The Importance Of The Ascension

Luke 24:49-53

Today’s blog post is an extra one, as today marks the day Christians celebrate Ascension Day, the day that Jesus ascended back into heaven.  We might wonder why that day is important.  We might think that it doesn’t rank with other Christian holy days, such as Christmas, when Jesus was born, or Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead.  Or even the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples.  What’s the big deal with Ascension Day?

For us believers here on earth, the ascension of Jesus into heaven does have significance.  When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter, approximately 40 days prior to Ascension Day, He won the victory over Satan and death.  Ascension Day is His triumphant return into heaven.  Picture with me, back in the days when kings would go forth with their army into battle.  One king would win the war against another kingdom, and the victory would be great on the battlefield.  But the real glory would come later, when the mighty king would return to his kingdom, and ride his horse triumphantly down the streets of his capital.  How the angels must have rejoiced when Jesus returned, triumphant over Satan and his demon hordes!

When Jesus returned to heaven, He took His place, seated at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19).  Being seated at someone’s right hand at, for example, a banquet, is the place of honor.  To be seated at the right hand of a ruling monarch is particularly a great honor, for that is a place of power and authority.  That is where Jesus is today, at the right hand of God the Father.  It shows that He triumphed over Satan.  Satan is a defeated foe!  Until he is completely destroyed at the end of time, he is under Jesus’s feet (Psalm 110:1 and Ephesians 1:22).

When Jesus returned to heaven He was given the ultimate authority over all of the world.  God won the victory, and is in control of everything.  He had that control all along, throughout all of time, but at His ascension He made an open show of His victory over all the powers of Satan and hell (Colossians 2:15).

There is another reason why it was important that Jesus return to heaven.  He told His disciples in John 16:7 that it was necessary for Him to return to heaven in order for the Holy Spirit to come upon believers here on earth.  Jesus said that when He returned to heaven, then, and only then, would the Holy Spirit be sent to indwell Christians.  That event, the day of Pentecost, will be commemorated a week from Sunday.

What is Jesus doing while up in heaven, sitting alongside God the Father?  This is something that I think is so special - Jesus is interceding for us there, while seated next to God!  He isn’t up there playing games and sports with the angels.  He isn’t up there getting spa treatments from the angels, either.  He is watching over us and interceding for us to the Father (Hebrews 7:25).  He is our Mediator (I Timothy 2:5), and our Advocate (I John 2:1).  He is like our attorney up there in heaven, and we can be sure that we will have nothing but the best, with Jesus on our side!  He hears our prayers to Him, and we have access to that power that raised Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:19).

It is from this place, the right hand of God, that Jesus will one day return to catch up all believers and take us to heaven.  As the disciples were watching, Jesus ascended to heaven and disappeared in the clouds.  The angels assured the disciples there that Jesus would return in the same way that he left (Acts 1:11).  When that day comes, He will appear in the clouds and call all believers to be with Him.

Are you ready and waiting for that day?  There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t at least one time think, “What if it is today!”  I pray that you are ready for that day!  I pray that you have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Savior.  If so, Jesus is in heaven right now, at the right hand of God, interceding for you!  If you haven’t yet, don’t hesitate another moment, but call upon Jesus, repenting of your sins, and ask Him to be your Savior today.  And when He returns, just as He left, Jesus will take you to be in heaven to dwell with Him forever!