Somewhere in my reading I came across the expression, 'The richness of the ascension.' I was struck by the expression because so little is said or written these days about the tremendous act of both the Father and the Son by which the Gospel of God concerning His Son is brought to its climax. A gospel that does not speak of an ascended Lord is not the Gospel of God. If the gospel is Christ and Christ is the gospel, and surely this is true; we must proclaim a Christ risen, exalted and reigning. He must be preached where He is now and identified as the pre-existent, virgin born, sinlessly living, vicariously dying, Son of the Living God. Always the apostles preached the Living Christ and worked backward, a decided reverse from the gospel of today. This is God's good news. How can Christ be preached if He is not preached where He is now. If Christ be risen and exalted, the best is easy to accept! If not, the virgin birth and everything else cannot be accepted. The whole pattern of the gospel story sinks or swims on the truth or falsity of the resurrection and exaltation. In the classic passage Philippians 2:9-11, Paul says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name - that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; to the glory of God the Father." Peter points out the tremendous significance of the ascension as he comes to the climax of his sermon on the day of Pentecost. He quotes first from Psalm 110, and then says, "Therefore (in view of the ascension), let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified; both Lord and Messiah." The climax of gospel preaching must be here. This is God's answer and act. Men killed Jesus, God exalted Him. Let us preach this Jesus. Peter writes, "Jesus Christ is gone into heaven and is on he right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him" (I Peter 3:22). This is true. It is true now, not in the some distant future. Where is the crucified Christ now? He is at the right hand of God. All things are under Him now. Brethren, the hour is late. It is long since time that this generation hear the 'gospel', not just a part of the chain but all of it. The whole Christ is the gospel, nothing less, nothing more.

Rolfe Barnard (1904-1969)