Ladders to Heaven, the Legacy of the Believer

I usually step up to the pulpit on Sunday with at least ten pages of notes. Yesterday was no exception - only this time - those ten pages contained 18-22 point text. My Logos Bible Software estimated my sermon length at 15-20 minutes. Well...what can I say? The same thing I've been saying for the past 40 years. I have a way of "adding on" - there's word for this... "embellishment" - defined as the act of adding decorative details and features. Guilty as charged.

Given that I am loquacious to a fault - garrulous and circuitous too - here's how I would condense the main idea...

My text was Acts 3:1-12. In the immediate context, Peter and John had received the "promise of the Father" spoken of by Jesus in Luke 24 and again in Acts 1:

• Luke 24:49 "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

• Acts 1:8 "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

So, we're to understand Acts 3 as a connected outcome of the Pentecost Event of Acts 2 - that is - "here's what the Spirit does to enable and empower your witness." As they prepare to enter the Temple at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, they see a man that they had probably seen many times over the years since the text tells us that this man had been born lame and that he'd been brought there and left outside at the Beautiful Gate many times.

Also, it's important to note that Peter understood the event of Pentecost was in fulfillment of the Prophecy of Joel - and, as all Jews understood. They were aware and knew "what they had" (verse - 6) this Promise brings them into the blessedness of the Abrahamic Covenant as experienced by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The promise given to Abraham was reiterated and reaffirmed to both Isaac and Jacob.

• Genesis 12:2-3 "And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; (3) And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

So, what does this have to do with Genesis 28 and Jacob's Dream of a ladder "set on the earth with it's top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it."

What does this mean? Well, for Jacob, it led to the realization that not only was he not alone, but that, as the heir to the Promise of Genesis 12 - he was dynamically connected with the Heavenly Throne. The angels were coming and going as they carried out their mission to "serve those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14.)

The dream also led to a startling realization - his lonely and destitute camp was way more than it seemed. God was with him. He didn't have to be afraid.

Jesus, the Ladder Connecting Heaven and Earth

So, the Promise - the outpouring of the Spirit upon those who believe and trust in Jesus - also come with it's own heaven to earth ladder. Jesus helps us understand this in his dialog with Nathaniel in the Gospel of John when he tells this disciple:

John 1:50-51 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these." (51) And He *said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

See the subtle change in the wording? In Genesis 28:12 we read:

"He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it."

But in John 1:51 we see that those angels - "the ministering spirits" are ascending and descending on the Son of Man!"

This is so amazing...I wish you could appreciate this more fully - since the idea of the Son of Man alludes to the glorious enthronement of the Son of Man in Daniel 7.

Daniel 7:13-14 "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. (14) "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Here's the thing friends....the phrase "Son of Man" appears in only three books of the Old Testament - Psalms, Ezekiel, and Daniel. In Ezekiel it's used to emphasize the prophet's humanity. Probably the same in Psalm 8:4 - but, the key appearance of the phrase in Daniel and Jesus' use of it to refer to himself is significant. Bear with me here...this is lengthy, but important to understand the power encounter in Acts 3.

In Daniel 7, the "Son of Man" is portrayed as a celestial being wielding divine power, glory, and an eternal reign. When Jesus adopted this title for Himself, He wasn't just aligning with this figure who held a distinct connection with God and supremacy over every nation. He was also subtly asserting divine privileges and a part in the (final) eschatological realization of God's realm. This declaration was viewed as sacrilegious by the Jewish leaders, as they deemed it a challenge to the exclusivity of God and a deviation from their anticipation of a political Messiah.

So, Jesus is Jacob's Ladder - AND - because every believer in Christ has been grafted onto the patriarchal tree - the promises are also ours! Check out these verses:

Romans 4:13-14 (ESV):

"For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void."

Galatians 3:7-9 (ESV):

"Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.' So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

These passages underscore the idea that believers, whether Jew or Gentile, become part of Abraham's spiritual lineage and heirs to the promises God made to the patriarchs through their faith in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV):

"For all the promises of God find their "YES" in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

What Is That To Me?

To conclude - in the words of the great song writer Ralph Carmichael - "what is that to me?" You and I, as trusting believers in Jesus - because of Pentecost and the Outpouring of the Spirit's Fire - are connected to the Heavenly Throne from where Jesus is ruling and reigning. We "...have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering," That's Hebrews 12:22 - notice the tense "have come."

Here's what this means for you and me - as we trust Jesus and intentionally enact the Kingdom rule and reign of Jesus into our everyday lives - AS WE DO THIS - WE ARE NOT ALONE. Our ministry is not done by our own power or for our own glory. It is not by our "own power of piety that (lame men walk") - Jesus' empowering presence is conveyed to us by the Spirit of God who is in us and will be with us!"

But notice here that Peter and John - knowing that had been given to them - still had to believe in the moment - believe enough to overcome the routine and everyday stronghold that held the lame man in his state of powerlessness - they "gazed on him" - looking at the lame man - caring enough to stop the routine and the customary. The exact wording in the hyper-literal NASB

Acts 3:4-5 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" (5) And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

The NASB communicates the dynamic - there is a continuing and developing moment of connection here" As they focused their Spirit-empowered attention on the lame man - something shifted - the ordinary becomes extraordinary - after years of the same routine - the Flame of Love that fills these two men is driving a different outcome and once again, the blessing of Jesus is passed on through the heirs of the promise.

Jacob was not aware - but Peter and John were. "The name of Jesus has strengthened this man" Jesus is in Heaven - but His active rule comes to earth as his followers enact His Kingdom rule and reign! This is our legacy. But I wonder what would have happened without the "fixed gaze." I believe these verses are telling us that intentional focused engagements change the expected. I believe intentional focused engagements with people opens the door for the Spirit's work.

This makes us wonder - what might the power of Spirit-Motivated - Loving focus and attention bring about in our own lives.