On the ascension of Christ

Thursday May 13, 2021

On the ascension of Christ

“I came out of the Father and have come into the world now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” John 16. 28

Let us admit it, Mary of Magdala was very privileged : she was the first to meet then to recognize the risen Jesus (John 20 13-17). Distraught, she gripped her master's hands, perhaps to keep Him from disappearing again. Listen to what Jesus said to him : “Do not hold me back, for I have not yet ascended to my Father, but go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (v. 17). Jesus had already announced to His disciples that He would have to leave them to join His Father's home, but several more weeks were to pass before His ascension. How important is this event to us today ?

1- The ascension of Jesus is a historical fact that no believer has questioned. Neither John nor Matthew speak of it as if this event was absolutely impossible to refute ! So many eyewitnesses still existed at this time.

2- The act of redemption on the Cross and His resurrection remained linked to His earthly life, while His ascension replaced Jesus in His initial position, that of King of kings and Lord of lords. David understood this well : "The Lord said to my Lord : Sit on my right hand, until I have made your enemies your footstool !" (Psalm 110. 1). Peter goes on to quote David in his speech (Acts 2: 33-35). Without His resurrection our faith loses all of its foundation, without His ascension our hope of finding ourselves by His side and ruling with Him collapses. Daniel had the incredible privilege of witnessing, from heaven where his vision had brought him, precisely at the arrival of Jesus before the throne of His father (Daniel 7, 13-14).

3- His rise is proof :

a- of the power that the Spirit was going to confer on the apostles at Pentecost.

b- that His kingdom was not of this world as the disciples hoped.

c- that his future return would be visible “on the clouds” as His departure had been. One last detail : the Greek word (analambano) used to speak of ascension is always in the passive form and means : "to be raptured". It is God the Father who raised Jesus to heaven, just as it is His power that will lift us there too !

Source (His Word for Today)