Knowing The Word: The Ascension of Jesus, Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:1-11

At the end of forty days after the resurrection of Jesus, he ascended to his Heavenly Father before the eyes of his disciples on the Mount of Olives. Today we celebrate the Ascension. It is a major feast day of the Church, even though we do not recognize it with the same intensity as we do Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. We receive three benefits from the ascension of Jesus: First, Jesus becomes our advocate in heaven. Seated next to the Father, he is there for us. Second, our human flesh is seated on the throne. One theologian wrote, “The dust of the earth is on the throne of the majesty on high.” Jesus has taken our humanity back into the very presence of God the Father. And third, Jesus sends us his Spirit from heaven.

Luke: 50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Acts: 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

You are not only risen and alive, you are the Lord.

This is your ascension, your ascendancy over the whole universe.

You stand over and above all that is best in life as its source.

You stand above all that is worst as ultimate victor.

You stand above all powers and authorities as judge.

You stand above all failure and weakness and sin as forgiveness and love.

You alone are worthy of total allegiance, total commitment.

You are Lord,

“My Lord and my God.”

Rex Chapman