS GODLY DOMINION

Christ has ascended to the throne to usher in his kingdom. And this does not simply mean the destruction of sin, death, and the devil. It also means the spread of godliness and peace. God breaks the bow, shatters, the spear, and makes wars to cease (Psalm 46:9). King David, at the end of his life, said, that when one rules in the fear of God he dawns on others like the rising sun on a cloudless morning. The people under such leadership grow like the green grass springing up after rain (2 Samuel 23:3-4).

When Hadadezer and the Edomites were struck down, godly rule took their places. “David executed judgment and justice” (v. 15).  The divine-law of Jerusalem was extended North, East, South, and West. So it is with Christ’s present rule from his heavenly throne. The spread of this godly dominion is multi-faceted . . .

RECEIVES RICHES AND HONOR

One of the chief lies of the woke nonsense is “to the victor goes the shame.” But this, of course, is an attempted reversal of the very nature of reality. The victor receives honor. We honor the face of the old man (Leviticus 19:32). The woke lie would have you shame the old man. It would have you call up, down; and down, up. But both the Bible and the world tell a different story. David conquered and he received riches and honor. The Syrians brought David gifts (v. 6). David took shields of gold from Hadadezer’s servants (v. 7) and brass from his the cities (v. 8). King Toi sent David silver, brass, and gold (v. 10). Verse 13 says David made a name for himself after striking down 18,000 Syrians. This was a fulfillment of God’s promise in the previous chapter that he would make David a great name (2 Samuel 7:9).

We live in a time where no one wants anyone to have any crowns. If one has a crown, then all must have a crown. This sentiment includes checking any crown you have at the door before you come in. This is the spirit of the age and it is the spirit of the enemy. You are not supposed to check your crown at the door, you are supposed to bring it in and cast it down before the throne of the Lamb.

Whatever your particular honor or riches (and there are many forms), honor Christ with your honor and be rich to Him with your riches. We are here at this assembly of worship to do just that. We offer up to God our praise, our very lives as a living and holy sacrifice. We will go from this place to work for Him this week, and return again next Sunday to sacrifice and dedicate what we are and have to him once more.

Why do we do this? Because he is worthy. He is the Son of David. He is the Lamb sitting on the throne, the Lamb who was slain and redeemed us to God by his blood.

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