Ascension 2022[1] Ps 47; Dan 7:9-14; Eph 4:7-16; Luke 24:44-53
Introduction https://youtu.be/n8D7CjUAVeE
A famous scientist once testified[2], “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every [person] which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”[3] Even more profoundly, we can proclaim that there was a human shape vacuum in the heart of God unfilled until the ascension of Jesus into heaven. Amazingly, the plan of eternal God has always been centred upon humanity, not humanity in general[4], but the unique humanity of the Son of God. This is what Jesus was praying in John 17, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do[5]. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (vv.4-5). By faith (Heb 11:1) Christ sees beyond death and resurrection to his humanity being “taken into God”[6] perfected in his Father’s love. In ascending into heaven Jesus did not lose his humanity[7] but perfects it[8]. Disastrously, it is the failure of the Church to truly honour the ascended Lord[9] that has allowed the powers of evil to progressively invade all the spheres of life and culture.
What is the Ascension
Although Jesus visited and taught his disciples for 40 days following his resurrection (Acts 1:3), his ascension was a necessary final “goodbye” as far as the earthly phase of his life was concerned. They were permitted to see with their own eyes[10] his body taken up[11] in the clouds of divine glory[12] into heaven (Acts 1:9, 11). This assured them that there is now a man in and with God in glory[13]. Whilst this was a great event on earth[14] that moved the apostles to perpetual praise and joy (Luke 23:53), it was an even greater hit in heaven[15].
What has the Ascension Achieved?[16]
What the Ascension means for us can only be an extension of what it meant for Jesus. The scriptures proclaim Jesus’ ascended dignity “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” (Ps 24:3-4). Christ’s ascent to the Father is a sign of the perfect acceptability of his earthly work for us all[17]. He is not alone in heaven but surrounded by creatures who have been perfected in his victorious love (Heb 2:12-13; 12:18-24; Rev 5:13; 7:4ff).
The Mediator[18]
As God is too holy as to be unapproached by sinners (1 Tim 6:16), the ascension of Christ to share God’s throne (Rev 7:17; 22:1,3) marks him out as the “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). John Calvin prophetically encourages us to consider that Christ’s presence in heaven transforms “the throne of dreadful glory into the throne of grace”[19] (Heb 4:16)[20]. The glory of the ascension is that man[21] and God meet in God’s place in heaven[22], and bring about the most massive transformation so far in the history of salvation. As the climax of the Day of Atonement was the sprinkling of sacrificial blood on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies (Lev 16:14-16), so the presence of Jesus’ through his blood in the heavenly holy place means absolute reconciliation between God and humanity (Heb 9:11-15; Eph 1:7; Col 1:20)[23].
Opening Up Heaven to Humanity
The ascension is the[24] enthronement of Messiah[25] whereby in perfecting his becoming flesh Jesus is acclaimed by all holy living powers as worthy of absolute honour (Rev 5:8-14)[26]. From the point he reached heaven he began to reign bringing all things under subjection to his Lordship (1 Cor 1:25-28; Heb1:3-14; 2:5-9; Revelation). In the great scheme of God’s plan unveiled in scripture this is the way God’s command to “fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28) will be fulfilled through the humanising of all things through Christ in the Church (Eph 1:21-23). Heaven and earth are now united in Jesus and share a common goal in him[27]. As the ancient liturgical hymn puts it, “You overcame the sting of death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.” Te Deum[28]. The angelic “sons of God” (Job 1:6; 2:1) and being reunited with the Father’s adopted human children through Christ (Eph 3:14)[29]. With the opening of heaven we can be people of a heavenly consciousness, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Col 3:1) From his throne, Jesus unceasingly carries out his work of lifting us heavenward into God’s presence.
With us In Prayer
According to the New Testament the thing which most occupies Christ’s life in heaven is prayer, “he always lives to make intercession for (us)” (Heb 7:25), in returning to God, Jesus has become the all-encompassing intercessor not petitioning God for us as he did on earth, from below to above, but in the perfect oneness of living within the life of the Father by the power of the Spirit[30]. As the key to Christ’s persistent prayer life on earth was his knowledge of being loved by the Father, his ascended life is so immersed in the Love of God[31] we can recognise in him our words and his words in us (Augustine). Jesus is our ever-present worship leader (Heb 8:2)[32]. The joy of prayer and praise is our sharing in the intercession and praise of Christ. And the key to prevailing prayer and praise is for us share in Christ’s consciousness of being upheld by the Father in heaven.
Empowering the Church
The ascension empowers the Church to do the works of Christ just as he promised, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). Years I heard many Pentecostal sermons on us doing “greater works” than the earthly Jesus but none that I can remember that attributed this to the reality of the ascension. Believers are promised “power from on high” (Luke 24:49) in order to communicate Christ to the world because the Spirit is sent “down” to them from the place where Jesus has entered into all authority (Acts 2:33).
