When we think of Christian holidays, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind? Most probably it will be Christmas, and then Easter. Some might think of Ash Wednesday, maybe Good Friday, or even Pentecost. But how many people think of Ascension Day? Some Christians, particularly newer ones, might not know what that day is, and others might go, “Oh yeah, that day when Jesus went back into heaven. Yeah, I think I’ve heard of that day.” Many don’t remember that day because they don’t think it’s all that important, which is a mistake. Ascension Day, which is today, 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection, is important. Our Scripture reading for today is from the opening verses of the Book of Acts, and describes this momentous event.
Some people might think that the Ascension of Jesus back into heaven was no big deal. They feel that Jesus rose from the dead, spent a little time with His friends, and then went on back to His home in heaven, no big deal. Yet it was a big deal. It was an important event. In former days, when a king was triumphant in battle against the enemy, an important and symbolic event was that the king would triumphantly return to his capital, to his throne. That signified that he was victorious. He was not defeated. The throne and the power were still his. For a while Satan might have thought that he had the upper hand when Jesus’ enemies had finally captured Him, and they had Him crucified. His enemies and Satan thought that He was finished, defeated. But they were wrong. Three days later Jesus triumphantly rose from the dead! They were the ones defeated! When Jesus ascended up through the sky and into heaven, He went right through where Satan, as prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), and his demons still work and operate. Jesus returned to His throne in triumph.
Another reason that the Ascension is important is that it was essential that Jesus return to heaven in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent (John 16:7). If Jesus had stayed on earth, His physical presence would have limited the spread of the Gospel, because physically Jesus could only be in one place at a time. After Jesus was taken up into heaven, He would be spiritually present everywhere through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was sent so that God would be with and within His followers after Jesus returned to heaven.
Jesus promised numerous times that He would send the Holy Spirit, and it was also one of His last words given to the disciples (vs. 4). The disciples had to wait until the Day of Pentecost before the Holy Spirit did come, but ever since then all believers are baptized with the Holy Spirit at the time of their salvation. Every believer, from the moment they are saved, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 3:16), and sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). Now as Jesus repeats this promise, He tells them that a major reason for the Holy Spirit’s empowerment is to spread the Gospel message around the world (vs. 8). That is still our commission to this day!
As Luke, who wrote the Book of Acts, tells us at the opening of this passage, prior to the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, He gave “many infallible proofs” that He had indeed risen from the dead (vs. 3). Many people have tried to discount the historical authenticity of the resurrection. They have said that the disciples stole His body away from the grave and then presented an empty grave as fake evidence. Or they say that Jesus’ good message lives on, even though He is still dead. Some said that it was hallucinations the disciples saw. However Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and other believers numerous times. He ate and drank with them, which no ghost could do. At one time Jesus was seen by over 500 believers at one time (I Corinthians 15:6). They all saw the wounds which He had received at the crucifixion.
Now, in full view of many of His followers, Jesus was bodily taken up into heaven (vs. 9). He was physically taken up into heaven to His rightful place at the right hand of the Father. Jesus Christ one day will return to earth in the same way He ascended in the clouds (vs. 11). The next time Jesus will be physically seen, His next appearance on earth, will be at His Second Coming. We should be ready for Jesus’ sudden return (I Thessalonians 5:2), not standing around, but working diligently to share the Gospel so that others will be saved.
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