by The Rev. Charles Henrickson

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:15-23

Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Ephesians 1:15-23 (ESV)

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Where is Jesus, and what is he doing? That's a good question to ask on this Ascension Day. Where did Jesus go when he ascended, and what is he doing now? Alright, you say, I know the answer to that question--we just confessed it in the Creed: He "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father." OK, fine, but what's the big deal about that? Is that enough to have a whole special festival on it, that we have to come out and have church on a Thursday night? Well, I would say, yes. But I want you to be able to say yes, too, and to have some idea as to why we say that, more than just, "It's forty days past Easter and that's when Ascension falls on the calendar." And so tonight, on this Ascension Day, let's find out more about where Jesus is and what he is doing, and what that means for us.

In the Ascension account at the end of Luke, it says that Jesus "parted from them and was carried up into heaven." In the text at the beginning of Acts, it says that Jesus "was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight," and the angels tell the disciples that this Jesus "was taken up from you into heaven." Our reading from Ephesians says that God "raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places." OK, well, there you've got it: Jesus "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father." What we say in the Creed is simply restating what the New Testament tells us. But that still leaves us wondering what all that means and why it's so important.

What does it mean that Jesus ascended into heaven and sits at God's right hand? Does it mean that Jesus just went away, that's he's taking a break, like he's on vacation for a few thousand years until he comes back? Does it mean that Jesus has been taken away from us, far away? We can't see him anymore, and, oh, how I wish we could been so lucky to have been like those disciples and been able to spend some time with him and see him, for a few years at least. Oh, well. But now he's gone, and we'll just have to muddle through somehow. Is that it? Jesus is absent, stuck up there in heaven, and now we're on our own. Jesus, missing in action. Out of sight, out of mind.

Nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, let's unpack what it means that he "ascended into heaven." To be sure, it does mean that Jesus rose up into the sky, bodily, in view of his disciples, on that day long ago some forty days after Easter. Jesus had told his disciples that he would be going away, returning to his Father, that the Father would glorify him upon the completion of his saving mission. And that is what is taking place, beginning, really, since Easter. Jesus appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days, met with them, taught them, let them touch his hands and his side that bore the marks of his crucifixion, by which he won our salvation. So the Ascension is part of that continuing exaltation of Christ, his glorification, and further proof of his victorious, bodily resurrection. It shows the Father's approval of what his Son has done in dying for the sins of the world. God is saying yes to that. It shows the victory of the cross. Ascension Day is Christ's triumph day. He is received into heaven with a "Job well done!" and "Welcome home!" And the angels are rejoicing.

But there's more. Christ ascends into heaven and "sits at the right hand of the Father." Now we need to understand this "right hand" business. In the biblical way of thinking and talking, to be seated at the right hand of a great king means to exercise royal authority. It is to be the king's "right hand man"--we even have that expression in English. Why? Because for most of us, our right hand is our dominant hand, the hand with which we do stuff. So to be at God's right hand means to exercise divine, heavenly power and authority. That's where Jesus is and what he is doing now, seated at the right hand of the Father.

Now this is great and tremendous! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now is ruling all things in heaven and on earth. He is Lord of all! That is what Ephesians is getting at, for it goes on to explain what being seated at the right hand means: God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all."

So Jesus Christ now is ruling all things for the sake of his church. We are intimately connected to Christ--he is the head, we are his body--and he is head over everything. All rule, all authority, all power and dominion, belong to the risen and exalted Lord Jesus Christ.

What's more, when Jesus ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, he went there as our brother and our high priest. Christ is both true God and true man, and now ascended to the throne room of God, we have a friend in high places. Jesus knows our every weakness, and he is interceding for us, praying for us. He's on our side, he has the Father's ear, and he is able to help in every time of need. And Jesus ascended into heaven as our great high priest. Like the high priest went into the Holy of Holies with the blood of the atonement, so Christ enters heaven and presents his blood as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Our ascended Lord is seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion. But does "far above" mean "far away"? Does Jesus' absence from our sight mean that he is now distant and detached? Triumphant, yes, transcendent, yes, but rather cold and aloof, far removed from us, far away up in heaven. Is that the meaning of Ascension? By no means!

