This past Sunday, I needed to apologize to the congregation that I have the incredible privilege of serving as pastor. I needed to apologize because I believe I erred in stating that Jesus’s resurrection was the gospel’s exclamation mark. Now, my intent in saying that was not to misspeak but to emphasize the importance of the resurrection, but nevertheless, I was wrong. An exclamation mark denotes two things: the ending of a sentence and providing emphasis. For the Gospel, it is not the resurrection that signifies the end, but instead, it is the ascension, and it is in the ascension that the majesty and exultation of our LORD are emphasized. The end of the gospel of Luke records the ascension for us:
…he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Luke 24:51
After the completion of his earthly ministry, Jesus returned to heaven and returned to God the Father’s side. The ascension, for many of us, might be a distant topic, one we haven’t given much thought or attention to, but it truly is vital in understanding the complete picture of our LORD. Often, we are so occupied only with understanding what Christ has done (the life, death, burial, and Resurrection) and what Christ will do (his return) that we forget to understand what he is doing presently. It is in the ascension of Christ that we find that answer. So, what does the ascension teach us?
The ascension teaches us that Jesus’ earthly ministry has ended. God the Father had lovingly sent His Son into the world, and now the Son was returning to the Father because all He had come to do on the earth had been accomplished. Christ is now beginning his work as the High Priest who is mediating the new covenant. (Hebrews 4:16-16; 9:15) The ascension also teaches us about His exaltation. The ascending of Christ towards the heavens represents Christ returning to his Glory, returning to his rightful place. Physically, the ascension causes us to look upward. To look towards the heavens where Christ is. It is a posture that declares that Christ is worthy of all honor and praise! (Philippians 2:9–11) The ascension also teaches us where Christ is and what Christ is doing. Currently, the Lord Jesus is in heaven. The Scriptures tell us that He is at the Father’s right hand- a position of honor and authority, of reigning and ruling. And this is what Christ is doing. Christ is currently ruling and reigning. The wonderful exclamation of the Gospel story is that Christ is now the ascended King who rules. We might be tempted to look at the world around us and conclude that our God is absent or not in control, but the ascension reminds us that our God is still above all, and one day, every knee and tongue will declare Jesus as King! (Eph. 1:20-21)
Now, how should we, as followers of Christ, respond to the ascension? The same way the disciples did!
While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy…
Luke 24:51-52
Our response to the ascension is to worship and be filled with joy. Reflect upon the truths of the ascension and let those truths overflow in praise and honor to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who reflect upon Jesus’s Ascension because they are the ones who will respond in worship and be filled with joy.
Josh Gilliam
Josh Gilliam is the Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. His faith and dedication to community are evident in his work. Alongside his wife, Lydia, and their three children, the Gilliam family resides in Griffin, Georgia. Josh is a bi-vocational pastor, owning a local business (Southern Wise, Inc.) in addition to pastoring a church.
