After a wonderful week in beautiful Oregon, visiting with Roxanne’s family, I’m back at the keyboard and continuing our look at events between Passover/Easter and Pentecost. One of the most important, but least discussed, events is the Ascension. While only Luke (at the end of his Gospel, and beginning of Acts) describes the event itself, the entire New Testament reflects its vital importance. In this blog, I can only touch on some high points.
Luke 24: 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (NIV)
Acts 1: 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But 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.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (NIV)
Luke is not telling us that Jesus became an astronaut heading to a galaxy far, far, away. This is not about Jesus ascending in physical location, but ascending in God’s domain, to ultimate power and authority. That is the point the New Testament affirms. Jesus will return with God’s full authority.
Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus twice looks to the ascension. The first, is in dialogue with the Temple authorities, where Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1,
The Lord says to my lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.” (NIV)
The importance of this passage for the early church is seen in the fact that it is the most quoted passage in the New Testament. Jesus truly fulfills this in two ways. First, He, not David, is the Lord to whom David refers. Second, He has been given the place of authority, at God’s right hand. The second passage comes when on trial by the chief priests and teachers of the law, Jesus tells them, “But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God. (Luke 22:69 NIV)” This statement is based both on Psalm 110 and Daniel 7:13-14
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (NIV)
The ascension brings these words into a present reality.
Peter, both in the Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:33-34), and before the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:31) affirms that Jesus is in the position of greatest authority, at the right hand of God. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, before his death, sees the ascended Jesus standing at God’s right hand (Acts 7:55-56).
For John, the idea of “Glory,” incorporates power and authority. We see that in John’s prologue, where the glory of the Word made flesh was seen through faith. In Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer,” Jesus prays, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began (John 17:4-5 NIV).” Here, the Kingly glory the Son had from the beginning, is given to Him, again. That’s the meaning of the ascension.
This theme is also found in the “Christ Hymn,” in Philippians 2:9, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…” (NIV).
The rest of the New Testament contains several references to Jesus being ascended to the right hand of God. Indeed, we might say that referring to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is not a complete summary of the gospel, until one adds His ascension.
Many of these references are given in contrast to worldly political power. That power is often threatening the people of God. We recognize the threat of this world and the evil one behind the threat, but we need not fear it. No world leader, and certainly not Satan, sits at the right hand of God, but Jesus does! Not only does the ascension guarantee God’s ultimate victory, but it empowers us, while under threat from the world, to live victorious lives.
I conclude with the close of Paul’s great prayer in Ephesians 1:
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Tim Kelley