Authority to Proclaim a Finished Work[33]
One outstanding feature of the ascension is that Jesus has now received “the name above all names” (Phil 2:9)[34], which means that the name of Jesus has absolute authority over every evil power (cf. Matt 28:18). This explains why in the New Testament forgiveness of sin (Luke 24:47) physical healing and freedom from demonic powers is effectively proclaimed in “the name of Jesus” (Acts 3:6; 8:12; 16:8)[35].
He is Here
The famous promise, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”” (Matt 18:20) is possible today because there are now no limits to Jesus’ human nature.
Giver of the Spirit
Being glorified through ascension Jesus worthily receives the gift of the Spirit to give to us[36], In his preaching on the Day of Pentecost Peter explains what was happening, “Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” (Acts 2:33). Through ascension the Spirit is now so inward to Christ (Rom 8:9; Phil 1:19; 1 Pet 1:11) that he has become the Spirit of “God’s Son” (Gal 4:6) the “Spirit of Jesus” (Acts 16:7); the Holy Spirit has become the Spirit belonging to and given by a human[37] being[38]! This opens up to us a much fuller insight into the of dimensions of New Testament ministry.
Apostolic Ministry
“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,” (Eph 4:10-11). Over the years I have met quite a few people who claim to be apostles but, in my opinion, are not (cf. Rev 2:2). Positions of leadership in the Church are attractive to ambitious people[39], but the goal of the ascension is not bigger and bigger churches, but a moving towards realisation that in the ascension the whole universe has been elevated in Christ far beyond its created-then-fallen state.
Eucharistic presence
The ascension (helps) explain the spiritual mystery of the Lord’s Supper. At her communion with the Lord the Church is lifted up by the Spirit to where Christ is in the very presence of God, this is the place from which she draws her life. The Lord’s Supper represent and applies our mystical union with the glorified Christ. In the Lord’s Supper Jesus is really present as he shares his communion with the Father in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit of ascended Lord feeds our souls from heaven through his glorified flesh and blood (cf. John 6:52-63).
A Certain Return
Finally, the ascension seals the reality of Christ’s Return. The angels told the gaping disciples, ““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.” (Acts 1:11)[40]. We await with expectancy and assurance of his Victory the Return of the Lord of all. Since the ascension of Christ is of such biblical significance, what are the consequences of neglecting this pivotal truth.
Consequences of Ignoring the Ascension
When the ascension is neglected, the Church always expands its importance to fill the vacuum[41], when in fact there is in fact no possible vacuum, for Paul testifies that God 22 “put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Eph 1:21-23) When people quote[42], “The local church is the hope of the world, and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders.” they are moving in the wrong direction indicated by the spiritual power of the ascension. Whilst putting glitter crosses on people’s heads on Ascension Day appropriately reminds the total glorious Victory of the ascension, the growing trend of placing it indiscriminately on heads on Ash Wednesday must be seen as an attack on the finished work of the cross.[43] In my lifetime popular culture and Church have become more and more feelings based rather than grounded in the most real of all things in the universe, the humanity of the only Son of God[44]. Jesus ascended to fill all things with himself in all the dimensions and depths of his glorified humanity. Having a revelation of this keeps the Church humble.
Conclusion
Everything Jesus became as human[45] he did with the purpose of sharing with us. The challenge for every generation of believers is to have the horizontal dimension of our lives in some realistic proportion to the vertical dimension of what God has achieved for us in Christ[46]. Confidence in mission flows from the favour of Father, Son and Holy Spirit fully realised for us in the ascension of Christ. We need to be caught up in the reality that from heaven Jesus is ever-expanding his kingdom that we might forever be its occupants in glory[47].
The restoration of the power of the ascension in the Church will radically change her perspective[48], we are exhorted to keep “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)[49]. The great need for the Church in Perth/in Bassendan today is humility before the ascended Lord. For we ascend to where he is by descending ever lower to where he once was in suffering submission to the Father.[50]**
[1] Celebration of the Ascension is often neglected in the Western Church, but is a holiday in many countries, Catholic and Protestant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Ascension). Theologically, this makes sense, see below for the reasons.
[2] (Blaise Pascal 1623–1662) Famous for his mathematical and scientific investigations, hence “kilopascals” to measure pressure and Pascal’s Triangle in mathematics.
[3] This is manifestly true, not only since every testimony of coming to Jesus involves people trying to find peace, purpose and happiness in the world and failing, but the happiest people you will ever meet are likely Third World Christians.