No, it is no contradiction to say that Jesus is both "far above" and "here and near." Did you catch that? Jesus is both far above and here and near! Think of the Great Commission, in Matthew 28. The risen Lord Jesus meets with his disciples during those forty days, and he says: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." You see? There it is, both sides of the coin. "All authority": Yes, Christ is exalted and will sit at the right hand of the Father. There's the "far above." And then, in the very same passage: "And behold, I am with you always." "With you"! There is the "here and near"! They're both true! And they're both wonderful gospel for you, my friends!

Think of it. Remember what Jesus said? "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." You see, Christ is here, present among us, for we are gathered here in his name. Christ is here, present among us, present to save, present to bless, present to forgive your sins, for this is where his gospel is.

And one more thing. Think of Jesus' words, "This is my body, this is my blood." Those words are still true, even as we celebrate our Lord's ascension into heaven. That Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father does not mean that he is limited to one small space off in a distant galaxy somewhere. No, Christ is here, and in particular, he gives us his body and his blood at this altar, for us Christians to eat and to drink, and so to receive his benefits. Yes, Christ's true body and his true blood are here, really present in this sacrament, for your forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Where is Jesus, and what is he doing? The exalted Savior has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of his Father. And thank God he is! It shows he has won the victory over death for us and will come again one day to bring us to himself. We share in his resurrection and eternal life. Jesus now is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, our brother and our sympathetic high priest. Jesus is ruling all things in heaven and on earth for the sake of his beloved church. That's all good news. Jesus is "far above" all other rule and power, exercising divine, heavenly authority, for our good.

And not only is Jesus "far above," he is also "here and near." He is here among us, present with his church, present to bless you, God's children. Your Savior is here, with you in your trials and difficulties, walking with you all the way. He could not be any closer.

Scripture: John 20:17; Acts 1:3-11

The ascension of our Lord Jesus is well attested in the New Testament. It describes Jesus' ascent upward into heaven after spending 40 days on the earth (John 20:17; Acts 1:3). The ascension is designed to provide an incentive to faith, courage, and a motivation to ministry.

For the purposes of our study, we are going to focus our attention on the account written by St. Luke in Acts 1:6-11.

First, we want to note the context in which the ascension occurred. This passage shows us there was concern and longing for the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, and so there was the question about when. The Lord tells His disciples this was all in the Father's sovereign plan and timing (vs. 7). In the meantime, they had the responsibility of representing the Lord to the world, a responsibility for which they would be adequately supplied by the power of the Holy Spirit once He had come to dwell in the church, the sacred body of Christ (vs. 8).

Immediately after this commission in verse 8, the ascension occurred. The Lord was lifted up by a cloud of glory out of their sight and taken into heaven. He was ascending to the right hand of the Father from whence He would send the Holy Spirit to empower them for ministry. There also He would sit to represent them providing access into God's presence.

Let's note the words used for Christ's departure and what they teach us in brief.

Verse 9a tells us "He was lifted up." This stresses that the ascension is upward and shows the Father was taking His Son up into heaven. The ascension was an act of exaltation and an affirmation of Christ's person.

Verse 9 tells us "a cloud received Him out of their sight." Literally The Greek word the cloud "took under Him." He appeared to be supported by the cloud.

This may have been like the cloud connected with the transfiguration, and which descended on the tabernacle in the wilderness and filled Solomon's temple. Many believe it was the shekinah (??????) cloud, a symbol of the glory of God. In other word, it was a supernatural cloud, a symbol of the glorification of the Son. He was resuming His pre-incarnate glory--the glory He had before the incarnation.

