Tuesday March 26, 2024

Ephesians 4:8, 11-12
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave
gifts to men.” . . . And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists,
the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ . . .

Did you notice in Psalm 68:18 the words, ‘Thou has received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also’? When the Lord went back to his throne, he had thoughts of love towards rebels still. The spiritual gifts of the church are for the good of the rebels as well as for the building up of those who are reconciled. Sinner, every true minister exists for your good, and all the workers of the church have an eye to you. There are one or two promises connected with our Lord’s ascension which show his kindness to you: ‘I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’ An ascended Saviour draws you—run after him. Here is another word: ‘Him hath God exalted’—to curse? No—‘to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.’ Look up to the glory into which he has entered; ask for repentance and forgiveness. Do you doubt his power to save you? Here is another text: ‘he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ Surely he has gone to heaven for you as well as for the saints. You ought to take good heart and put your trust in him at this happy hour. How dangerous it will be to despise him! They who despised him in his shame perished. Jerusalem became a field of blood because it rejected the despised Nazarene. What will it be to reject the King, now that he has taken to himself his great power? Remember that this same Jesus who has gone up to heaven ‘shall so come in like manner’ as he was seen to go up into heaven. His return is certain, and your summons to his bar equally certain; but what account can you give if you reject him? O come and trust him this day.

C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 1) (Day One Publications, 1998)
Scripture for opening text taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, ESV © 2016 by Crossway Bibles.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.