In 1953 Elizabeth II processed into Westminster Abby surrounded by the Admirals, Archbishops, and Aristocracy of Great Britain. Television cameras broadcast the event and people across the globe watched as Elizabeth was vested with symbols of power. She was handed a polished sword, marking her as the head of the British armed forces. She was handed a golden Orb, marking her as head of the church. She was handed a diamond scepter, marking her as head of state. Finally, as the Imperial State crown was placed on her head a 21-gun salute was fired from the tower of London and the assembly shouted, "God save Queen Elizabeth. Long live Queen Elizabeth. May the Queen live forever!"
The crowning of Elizabeth II as Queen of England was the last great coronation. But the greatest coronation of all time occurred nearly 2,000 years ago outside of the city of Jerusalem atop the mount of Olives. There were no Admirals, Archbishops, or Aristocracy present at that coronation. There were no polished swords, no golden orbs, no diamond scepters presented at that coronation. As that Sovereign ascended to His throne the assembly responded with dumbfounded silence.
Still, the coronation of Jesus the Christ was such a significant event that the Holy Spirit inspired saint Luke to record the event twice. Luke concludes the gospel of Luke, and he begins the book of Acts, with a description of the coronation of Jesus the Christ. Today we are going to focus on Luke’s description in Acts 1:1-11. I am going to focus on three aspects of the coronation of Jesus the Christ. I am going to point out that at the coronation of Jesus the Christ: proof is offered, purpose is given, and a promise is made.
Luke tells us the book of Acts, like the gospel of Luke, was written to a man named Theophilus. Theophilus, whose name means “loved by God”, is addressed in the gospel of Luke as “most excellent Theophilus”. Here, in the book of Acts, he is simply addressed as Theophilus. Some commentators have speculated that the lack of title in the book of Acts indicates that Theophilus had come to faith after the reading of the gospel of Luke (It was common for fellow Christians to forgo titles when speaking to each other.). It is not surprising that someone would be converted to Christianity after reading the gospel of Luke. Luke himself tells us that in his gospel he “1… wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.” From His birth in Bethlehem to His death and resurrection in Jerusalem, the gospel of Luke describes the work that Jesus accomplished as the prophet who proclaimed the words of everlasting life and the priest who sacrificed Himself to make atonement for our sins. But, as Luke told Theophilus, the work that Jesus did as prophet and priest was just the beginning. In the second book he writes to Theophilus Luke focuses on the third office of Jesus the Christ. In the book of Acts Luke writes about the work that Jesus continues to do as our King. With that in mind it might be more appropriate for us to refer to Luke’s second volume not as the Acts of the Apostles, but rather as, the Acts of the King.
In Acts 1:3 Luke writes about our King. “3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Jesus had repeatedly told His disciples that not only was He going to suffer and die as payment for their sins but that He was going to rise from the dead as proof that their debt of sin had been paid in full. After His resurrection from the dead, Luke tells us Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days. During that time Jesus invited His disciples to touch Him and see that He had flesh and bones, Jesus even offered to let poor Thomas poke a finger in the nail holes in His hands and the hole in His side where the spear had pierced Him. Most of the time Jesus simply shared a meal with His disciples. I suppose there is no need for a dramatic miracle to convince people of the resurrection when the guy sitting next to you at the dinner table used to be dead.
Most of the convincing proofs that Jesus offered the disciples that their debt of sin had been paid in full were mundane, at least in comparison to His coronation. In verse 9 Luke tells us Jesus the Christ, “was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” I know it does not seem like an impressive ceremony like say the coronation of Elizabeth II, but the coronation of Jesus the Christ is dramatically more reassuring than hers. Luke tells us “He was taken up”. Allow me to nerd out a bit here and point out that the coronation of Jesus the Christ is described in the Greek with a passive voice, meaning that something was done to Him. Jesus did not have to force His way back into heaven. Rather the pearly gates were flung wide open for Him, and Jesus was welcomed back into the kingdom of God with the open arms of the heavenly Father. This is incredibly reassuring for us because it is proof that the Heavenly Father accepted the payment Jesus made for our sins. It is proof that there is no outstanding debt between us and God. It is proof that our many sins have been forgiven.