Verse 10 describes the ascent by the words, "while He was departing." This was a common word that meant to "go on a journey." This suggests to us the ascension was a journey, not merely a disappearance.

Verse 11 describes the ascent by the words, "This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven." This is probably best understood as the culmination or climax which describes His reception into heaven. It describes the final results of the ascension and declares the fact of Christ's arrival in heaven. By the testimony of two angels from heaven we are told He had reached His destination.

Everywhere we turn in the New Testament we find the Lord Jesus declared to be in heaven at the right hand of the Father in the place of glory, power, authority, and provision for us.

The Ascension of the Lord into heaven is also known as the exaltation of Jesus. By the resurrection of the Lord, the humanity overcomes the death, and by the Ascension of the Lord, the humanity -through the body of our Lord- sat at the right hand of God the Father. The resurrection in general is for both: those who have done good, and those who have done evil. The Ascension: is only for those who are at the right hand side of God, which means those who have done good only (Matthew 25:33).

Let us summarize the results of the bodily ascension of the Lord.

1) It ended Christ's humiliation and self-limitation (John 6:62; Phil. 2:5-11). Even though the Lord still possessed a glorified human body, through the ascension, the Lord assumed all of His former glory and authority as God.

2) It ended His public ministry of words and works (John 17:4-11). The ascension concluded His prophetic ministry and miracles accomplished by His bodily presence on earth. His prophetic ministry and miracles would continue for a while, but only through the lives and ministry of the Apostles (His Church).

3) It ended His redemptive work (Heb. 1:3; 10:12). The ascension declared His work on the cross was finished. It demonstrated that there was nothing more that could be done for our sin and that He and He alone had accomplished our redemption (Heb. 9:11-12).

4) It ended the Old Testament Covenant and declares the New Covenant to be better and in force (Heb. 8:7-13; 9:11-15, 23-10:1). The ascension declared that the old Mosaic Covenant was no longer valid, that it was only a temporary covenant until the Messiah-Savior could come.

5) It affirmed Christ as the God-Man (John 6:62). The ascension, like the resurrection, would prove His divine origin. By His ascension Jesus approved of His original Godhood.

6) It affirmed Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.

a. As prophet; In John 3:13 our Lord shows Nicodemus He has the right and ability to explain and reveal heavenly truth because He is the true prophet, the One who came from heaven and Who, following His finished work on the cross, would return--the proof that He had truly come from God.

b. As priest; Jesus' ascension and return to the Father would demonstrate that He had successfully, as our great and righteous High Priest, offered the sacrifice that effectively deals with man's sin and provides justification--righteousness with God. (Heb. 8:1-2; 9:11-12; John 16:10)

c. As King; In answer to who He was, Christ again made reference to His ascended and exalted position at God's right hand, only now in connection with His second coming from that ascended and exalted position as King of kings. (Matt. 26:64.)

7) The Ascension of the Lord, affirmed His exaltation which means:

a. His Glorification: It meant a return to His pre-incarnate glory, but it also constituted a glorification of His humanity where He is the Forerunner of all believers who will follow. (John 17:5; Acts 7:55; Rev. 1:12-16)

b. His Session: It declared that He was in heaven, at God's right hand, the place of the highest honor and authority. It means all glory, authority and power is shared by the Father with the Son. (Eph.1:20-23; Phil. 2:9; Heb.1:3; 1 Pet. 3:22).

c. His Intercession and Protection over His own: It affirms His continuing ministry for us at God's right hand: kept by His presence with the Father and His work as High Priest. In this regard, it declares we have an advocate with the Father and a compassionate High Priest, one who cares for us with the greatest compassion and who both intercedes for us when we sin and prays to the Father for us in our need (John 17:11; Rom. 8:32; Heb. 4:14-16).

d. His Provision for spiritual power: It provided the means of His gift of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

e. His Distribution: It affirmed His right to give gifts to His church (Eph. 4:7-11).

f. His Preparation: It affirms His promise to prepare a home for His bride, the Church. When we lose a loved one who knows the Lord, one of the great comforts is the fact that our loved one has actually gone home and that we will someday be joining them (John 14:3,4).

g. Commission: By His commission I am referring to His earthly ministry and that He intends to continue this through His church. (Matt. 28:19; Luke 24:44; John 12:32; 14:12; 17:11-23; Mark 16:19-20).

