THURSDAY 21st – Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9-11
Today, Thursday 21st is known as Ascension Day in the Church calendar, as we can see from the readings, it is the day we recall when Jesus ascended back into heaven. He had come to provide redemption for mankind, his mission had been accomplished and he was returning to his Father.
Before lockdown, I mentioned while speaking on one occasion that I would look at the subject of the ascension when the time came, well, it has arrived and so I will put the thoughts down here in a simple study with Scriptures over two days for you to explore further.
We get used to remembering and celebrating Christmas, Easter and Pentecost every year, but non – conformist Churches (that is those who don’t conform to the Anglican or Roman Catholic tradition) can easily forget the important dates within the Church calendar because we don’t follow a set liturgy or lexicon.
Ascension Day is one of those days often overlooked or quickly passed over, but it is important within the context of the life, ministry, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and his provision of salvation for lost humanity.
If he descended to be born as a babe in Bethlehem, and to die as a sacrifice for the sin of the world, and if he accomplished the sacrifice by being buried and raised from the dead then the moment he ascended back into his Fathers presence is important. I have used the word ‘if’ at the beginning of the last statement but we know that he did, he did descend, he did die, he did rise again from the dead, he did accomplish his Fathers will and as we see from our texts he did ascend back into heaven. This is all good news. When Jesus cried on the cross ‘it is finished’ he knew that he had accomplished all that was necessary to reconcile man back to God.
Here I will give some reasons why the ascension is important.
- It led to his exaltation and his being glorified.
Acts 2:32-33a ‘This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God . . .’
Philippians 2:9-11 ‘Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Because of his obedience he has received what is rightfully his, the exalted position with a name which is above every other name and as the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.
David portrays the exaltation or the arrival of Jesus back into heaven in Psalm 24:7-10 ‘Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!’
The ascension is good news, it means the sacrifice Christ made on our behalf has been accepted, it means that the grave is empty, and the throne has become occupied! The following Scriptures remind us where Christ has been exalted to:
Ephesians 1:20 ‘That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.’
Colossians 3:1 ‘If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’
Hebrews 1:3-4 ‘He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.’
Hebrews 10:12 ‘But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.’
Hebrews 12:2 ‘Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’
1 Peter 3:21-22 . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.’
- It led to the sending of the promised Holy Spirit.
Act2:33b ‘Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.’
In John 7 when Jesus had gone up to the Festival of Tabernacles it says that ‘on the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink . . . Now this he said about the Spirit . . . for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.’ (vv37-39) Jesus needed to ascend and to be glorified before the Holy Spirit could be sent to the waiting believers in the upper room.
In John 14 in conversation with his disciples, Jesus said, ‘I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter / Helper, even the Spirit of truth . . .’ (John 14:16-17) Once he had ascended, and been exalted and glorified, he asked his Father and there on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit arrived. (See also John 16:7 ‘Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.’)
Tomorrow we will look at some more reasons for the importance of the Ascension, it means we have a Great High Priest acting on our behalf in heaven and if he has returned to the Father, then it means that according to his promise, he will come again!
He is exalted
The King is exalted on high
I will praise Him
He is exalted, forever exalted
And I will praise His name
He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted
The King is exalted on high
Twila Paris CCLI788682