Thursday 10th May marked a special day in the Christian calendar, Ascension Day. This is celebrated on the 40th day of Easter, but somehow often seems to get forgotten, unlike Christmas (when we remember Christ’s birth) and Easter (when we remember His death and resurrection.) Nonetheless, as Stephen pointed out, the ascension of Jesus (recorded in Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:3-11) matters enormously to us in its significance for us.
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross opened the way for mankind’s reconciliation with God (Heb 9:12) and His ascension essentially meant the giving of the Holy Spirit to His disciples (see John 16:7) as our counsellor and comforter, thus also paving the way for us to receive spiritual gifts (Eph 4:7-8). The ascenion of Jesus also means His present activity includes His ongoing intercession for us (Heb 7:25, 1 Jn 2:1-2). We can be comforted and encouraged to know that He is praying for us and caring for us.
Jesus told His disciples that His ‘going away’ would lead to the preparation of a permanent home with the Father (see John 14:2), a future promise which gives us both comfort and hope in the darkness of this present age. We can be sure that although the wise men brought gifts for the newborn king, they did not see the full kingly majesty of Jesus. (He was a child in common circumstances, not living in a royal palace or surrounded by splendour.) We now see Jesus ‘crowned with glory and honour’ (Heb 2:9) and have the assurance that He will come again in glory (Acts 1:11).
The ascension of Jesus therefore has significance for us now – we have access to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the assurance that Jesus is praying for us and preparing a place for us – and significance also for the future, when He will come again for His people (1 Thess 4:16-18).
