The ascension of Jesus, which signifies the end of His earthly career and the start of a new era for His disciples, is an important event in the Christian religion. Jesus promised His disciples that He would return one day and ascend to heaven 40 days after His resurrection.
Just as it demonstrates Jesus’ deity and authority over death, this event is significant to Christians because it also gives His followers hope and a reason to spread His teachings worldwide. For all believers in the world, the story of Jesus’ ascension continues to serve as a source of inspiration and direction and a reminder of the strength of the Christian faith and the promise of eternal life[1] in heaven.
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What Is The Ascension Of Jesus Christ?
One of the most significant occurrences mentioned in the New Testament is the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. However, despite having an important place in Scripture, it receives relatively little attention today, even from Christians. Typically, we emphasize Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. But the ascension is crucial, particularly in Luke’s writings.
Luke wrote a two-part chronicle of the beginnings of Christianity. The Gospel that bears Luke’s own name is in volume one, while the Book of Acts is in the second volume. Since the ascension was so significant to Luke, he reported it at the end of volume one (Luke 24:50–51), again at the beginning of volume two (Acts 1:9–11), and throughout the Book of Acts.
Following this phrase through Acts, we see three things that the enthroned and risen Christ has done for His church. In Acts 2, the Apostle Peter illustrates Jesus’ resurrection and ascension in light of Psalm 16 and Psalm 110 and tells us that Jesus was exalted to “the right hand of God.”
Jesus made multiple appearances after His death and resurrection or before His ascension. One of those appearances was when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, a woman He had exorcised of seven demons, on the first day of the week when He resurrected from the dead (Mark 16:9).
The Significance Of The Ascension Of Jesus
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the world and His ascension to heaven are both marked by the ascension of Jesus, a crucial moment in Christian theology. Ascension Day is an occasion that is observed 40 days after Easter Sunday. It is possible to comprehend the significance of Jesus’ ascension in several ways.
- The proof of Jesus’ deity. Jesus’ ascension is regarded as proof of His deity. The incident proves that Jesus is the Son of God who was sent to earth to save humanity from sin. Jesus is taking His rightful place with God by rising to heaven.
- Realization of a prophecy. Jesus’ ascension likewise fulfills the Old Testament prophecy. “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet,” the Lord says to God in Psalm 110:1. This prophecy is fulfilled when Jesus ascends to heaven and rests at the right hand of God.
- Future optimism. The future is likewise made hopeful for believers by Jesus’ ascension. The hope of eternal life with Jesus in heaven is given to believers by Jesus’ promise in John 14:2–3, “My Father’s house has many areas; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare an area for you? And if I go and make a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am.”
Exploring The Biblical Accounts Of The Ascension Of Jesus
For 40 days following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the apostles in Jerusalem and Galilee. After these 40 days, He traveled by foot to a location near Jerusalem with His apostles. Then He “led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, lifted up his hands, and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” (Luke 24:50–51).
Luke uses somewhat different language in the Book of Acts to describe the same incident: “And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.”
The disciples then traveled a day’s journey back to Jerusalem from the mount known as Olivet, which is close to Jerusalem (Acts 1:9; 1:12). As we can see from these Bible passages, the word “ascension” means “going up,” and it alludes to Jesus ascending to heaven.
What Lessons Can We Learn From The Ascension Of Jesus?
The Lord Jesus came to earth, and He is coming again. The ascension reminds us that since Jesus was only temporarily placed here on earth, He needed to return to heaven and take up His proper position, but that He will be back for His second coming.
Furthermore, the ascension teaches us about following Jesus’ orders. It serves as a reminder of the significance of spreading the gospel to others. Jesus instructed His followers to go and baptize people from every nation in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we are obligated to spread the message of Jesus to others since this mission is still important today.
There is work that clearly needs to be done. The ascension tells us that we must work hard to win souls and carry out whatever mission God has sent us on. While we know that Jesus will return, we cannot wait silently. The ascension of Jesus Christ is not merely a story you may take or leave; it has a strong foundation in God’s Word.
Through whatever gift God and the Holy Spirit have given us, we should be gathering souls. Since we do not know when He will return, we should already be preparing for this event. We haven’t got the slightest clue if it is this generation that will get to witness His return in the skies, but we still need to be hopeful and ready for it.
Celebrating The Ascension Of Jesus Today
Ascension Day is a public holiday in Indonesia, Western Europe, and Scandinavia. The Netherlands and Indonesia stand out among nations with a long history of Ascension Day church services.
Jesus answered and instructed His followers to serve as His witnesses throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the earth. The Jews were the first to hear the gospel, followed by Jewish and mixed-race Samaritans and Gentiles. Today, Christians must feel obligated to tell everyone who has yet to hear about Jesus.
According to the Bible, through Christ’s ascension, He went back to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father to serve as the believer’s advocate and intercessor (Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 7:25). His purpose for being on earth had been fulfilled.
He adopted a human form and, in His exalted state, will always be both entirely God and human. The substitutionary atonement of Christ (Hebrews 10:9–18) and His accomplished work are done, and this is something we must celebrate today.
Conclusion
According to the Christian church, when Jesus ascended, it signified the culmination of His earthly life and the start of a brand-new era for His disciples. The ascended Christ proved His deity and established His authority over death, giving His followers hope and a calling to share His teachings with the rest of the world.
As demonstrated by the ascension, Jesus is not constrained by time or location and continues to pray for His people in heaven. It also serves as a challenge for Christians to carry on the job that Jesus started by sharing His message of love and salvation with everyone.
I need your guidance, please, as how to respond to a family member who believes she cannot leave the house she lives in because she is the one who guards it “because it is the place of ascension; it is here (in her yard) & if I leave it will close.”
She is asking me to send money to pay her mortgage & debts because “…”if I leave, the place of ascension will close.”
I do not believe this since she refuses to get a job that she can do from home to earn a living (she was financially self-sufficient until she decided to stop working in the computer field). Please help me to point her to the right passages in the Bible that would help her to see that