The coronation of Jesus the Christ offers us proof that our sins have been forgiven. Having had the crushing debt of sin lifted from us we are now free to live life and not just a pointless, meaningless, directionless life but life with a purpose. At the coronation of Jesus the Christ, our re-crowned King said, “8… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” On the great day of Pentecost (which we will talk more about next week) The Holy Spirit, in dramatic fashion, gave power to the disciples. These days the Holy Spirit rarely blows in on a violent wind and distributes tongues of fire on the heads of believers. But that does not mean that you have not receive power from the Holy Spirit. You received power from the Holy Spirit when the waters of baptism washed you clean and made you an adopted child of the Heavenly Father. You receive power from the Holy Spirit every time you stand before the table and receive the body and blood of your savior Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. You receive power from the Holy Spirit every time a bible is opened, and the Gospel is proclaimed. There may not be tongue of fire dancing on your heads but, make no mistake, you have received power from the Holy Spirit.
This power that you have received from the Holy Spirit is what equips you to fulfill your purpose, which is to be witnesses. The disciples were sent out to tell others what they had heard and seen. You are sent out to tell others what you have learned and experienced. Tell them Who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. Tell them from your own personal experience how it feels to be loved the way that God loves you. Tell them about the peace that fills you and the joy that comes from you because you are a redeemed child of God. The disciples were to tell those living in Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, and finally those living in the ends of the earth. You are to tell those in your immediate family then your friends, then your classmates and coworkers, then your neighbors, and finally the stranger on the street. You received power from the Holy Spirit for the express purpose of being His witnesses.
When He gave you the power of the Holy Spirit and sent you out as witnesses Jesus the Christ, our re-crowned King, gave your life purpose. As you set out to fulfill that purpose, allow me to encourage you with a promise. As Jesus the Christ ascended to His throne in heaven, He dispatched a pair of angels with a promise for His disciples. “11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” The angels promised, He ascended “into heaven”. When Jesus ascended into heaven He did not go away to rest and relax, He ascended to take His seat on heaven’s throne. From heaven’s throne Jesus sends out pastors to watch over His people, from heaven’s throne Jesus makes intercession for sinners like you and me, and from heaven’s throne Jesus prepares a paradise in which we will spend eternity. Jesus did not ascend into heaven to retire. Jesus ascended into heaven to rule.
And one day, the angels promised, Jesus the Christ “will come back”. He will come back “in the same way” they saw Him go. Jesus will come back, not as a vulnerable baby entrusted to the care of a young virgin and her new husband. Jesus will come back not as a suffering servant who endured the insults of men. Jesus will come back glorious and victorious. As saint John says in our second lesson for today Jesus will come back riding a white horse and wearing many crowns. The armies of heaven will follow Him, and the peoples of the earth will bow before Him. When He comes back heaven and earth will proclaim Him “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”[1]. When Jesus the Christ comes back, He will take us, body and soul, to the kingdom of God where no enemy can attack us, no harm can befall us, and no danger will threaten us. At the coronation of Jesus the Christ than angels promised, now and forevermore, Jesus rules over us.
The coronation of Elizabeth II was full of pomp and circumstance. It was a symbolic event for a symbolic Queen. By contrast the coronation of Jesus the Christ was full of purpose and meaning. It was an authentic event for an authentic King. At the coronation of Jesus the Christ proof that our sins have been forgiven was offered, purpose for our lives as His witnesses was given, and a promise was made that, now and forevermore, Jesus the Christ rules over us. That is why today we celebrate the coronation of Jesus the Christ, our King. Amen.
[1] Revelation 19:16