Reflection

Because of what the ascension means, it demands a response from us to the person and work of Christ. (John 6:62) We should not fail to understand the truth of Christ as the Bread of Life in Holy Communion, as the source of our spiritual nourishment and life through feeding on Him by faith and study His word. For the Lord challenged His audience (and challenges us) with these words: "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before?"

The ascension provides every reason why we should endure and be bold in service for the Lord knowing that our labor is never in vain in the Lord. (Mat. 28:19; Heb. 12:1,2).

The ascension anticipates the establishment of His kingdom and the fact that we will have the privilege of reigning with Him in His eternal kingdom of the new heavens and earth. (John 14:28; 16:16; Acts. 1:11; Ps. 110:1; Heb. 1:13; Rev. 5:1-11.)

Remember, that this same Jesus Who has gone up to heaven, will so come in like manner as He was seen going up into heaven. His return is certain, may the Lord bless you, and grant you a share in His ascension. Amen

by Fr. Altier

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:17-23, St. Matthew 28:16-20

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, and this feast tends to be sort of downplayed in the minds of most people.

We focus an awful lot on Easter, and rightly so, as the resurrection of Our Lord from the dead is the single most important of all of the events in human history. We tend to put an awful lot of focus on Christmas, on the day that Our Lord was born into the world. Even when we look at those two feasts, we recognize that most people sort of forget that the Incarnation did not take place at Christmas, but at the Annunciation. The Annunciation tends to get very little focus in the eyes of many people. What happened at Easter is fulfilled in the Ascension, and yet many people tend to ignore the Ascension and focus solely on the Resurrection of Our Lord.

We need to understand, that if the Lord had merely risen from the dead, but not ascended into heaven, what that would mean is that our bodies could rise from the dead and then we would be stuck on earth for the rest of eternity, not a very happy idea, at least in my opinion. When you have the opportunity to be able to go to heaven, why would you want to stay on earth? Imagine having a glorified body, and being stuck in this world. That is not a good thing.

Our Lord in His Ascension has taken our humanity up to heaven, and in His humanity as well as His divinity, which are completely, perfectly united with one another, He has been enthroned as King of Glory. He is the King of all creation, not because He is God, as God He is King over all because He is the Creator, but to be the King, our King, it is because He died and rose and has ascended into heaven. It is because He took our humanity to Himself.

We must understand the importance of this feast for ourselves. First of all, this is the third time that Jesus was raised from the earth. He told us that when He is raised up from the earth, He will draw all men to Himself. He was raised up from the earth when He was crucified. He was raised up from the earth when He rose from the dead, and now He is raised up from the earth in His Ascension into heaven.

It is to Himself that He will draw us all. He draws us all to His cross, and asks that each one of us would share in His cross and in the work of redemption. He draws each one of us to Himself in His Resurrection, in the promise that each one of us will rise from the dead. The ultimate hope and the ultimate glory is that He will call each one of us to Himself in His glory in heaven, where we will share in that glory in its fullness. But we already do!

I recommend to you that you go back and look at that second reading of St. Paul from his letter to the Ephesians and just consider what it is that he is telling us. He prays that the God of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give each one of us a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in a knowledge of Him. Beginning with that, that we would all come to know God, but he does not stop there. Once there is a knowledge of God, then he says, "May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened that you may know what is the hope that belongs to His call." The "hope that belongs to His call" is that you will be able to go to heaven, that you are members of His Son and that you will be able to have God as your inheritance. Then he says what are the riches of your glory and the inheritance among his holy ones.

