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A Sermon: “The Glories of Christ’s Ascension” Acts 1:4-11

June 4, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven

“And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.” Acts 1:9

Just last week on Ascension Day (May 29, 2025) I had the opportunity to preach at our church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) here in Austin, TX. We have four pastors at Redeemer, and since I am the one who is “semi-retired” I usually preach once or twice a year. Instead, my role at the church is focused on teaching. I regularly instruct adults in our School of Discipleship classes on Sunday mornings. Beyond that, I am the director of Redeemer Theological Academy teaching college-level courses in Biblical studies, Systematic Theology, and Church History. This suits me quite well, and I am grateful to focus my energies on teaching at this point in life. Nonetheless, below is an audio file of my recent sermon. Also, you will find an introduction to the text and my notes.

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Introduction: The Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven is often overlooked. We take note of Jesus’ birth on Christmas day, his betrayal on Maundy Thursday, his death on Good Friday, and his bodily resurrection on Easter Sunday. But somehow the Ascension gets passed by with barely a notice. Why is this particular event in the life of Jesus so important? Here are a few thoughts to consider: When Jesus ascends into Heaven (1) it is the fulfillment of the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit; (2) it is the formal establishment of the Kingdom of God (not a physical Kingdom, but a spiritual one); (3) it is the beginning of Jesus’ role as an intercessor for his people; (4) it is the acceptance of Jesus’ atoning work by the Father; and (5) it is a pledge that Jesus will return in the same way in which he departed. Thus, the Ascension is like “a hinge” upon which all of these events swing. Let us, then, acknowledge the glorious significance of Jesus’ ascent into Heaven.

Here is my outline plus a few of the additional Bible verses that I referred to in this sermon:

1. The Promise of the Holy Spirit, (vs. 4-5) — Luke 24:49; John 14:26 and 16:7

2. The Establishment of the Kingdom of God, (vs. 6-7) — Amos 9:11: Luke 17:20-21

3. The Beginning of Jesus’ Role as an Intercessor, (vs. 8) — Hebrews 7:25 and 9:24

4. The Acceptance of Jesus’ Saving Work, (vs. 9) — 1 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 110:1; 1 John 2:1

5. The Pledge of Jesus’ Future Return, (vs. 10-11) — Luke 24:30-31; Matthew 24:30-31; Daniel 7:13-14

Here is an audio file of my sermon: I hope you enjoy it!

— Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Serven

These three volumes really blessed me in my sermon preparation–they have great insights!

A Sermon: “The Parable of the Lamp” Mark 4:21-25

April 13, 2024 /

I had the privilege of preaching at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, where I serve as the Pastor of Christian Discipleship, this past Sunday (April 7, 2024). My part-time role is mainly focused on teaching adults in our School of Discipleship (on Sunday mornings) and in directing the newly established Redeemer Theological Academy (mid-week classes). Getting an opportunity to preach for me is a rarity–since we have a sizable staff of pastors–and so I was happy to take the opportunity when it came up! Below you will find a description of my sermon on the “Parable of the Lamp” and an audio clip so you can listen. I hope you enjoy it and are challenged by Jesus’ admonition to “let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16)!

Jesus uses a common oil-burning lamp as a “visual aid” or as a “parable” to illustrate the value of “light.” No doubt, you can think of examples in real life that demonstrate the value of light—a candle in the midst of a blackout, the light on your phone when you are trying to open the lock on your front door, or a handy flashlight to change a flat tire late at night. The Bible includes several references to “light” in both the Old and the New Testaments (see: Gen. 1:1-5; Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23; Matt. 5:14-16; Lk. 2:32; Jn. 3:19-21, 8:12). These short passages show us that light is a very important concept in the Bible. It is not an accident that Jesus uses a lamp that gives off light to express something quite valuable—but what does it mean? If we conclude that the “light” in the Parable of the Lamp refers to the gospel message then how should Christians today seek to show forth the “light” of the gospel? Both Jesus and Paul speak of Christians as the “sons of light” (Jn. 12:36; 1 Thes. 5:5). Therefore, we can be confident that whatever we might do in our life—whether it is in art, business, economics, education, family, law, politics, sports, or work—we bring the light of the gospel into it. Jesus did not intend for us to keep the light hidden, but to make it clearly known for all to see!

Here is the audio clip:

Just a few days after I preached, some friends very kindly gifted me with this genuine oil lamp made in Israel. Interestingly enough, the lamp I described in my sermon was very much like this one. My resource was the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible which gave me the description that I used. But now I had in my possession the real deal–a simple oil-burning clay lamp of the type used by Jesus in his parable! What joy! Post Tenebras Lux (After darkness, Light!)

— Pastor Marcus J. Serven

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