Ascension Day - The Grand Culmination

Christmas means cantatas, joyful singing, month-long festivities to celebrate Christ’s birth – undisputedly the most exciting event in our Christian calendar; Good Friday arrives sombrely, we reflect on the cost of our sin – His suffering and journey to the cross, as we partake the Lord’s supper; Easter, we rejoice with resounding hallelujahs that the tomb is empty and the Christ has risen victoriously conquering sin and death! However 40 days on, Ascension Day usually comes and goes quietly without half as much notice. Yet it is a most essential part of the Christian story…

Ascension Day always falls on a Thursday, 40 days after Easter, and is usually remembered the following Sunday – today in which case. It commemorates the bodily ascension of Jesus into heaven after His resurrection, the grand culmination of Jesus’ earthly ministry and mission.

The Significance

What is so significant about the fact that Jesus ascended into heaven? Why did He have to leave us for that very matter if we read in the gospels of how much He accomplished in person? Would things be any different if He lived amongst us till today? I for one would find that very helpful in finding answers to my questions, being assured when doubt sets in, and most of all, convincing non-believers of His existence and transforming power… Doesn’t sound like too bad a plan!

“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” Mark 16:19

In being received up into heaven by God, Christ’s ascension proclaims His rightful Lordship over all as He reigns with the sovereign authority of God, sharing in His glory and His majesty. In being seated on the right hand of God, we have the reassuring comfort that we have a great Mediator…the best Mediator who acts as our Advocate, our defence, and intercedes on our behalf in the presence of the holy Father. Instead of looking on our sin and blemish, God looks on the garments of righteousness that Christ has placed over us. In times of loneliness, suffering and persecution, we know that Jesus has walked the road before us. He hears our prayers and cries. He will come again to deliver us and crush His enemies.

“And [the disciples] went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” Mark 16:20

The Ascension also marks the beginning of the church age, and propels us forward as His chosen means through which His Message will be heard. Christ has imbued His power in us through the Holy Spirit that we might carry on His work. This is the role of the church, our church – to be an extension of Christ through the ages, an extension of Christ throughout the community, throughout the nations. Is that really what the world can testify of us? It is most pertinent for us to stop and ponder every once in a while how much we are living up to this great calling…

Expected of Us

“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Mark 16:15, Acts 1:8

Over the last 40 days that Jesus was on earth, He spent it appearing to many – affirming His deity and victory over death, and speaking of things concerning the kingdom of God. His final commands to His disciples, and still is to us His people today, is to go into all the world, to all the ends of the earth to bring the gospel to all creation. And He promises His presence with us. He promises the Holy Spirit.

His mission is now our mission. He has no hands and feet on earth but ours. No voice of hope, mercy and love but ours. Our hearts are to beat in union with Christ’s for the concern of God’s kingdom until He restores it wholly and completely again. Until all creation can reflect His glory perfectly and worship Him as we were made to do.

Philip Yancey words the significance of Christ’s ascension most beautifully...

The law and the prophets had focused like a beam of light
on the One who was to come,
and now that light, as if hitting a prism,
would fracture and shoot out
in a human spectrum of waves and colours.

May we truly be that burst of brilliance and colour to pierce this dark world blind to Jesus… He is risen and has ascended!