Thoughts on the Ascension

It can be so easy to gloss over the events immediately following Jesus’ death and resurrection. It’s almost as if we get stuck at the point of Jesus’ death and forget or lose sight of his glorious ascension and exaltation and the period between his resurrection and his ascension. I think it is important we remember that before he “ascended to heaven,” the resurrected Christ taught his disciples for a period of forty days. In that short period, he gave those “chosen apostles” the instruction that would radically change their lives and, through them, the world. We are told that Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.””

Jesus laid down a firm foundation for the Church, the body of Christ, which was unshakeable. The fact that the apostles had been chosen and appointed by Christ (Luke 6:12–16) is an extremely important point. With that choosing, came Apostolic authority to preach, teach, direct the church, and preserve the record of his life and teaching. God always equips those He chooses, calls, and appoints. Take a moment to reflect on God’s calling on your life. All of us as believers are blessed with time, talents or gifts, and resources. All of us have a role to play in the Body of Christ. God will equip you and bless you as you draw close to him.

In addition to this, we should also remember that Jesus presented himself to his followers and gave many convincing ‘proofs’ that he was alive. The Bible makes it clear that in this forty-day period, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people. The Greek word here translated as “proofs” is ‘tekmeriois’. This is a word that refers specifically to demonstrated, decisive, incontrovertible evidence. Jesus’ resurrection had not been sleight of hand or illusion, with Jesus being merely a ghostly presence. Instead, these were solid, visible, and undeniable proofs of the fact that Jesus was alive. These proofs would form the heart and soul of the forthcoming witness of the church. It has been said that “The early Christians did not believe in the resurrection of Christ because they could not find his dead body; they believed because they did find a living Christ.” Among all world religions, Jesus Christ is unique. The transformation that was wrought in the early followers of Christ following the resurrection appearances of Christ and the subsequent empowering of the Holy Spirit was nothing short of remarkable. Jesus’ last words before his ascension were, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus’ bodily resurrection is of huge significance for the following reasons:

• It powerfully demonstrated that what Jesus had predicted about his being resurrected was true (Mark 8:31; 9:9, 31; 10:34; John 2:19).
• It proves without any doubt that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, fully God and fully man (Romans 1:4) because only God could accomplish something so incredible and wondrous.
• It testifies to the success of Christ’s mission of salvation (Romans 4:25). If Christ was not bodily resurrected, then the efficacy of salvation itself would be called into question.
• It entitled Jesus to a position of glory (1 Peter 1:11).
• It proclaims that Jesus is Lord (Acts 2:36).

In this precious time with his followers, Jesus spoke of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of God. The ushering in of that Kingdom began with Jesus’ incarnation and continued in the hearts of his followers. Through Jesus, God’s Kingdom had come. When Christ returned to heaven, God’s Kingdom remained in the hearts of all believers through the presence of the Holy Spirit and continued to break through. God promised, however, that he would ultimately reign over all and bring about the end of all death and disease. The ultimate culmination of the Kingdom of God will not be fully realized until Jesus Christ comes again to rule, defeat his enemies, and consummate the Kingdom. Then God’s Kingdom will have fully come.

We need to invest time in getting to know Jesus, and through His word and in the power of the Holy Spirit allow him to teach and instruct us about his Kingdom so that we too might be bold and courageous for God, bearing witness and testifying to all that God has done and will do. We need to be followers of Christ and serve him unconditionally and unreservedly.

We must remember that Christ was resurrected, ascended and exalted, and that his Heavenly Father “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:20-23)

Imagine if the Church of today actually behaved and acted as if it believed that. So, I invite you to pray. Pray that the Holy Spirit might open your mind so that you might both understand and apply the Scriptures in your life. Pray that you might be transformed by the renewing of your mind and be a witness to Christ, honouring God in thought, word and deed as a member of his Kingdom.  Amen