Understanding the Ascension of Jesus Christ
It may sometimes seem like God acts in mysterious ways. We may not always understand everything about him, but he is by no means a mystery. The reason things happen can be appreciated more fully when we pull things back a little and look at it from different angles.
40 days after Easter, there’s a very important, but little know--and little celebrate--festival: Ascension Day. As a Sunday school refresher to all of you who stumbled on this page with no knowledge of the Ascension (it's no Mount of Olives, after all), the Ascension is the day that Christ ascended back to heaven (forty days after the resurrection)--it gets it's big shout out in Luke 24 (there are plenty of more references, however--I'm looking at you, Matthew 28!) and in Mark 16:19.
So, as you may have guessed, Ascension Day is the day that commemorates it.
40 days after Easter, there’s a very important, but little know--and little celebrate--festival: Ascension Day. As a Sunday school refresher to all of you who stumbled on this page with no knowledge of the Ascension (it's no Mount of Olives, after all), the Ascension is the day that Christ ascended back to heaven (forty days after the resurrection)--it gets it's big shout out in Luke 24 (there are plenty of more references, however--I'm looking at you, Matthew 28!) and in Mark 16:19.
So, as you may have guessed, Ascension Day is the day that commemorates it.
How Did Ascension Day Start?
Every great celebration day has an epic origin story--like it was started as a counter-celebration to some pagan holiday. Unfortunately, little is know about Ascension Day in terms of when it all began.
Obviously, Jesus returning to heaven would mark the first Ascension Day. But what about after? Was this a day that disciples and followers would continue to celebrate? Perhaps, but there are no Biblical indications that this was the case. In fact, the first reference to any sort of celebration came hundreds of years later in the 4th century by Eusebius.
Eusebius, if you didn’t know, was the Howard Zinn of his day; he’s frequently called the Father of Church History. He turned out book after book of church history. The reference, however, was a small one and it’s disputed that it even refers to a celebration.
A short time later Augustine of Hippo, one of the most highly regarded early church fathers, speaks of it in a way that makes it clear that it has been an observance for quite some time.
Obviously, Jesus returning to heaven would mark the first Ascension Day. But what about after? Was this a day that disciples and followers would continue to celebrate? Perhaps, but there are no Biblical indications that this was the case. In fact, the first reference to any sort of celebration came hundreds of years later in the 4th century by Eusebius.
Eusebius, if you didn’t know, was the Howard Zinn of his day; he’s frequently called the Father of Church History. He turned out book after book of church history. The reference, however, was a small one and it’s disputed that it even refers to a celebration.
A short time later Augustine of Hippo, one of the most highly regarded early church fathers, speaks of it in a way that makes it clear that it has been an observance for quite some time.
Why Don’t More Churches Celebrate Ascension Day?
There are a number of reasons that churches don’t put a greater emphasis on the Ascension Day. Among them:
- It falls on a Thursday. It’s hard enough to get people to church on Sunday, but Thursday? Many churches observe it on Sunday, but many more forget the day even came and went.
- It’s not commercialized. Like it or not, Easter is popular because it’s a commercial holiday. People see little Easter decorations and know it’s time for their annual visit to church.
- Little is known about the Ascension itself. It’s in the Bible, but it’s a pretty small--and even vague reference.
How to Celebrate Ascension Day
Churches that do celebrate the day annually typically have some sort of Liturgy; communion is often taken, and a sermon is given.
For believers, you should celebrate this day with a devotional that helps you understand why the day is so important. What is Christianity and who is Jesus without the Ascension?
For believers, you should celebrate this day with a devotional that helps you understand why the day is so important. What is Christianity and who is Jesus without the Ascension?
Why the Ascension of Jesus Matters
The Ascension of Jesus matters--it’s in the Bible after all. But why? Jesus rose from the dead--that’s what the ministers always preaching on about on Sundays. If the Ascension matters, then why the lack of attention?
Today Easter gets all the attention (and bunnies), but thousands of years ago, that wasn’t the case. Easter was important but equal to it--and in many ways greater than it--was the Ascension of Christ.
There are many reasons the Ascension matters. Below are 7 reasons.
Today Easter gets all the attention (and bunnies), but thousands of years ago, that wasn’t the case. Easter was important but equal to it--and in many ways greater than it--was the Ascension of Christ.
There are many reasons the Ascension matters. Below are 7 reasons.
7 Reasons the Ascension of Jesus Matters
- It was Jesus' final teaching.
I ask people every now and then what happened after Jesus rose from the dead. I get a mixed reaction. A lot of people don’t even know he ascended to heaven. It’s almost as if they think he just went off and wandered the Earth for the rest of his life--or perhaps still wanders the Earth. The Bible tells us that’s not the case.
Jesus spent 40 days giving his disciples and other believers his final lessons. His believers were a little lost, and he returned to help prepare them for what would come next. With the Ascension, he taught them that he was leaving Earth to prepare a place for them. - It gave a conclusion.
Jesus didn’t just ride off into the sunset like an old cowboy movie. The Ascension gave people the conclusion that people needed. They couldn’t say he was just a ghost or that he wasn’t really dead when he Ascended into heaven. It gave the conclusion that believers needed. - It proved Jesus' authority.
People are inspired by miracles like the resurrection, but people don’t die because of miracles--they don’t devote their entire lives to miracles. Perhaps some people do, but most people forget about miracles.
Lazarus is rose from the dead (John 11); it was no doubt miraculous, but there’s plenty of indications in the Bible that other people rose from the dead as well.
The Resurrection certainly got people talking, but that didn’t exactly prove that Jesus was God. The Ascension did. It gave Jesus the authority that he lacked with the resurrection. - It fulfilled prophecy.
Psalm 68:18 says the true Messiah will “will ascend into heaven.” - It marked the beginning of Jesus' heavenly reign.
Jesus isn’t just preparing a place for us in Heaven; he’s working on our behalf. 1 John 2:1 says “if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” Jesus has returned to heaven to intercede for us, and become the high priest. Jesus Ascended and the Holy Spirit descended upon us. With the Ascension, Jesus standing over us becomes real. - It gave hope.
Did you ever wonder why Christ Ascended at all? The men of Galilee certainly did. We know enough about physics and science to now know heaven is not in the space above. Why didn’t he spontaneously combusts? Just disappear in a cloud? What was he trying to prove with this Ascension stuff anyway?!
He was going in the direction that people of his age would know represented heaven--giving hope that there is a heaven. Heaven is likely not a place as much as a realm--a realm that cannot be described in human terms. When things can’t be described in human terms, Jesus found a way to humanize them in a way that could be understood.
The Ascension gave the disciples hope in a better future, and made them know the hand of God was there. - It marked the beginning of a new chapter for Christians.
Because of the hope the disciples now had in their future, they were ready and willing to give their lives to help spread the ministry. Pentecost was where most theologians would mark as the start of Christianity, but the Ascension was the where life changed for the disciples. It was the end of Jesus’ ministry and the beginning of theirs.
We should celebrate not only that Jesus died and rose for our sins, but also that he ascend into heaven and now has the authority to be an advocate for us in heaven. It can make you unstoppable in your faith! It certainly did that for these unstoppable Christians.
Want to learn more about the Ascension? Read my book Jesus Ascended. What Does That Mean?
© 2023, Scott Douglas. All Rights Reserved.