The "riches of His glory" is Jesus Christ. You are a member of Jesus Christ, and consequently the inheritance among his holy ones, as I just mentioned, is God Himself. It is not merely the opportunity to go to heaven, but your inheritance is God! Imagine that! What you are going to inherit is something which is infinitely beyond yourself, and yet that is what the Lord is offering to you. It is not merely an opportunity to be able to go to heaven and be happy forever, but an opportunity to be one with God. It is not just to be able to sit back and think about this, but to enter into the mystery of God, the fullness of the richness of God in all of His glory.

That is what is being offered to you, and not merely for a short period of time, but for all eternity. With that in mind St. Paul goes on to say. "…and what is the surpassing greatness of His power for us who believe in accord with the exercise of His great might which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens." God wants to show His greatness and His glory in you. Certainly by raising you from the dead and also seating you at His right hand, but even now He wants to show His greatness and glory in you. Because St. Paul again goes on, at the end of the reading to say to us, that Jesus Christ is head over all things and that He has given all things over to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way. The Church is the fullness of Him who fills all things in every way, and you are a member of that Church. You are a member of Jesus Christ, and the Church and Jesus Christ are one. So the fullness of Jesus Christ dwells in you as a member of the Church. The glory of God dwells in you already and He wants you to be able to share fully in that glory. This is why Our Lord could promise us in the Gospel reading that He is going to be with us all days until the end of the world.

He is with us in His Church, and His Church is going to remain all days until the end of the world, regardless of the attempts of Satan and his media to try to destroy it. Praise God that that is happening out there, because it is a purification for the Church. It is a purification for each and everyone one of us, as we need to make the decision of who we are going to follow. Are we going to follow the media and their attack, or are we going to follow Jesus Christ? It is not that everything that the media is saying is false, it is not. There is truth in what they are saying. There are horrible, filthy, disgusting scandals that even priests and bishops have perpetrated against the people entrusted to their care. Yet this is part of the divine plan of Jesus Christ. Now when you think of that, that is enough to make some people get up and walk out and say, if that is what God Himself is going to plan, I do not want anything to do with it. We need to look beyond that and recognize that what God is doing in the lives of those people who were victims, and the lives of each one of us who are not victims, is that God is asking us to look beyond the human and look to the divine. We need to be able to look at the fact that while members of the Church are sinners, just like each one of us, let him who is without sin be the first to cast the stone. I would suggest the exact same thing to everyone in the media, let him who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.

It is not about the humanness, the Church is the fullness of Jesus Christ. The Church will remain all days until the end of the world. Jesus Christ is with His Church all days until the end of the world. Jesus Christ continues to be crucified in His Church all days until the end of the world. Yet Jesus Christ continues to be glorified in His Church all days until the end of the world. That means that the Lord wants to be crucified in you, and He wants you to be crucified in Him, but He also wants to be glorified in you and He wants you to be glorified in Him. The question is, are you willing to share in His glory? It is not enough for us just to sit back and stare at the sky and ponder the Ascension of Our Lord. The angel came down and asked the disciples, what are you doing looking at the sky? He has promised us that Jesus Christ is going to return in the same way that we saw Him go. In the meantime, we have work to do. The disciples could not continue to stare at the sky and marvel at what had just happened, it was now time for them to get to work. Our Lord told them that they were to remain a few days until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. It was then that they had to go out.

Each one of us already has the Holy Spirit. Each one of us now is called to go out and to spread the Gospel of Christ. What a glorious time it is to be able to do it, because people will scoff at us for preaching Christ and for preaching the fullness of His Church, because all that they see is the bad. The Lord is asking you now, are you willing to stand with Him, or are you going to hang your head and be embarrassed to be a Catholic because there is all kinds of bad press out there? Mark my words it is only going to get worse. You need to make a decision now, are you going to stay with Jesus Christ or are you going to abandon Him? He promised He will not abandon you. He will remain with you all days until the end of the world. Are you going to remain with Him all days? That is the question. There is no doubt about what He is going to do, it is only about what we are going to do.

