Last Sunday, Ray David preached a great sermon on Luke 24:50-53 – the ascension of Jesus. And I have been struck, in a brand new way, by the immense significance of this event.
Immense Signifigance
The ascension marks the coronation day of Christ in Heaven, as King of All. He has been given all authority in heaven and on Earth, and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20-22).
Because He has ascended, we have an advocate with the Father who never stops interceding for us (1 John 2:1, Rom 8:34).
The ascension is the moment where Christ – the second Adam (1 For 15:45), in all his physical, bodily humanity, returns to the presence of God. It is the beginning of the reversal of the fall – man bodily dwelling again with God. Christ, our representative, is the firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18) and His glorious return to heaven paves the way for a reborn humanity.
7 Quotes
Here are 7 quotes that will get you thinking about the significance of Christ’s ascension.
1. “When you went to bed last night Jesus was at work subduing his enemies. While you slept he was continuing to rule over the world. He was still at it when you woke up this morning and even now as you read this. That is the outrageous claim of the ascension.”
Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow
2. “At His Ascension our Lord entered Heaven, and He keeps the door open for humanity to enter.”
Oswald Chambers
3. “The ascension reminds us that Christianity is not only an historical faith, but a faith of the present and future. Jesus is, right now, in glorified humanity on the throne of the universe, wielding as the God-man “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He is not just our suffering servant who came and died and rose triumphant, but our actively ruling, actively conquering king.”
David Mathis
4. “There has been no sweeter reunion in the history of the world than Jesus’s return to his Father! Perhaps the closest analogy is a courageous, wounded soldier returning to his loved ones after a hard-fought victory. Jesus fully accomplished his mission and glorified the Father on earth, and at Jesus’s ascension the Father glorifies the Son in heaven (John 17:4–5). Take heart that Jesus’s homecoming to his Father prepares the way for our homecoming to be with Jesus forever (John 14:2–4).”
Brian Tabb
5. “He controls all things for the church, and therefore you can face the world with peace in your heart . . . he’s at the right hand of God as the executive director of history, directing everything for the benefit of the church. If you belong to him, then everything that happens ultimately happens for you.”
Tim Keller
6. “The ascension of Jesus to God’s right hand not only certifies that a satisfactory atonement has been made, but it also inaugurates the eternal intercessory work of Christ, and thus guarantees that we will always have saving and sympathetic (Hebrews 4:15) access to the Father forever.”
John Piper
7. “The ascension of Jesus produced joy because the disciples realized what amazing benefits would come to them when Jesus returned to the Father. When Jesus ascended, all the promises regarding the Spirit’s ministry to the disciples were about to be fulfilled.”
Keith Whitfield
