He Ascended into Heaven

Welcome to Things Unseen this new Monday. Do you know what week this is? I mean, what week in the Christian year, so-called? Thursday this week is Ascension Day in the Christian year. In some church traditions, the ascension of Christ is celebrated the same way Easter and Christmas Day are celebrated in other denominations and churches. And whatever you think about observing the Christian year, the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ does really matter. It’s an important moment in the gospel and, actually, also a significant event for our Christian living. But I wonder if you’ve given much thought to the ascension of Jesus. If not, I hope you stay with us this week because that’s what we’re going to try to think about.

But first of all, let me answer a question: How important was the ascension of Jesus to the authors of the New Testament? Well, Luke certainly thought it was. The last paragraph in his gospel describes it, and then right at the beginning of his second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, he describes it an even greater length. And then Peter refers to it in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, and then he assumes it when he explains the miracle at the beautiful gate of the temple in Acts 3. And the ascension of Christ also lies behind Stephen’s experience as he was being martyred, and if you think about it, also behind Saul of Tarsus’ experience on the Damascus Road, and behind many other passages too.

John tells us how Jesus spoke about it in John 6:62, and then in His farewell conversations with His disciples. And there are other passages like Ephesians 1:20–23, and Philippians 2:9: God highly exalting the Lord Jesus. And then in Philippians 3:10: He’s now in heaven and we are waiting for Him to return. And He has ascended and is seated at the right hand of God, says Paul in Colossians 3:1. And it’s implied in various places in Hebrews. Think of Hebrews 4:14: Jesus has passed through the heavens and is at God’s right hand. Or think of the portrayal of Jesus in Revelation 12, where He is caught up to heaven and has ascended to the throne of God.

So yes, the ascension really is important. It was the next stage in the work of the Lord Jesus after His birth, His ministry, His death, and His resurrection. In fact, it marked the completion of His present work here on Earth. Just as the hymn says:

All his work is ended, joyfully we sing:
Jesus has ascended: Glory to our King!

As John says in his gospel, He came from God, and He was going back to God (John 13:3). His resurrection tells us that His atoning sacrifice has been accepted. His ascension tells us that He has completed all the work His Father gave Him to do on Earth.

Jesus was taken up into heaven in a cloud, and there’s a reason for that. It wasn’t just to hide Him from sight, but you remember, in God’s mighty acts, a cloud regularly appears. It’s sometimes called the shekinah cloud, the bright shining cloud that manifests the presence of the invisible glory of God. Our Lord went into heaven, riding on a kind of triumphal chariot of glory.

The fathers of the church in the early centuries loved to think of the words of Psalm 24 in this connection. As Jesus approaches the summit of the hill of the Lord, the angels accompanying Him cry out, “Lift up your heads, O gates . . . that the King of glory may come in,” and like an antiphonal choir, the angels in heaven call back, “Who is this King of glory who seeks entry?” And the answer is given, “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle! The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” And so the doors of heaven swing open, and Jesus, who has conquered sin and death and Satan, comes to His coronation. What a scene! Magnificent, isn’t it?

You see, the ascension means that Jesus, who was crucified for us, now occupies the throne of heaven and reigns over all things for us. That’s something worth remembering, whatever you’re going to be doing today. And it’s a wonderful thought to have at the end of the day when you lay your head in the pillow. It really is true:

All his work is ended, joyfully we sing:
Jesus has ascended: Glory to our King!