Our faith as Americans has never been tested, never. Little tests have been given to each one of us in our lives. We have never had an opportunity as Americans, in our day, to suffer for our faith. We need to praise God that we have that opportunity now. We have the fullness of His power, the fullness of His glory and it dwells within us already. We are seated with Jesus at God's right hand already in glory. There is nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing to be embarrassed of. You are not a Catholic for a priest. You are not a Catholic for a bishop. You are a Catholic for Jesus Christ and do not ever forget that. Do not ever be embarrassed of Jesus Christ. Do not ever be embarrassed to be a Christian, because Christians are not about sin, Christians are about Jesus Christ. That is what we must be about. Do not hang you head in shame because some members of the Church have sinned. No, every member of the Church, except one, has sinned, and that is our Blessed Lady. You have sinned, I have sinned, everyone of those priests and bishops including our Holy Father, has sinned. And so has every person who is pointing a finger at them for their sins. We have no reason to be ashamed. We have no reason to be embarrassed. We have reason for hope, because as Christians we profess forgiveness of sin. We profess Jesus Christ, who died and was raised and has been ascended into heaven and is seated at God's right hand.

You have died with Him in baptism. You have been raised with Him in baptism. You have been glorified with Him, and you are already seated at God's right hand with Him spiritually. Now we await the day that it is going to happen physically. Each one of us has an opportunity to do that, to be crucified with Him, to rise with Him from the dead, and to be glorified with Him for eternity. The choice simply remains with us. Are we going to do it? Are we going to be embarrassed of Jesus Christ and the shame that is being heaped upon Him and walk away? Or are we going to recognize who He is, and who His Church is? The Church is Jesus Christ. Are we going to be embarrassed to be Christians  and walk away from Jesus Christ? Or will we be crucified with Him in order to be glorified with Him? That is the offer He is giving to each one of us today. Each one of us must make that decision for ourselves.

by Brian Tabb

Have you marked your calendar for Ascension Day? How many of us have even heard of Ascension Day? Or perhaps just a sermon about Jesus' ascension into heaven? It is impossible to overstate the importance of Good Friday, when Jesus died for our sins, and Easter Sunday, when he was raised from the dead - but Jesus' earthly ministry did not stop there.

After the resurrection, Jesus taught his disciples about God's kingdom for forty days (Acts 1:3) and then he was "taken up" to heaven (Acts 1:2, 11). The cross and empty tomb are at the very heart of the gospel message proclaimed by Jesus' followers throughout history (see 1 Corinthians 15:1–4). However, for many Christians and churches, Jesus' ascension is simply an afterthought to Easter and Good Friday.

Here I want to highlight six aspects of Jesus' ascension or exaltation, in hopes that this significant and climactic event in Jesus' life will no longer be an afterthought for you.

1. Jesus continues to work after the ascension.

In Acts 1:1–2 we read, "In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up..." The small but important word began signals that Jesus's ascension does not mark the cessation but the continuation of his work as Lord and Messiah. That's what Luke's second book is all about, the "Acts of the risen Lord Jesus," which he works from heaven, through his people, by the Holy Spirit, for the accomplishment of God's purposes. (1)

2. The ascended Lord Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to his people.

After his resurrection Jesus told his followers, "I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). (2) In his Pentecost sermon Peter explains, "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" (Acts 2:33). God promised in Joel 2:28, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh," and this promise is fulfilled by the exalted heavenly Lord Jesus. The ascended Lord sent the Spirit to be present with his people (John 14:16), to empower them for worldwide mission (Acts 1:8; 4:31), and to transform believers to live new lives reflecting their king (Romans 8:9–11; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

