“He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
In the Eucharistic liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer (2019) during the prayer of consecration we proclaim the mystery of our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. This simple, yet profound, statement sits at the heart of the Christian faith. Christianity is not simply a religion, it is a way of life that is centered on the crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. As Neal Embry so beautifully discussed last week, if not for the resurrection Christians have no hope. Yet the Scriptures promise us that, because Jesus rose from the dead, we too will one day rise again to the newness of life. This is also why the Ascension matters. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and has ascended to the right hand of the Father. He has promised to come again (the topic of our discussion next week). For our time today, let us ask two questions about the Ascension: (1) what is the ascension and (2) why does it matter?
What is the Ascension?
The biblical accounts of the Ascension are recorded only by Mark (16:14-20), Luke (24:50-53), and Acts (1:4-12). They record the event in varying detail. However, the basic details are that Jesus takes his disciples outside of Jerusalem and exhorts them with some final instructions. While Jesus is speaking he is “taken up to heaven” and the disciples see him no longer. Mark adds the detail “and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19, ESV). The other accounts do not provide this detail. Luke expounds upon his gospel account in his second letter to Theophilus, known as The Acts of the Apostles. In this account of the Ascension after Jesus was taken up, Luke records that “two men stood by them in white robes”, who are presumably angels. They deliver the remarkable message that “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11, ESV). Thus the angels echo the promise of Jesus that “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself” (John 14:3, ESV).
Simply put, the Ascension is the final stage of Jesus’ mission on earth. Mark’s recording of Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God is important, because it shows that Jesus completed the mission to which he was charged. Yet Jesus’ physical absence from earth does not negate the fact that he is still in charge. To the contrary, he is ruling and reigning as King of the universe. He has sent the Holy Spirit to continue the work of redemption and to empower his Church to spread this good news around the world. This leads us to our next question, why the Ascension is important.
Why is the Ascension Important?
Although the gospel of Matthew does not record the details of Jesus ascending into heaven, he does record Jesus’ final exhortation to the Apostles commonly called the Great Commission, which is recorded also by Mark “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matt 28:18-19, ESV). As we discussed above, the account of the Ascension in Acts is similar to the Great Commission recorded in Matthew and Mark, but provides a different emphasis “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8, ESV).
These final instructions from Jesus before his return to the Father in heaven serve as a fitting reminder of the twin responsibilities of the Church to evangelize and provide spiritual formation. This task of evangelization and spiritual formation was not just for the Jews or people in and around Jerusalem, but panta ta ethne (all peoples) to the end of the earth. This is the task to which we are called as well. All of us. Yes the Lord sets aside some to serve as ministers of the gospel (bishops, priests, and deacons). He even calls some to leave their homeland to serve as missionaries in other parts of the globe. Yet the Great Commission is for all of us. Each one of us has a part to play in making disciples. We are all called to share and embody the gospel in our spheres of influence with our family, friends, and community.
Conclusion
Simply put, the Ascension matters because God keeps his promises. Jesus fulfilled his mission of redeeming the world through his life, death, and resurrection. He kept his promise of sending the Holy Spirit, and on that promise we can trust that he will come again. In the meantime, Jesus has tasked each and every one of us to share the good news of His kingdom to all people. This is the mission to which we have been called. May we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, finish the mission.
Photo Credit Unsplash.com
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