3. Jesus' ascension is his heavenly enthronement as King.

At Jesus' ascension he is installed as the true king of the world. According to the Apostles' Creed, he "ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." Jesus is taken up to heaven in a cloud (Acts 1:9–11), and Stephen declares that he sees the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). These texts suggest that Jesus' ascension fulfills the important prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14:3

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Jesus' kingdom cannot be destroyed and will not pass away! According to Revelation 3:21 Jesus conquered and sat down with his Father on his throne, where he receives unending praise (Revelation 5:6–13). Jesus will reign at God's right hand until all enemies are subdued under his feet (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34–35; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 1:13). Thus God's kingdom has been inaugurated through the enthronement of Jesus, who now sits on heaven's throne and will return to consummate his kingdom on earth as in heaven.

4. Jesus' ascension is his return to his Father.

Before and after his death and resurrection Jesus declares that he was sent by his Father and must return to his Father:

I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father. (John 16:28; cf. 13:1, 3)

Jesus said to Mary, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (John 20:17)

There has been no sweeter reunion in the history of the world than Jesus' return to his Father! Perhaps the closest analogy is a courageous, wounded soldier returning to his loved ones after a hard-fought victory. Jesus fully accomplished his mission and glorified the Father on earth, and at Jesus' ascension the Father glorifies the Son in heaven (John 17:4–5). Take heart that Jesus' homecoming to his Father prepares the way for our homecoming to be with Jesus forever (John 14:2–4).

5. The ascended Lord Jesus is our heavenly mediator and high priest.

Jesus is the unique mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). His death and resurrection secure our forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation with God (Romans 4:25-5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Note also that the exalted Lord Jesus is now in heaven interceding for his people as our true high priest and advocate (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 1:3; 7:25; 8:1; 1 John 2:1). During his earthly ministry Jesus' work was geographically limited - he didn't teach in Ethiopia while healing in China. But now he is at work everywhere and able to hear and respond to his people's prayers no matter the time or place. He sympathizes with our struggles and promises to do whatever we ask in his name (John 14:13–14; Hebrews 4:15-16).

6. The ascended Lord Jesus will return as King and Judge.

In Acts 1:11 two angels explain to the disciples, "This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Jesus' heavenly reign will one day be fully realized on earth (Revelation 11:15; 19:10–16; 22:3). This is the very thing we ask for when we pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). At his return, the Lord Jesus will execute divine judgment, vindicating his downtrodden people and judging his enemies. (4)

What It Means for Our Lives

To sum up: Though often overlooked, the ascension completes Jesus' earthly mission and signifies his enthronement as heavenly king. Jesus has completed his Father's mission and he now rules with all authority and intercedes with all sympathy as our mediator and high priest. I close with four implications of Jesus' ascension for our lives.

Remember that Jesus is presently reigning as king and remains active and engaged in our world and our lives.

Therefore live boldly, confidently, and strategically as servants of the exalted king of heaven. Know that your labors in the Lord Jesus are not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Sufferers, take heart that Jesus is not indifferent to your struggle. He has endured great suffering and is thus the most merciful and sympathetic counselor and mediator. Take your cares to your ascended Lord who hears your prayers and can respond with all heaven's authority.

Finally hope in a glorious future. The ascended Lord will return as judge and king. He will abolish injustice, end suffering, and destroy death and set up his kingdom of truth, righteousness and love. Best of all, we will be with our king forever.

References:

1 See Alan J. Thompson, The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke's Account of God's Unfolding Plan (NSBT 27; Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 48–50.

2 See also John 15:26; 16:7; Acts 1:5, 8.

3 See also Mark 14:62; Revelation 1:13; 11:15.

4 See Matthew 25:31–36; John 5:27; Acts 17:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Revelation 22:12.

About The Author:

by Oswald Chambers

"It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven" - Luke 24:51

We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward - Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection - everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension, our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.

The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.

The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God - He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.