[4] This anthropocentricity (human centredness) was the root of the deception in Eden, ““You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” (Gen 3:4-5), and of every false teaching and heresy ever since. It is the terrible essence of all idolatry (Rom 1:22-23).
[5] Christ is praying from the perspective of the culmination of his earthly life, when all is ”finished” (John 19:30).
[6] As the Athanasian Creed puts it, He (Christ) is one, “not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God.”
[7] As if the ascension was the end of the Incarnation.
[8] Western Christian today are more likely to struggle with the full humanity of Jesus than the affirmation that he is truly God. The truth is that Jesus is “a more solidly embodied human than we are” (Wright).
[9] As the former Dutch Prime Minister and theologian Abraham Kuyper put is, “There’s not a square inch in the whole domain of human existence over which Christ, who is Lord over all, does not exclaim, ‘Mine’!”
[10] His descent into Mary was invisible, his ascension in glory and victory into the Triune God fully visible.
[11] “lifted/taken up” (Acts 1:9, 11) indicates the active power of God.
[12] 1 Ki 8:10; Dan 7:13; Matt 24:30; Mark 9:7; 14:62
[13] Or more prosaically, “Christ IS God’s right hand.” (Torrance)
[14] As Psalm 47:5 indicates, “God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.”, ascension indicates divine victory. cf. Amos 2:2c; 2 Chron 20:26-28.
[15] Well understood by the Early Fathers of the Church e.g. Leo the Great preaches, And truly great and unspeakable was their cause for joy, when in the sight of the holy multitude, above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, the Nature of mankind went up, to pass above the angels’ ranks and to rise beyond the archangels’ heights, and to have Its uplifting limited by no elevation until, received to sit with the Eternal Father, It should be associated on the throne with His glory, to Whose Nature It was united in the Son. Since then Christ’s Ascension is our uplifting, and the hope of the Body is raised, whither the glory of the Head has gone before, let us exult, dearly-beloved, with worthy joy and delight in the loyal paying of thanks. For today not only are we confirmed as possessors of paradise, but have also in Christ penetrated the heights of heaven, and have gained still greater things through Christ’s unspeakable grace than we had lost through the devil’s malice. https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360373.htm
[16] The greatness of a king has always been known through the generosity of the gifts he gives to his people.
[17] ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20:17)
[18] It is in his perfect union with the Father on the one hand and humanity on the other hand that Jesus is the Mediator, the bond in which the mediation has been perfectly accomplished.
[19] This is all a part of the plan of the Father in his sovereign mercy (2 Cor 1:3).
[20] Praise God, “all things” are now directed from the mercy-seat of Christ above (Rev 5:1-4).
[21] When the humanity of Christ is swallowed up in his divinity the mediator himself needs a mediator Who might be the Church, Mary, a sacrificing priesthood, or the saints.
[22] “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.” (Ps 115:16). Heaven is now the place where Christ is God outside the limits of time and space as we know them.
[23] Christ is our infallible Advocate who the Father can never refuse.
[24] Baptism is the anointing of Jesus as Messiah.
[25] Fulfilling Psalms 47, 93, 96, 97, 98 and 99.
[26] The ascension should be seen as a victor’s triumphant procession whereby the various powers do obeisance to Christ as their Lord.
[27] “he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev 21:10)
[28] A well known 5th century Western hymn in Latin.
[29] Jesus ascension seals our adoption., ““Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”” (John 20:17)
[30] How can the Father focus on our sins if he is surrounded and overwhelmed by the life of the ever-interceding Son (1 John 3:1-2). The Father loves us as he loves his very own Son.
[31] Prayer and intercession are the link between world history and the heavenly rule of Christ (Rev 5:8; 8:3).
[32] Our leitourgos in the Holy Place who gathers us up into the heavenly adoration of the Father. Cf. “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation (ecclesia, church) I will sing your praise.” (Heb 2:12)
[33] The proclamation of the gospel is Christ’s own self-proclamation in the power of the Spirit.
[34] Similarly, “what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Eph 1:19-21).
[35] Christ’s enslavement of the powers took place at his ascension (Eph 4:8; Col 2:15; 1 Pet 3:18-19).
[36] “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39).
[37] See https://www.newcreationlibrary.org.au/books/covers/044.html for an excellent treatment of this subject and many other dimensions of the life of the Spirit.
[38] As the Spirit of the ascended Christ, the gift of the Spirit is our assurance of final salvation (2 Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:14).
[39] But the way to the throne comes through much suffering.
[40] “we do not await heaven with a bare hope, but in our Head who already possess it” (Calvin Institutes 2. 16. 16)
[41] Especially since it does not really believe he is coming back “soon” (Rev 3:11; 22:7, 12, 20).
[42] Once famous now disgraced former megachurch pastor Bill Hybels.
[43]This is taken as a tribute to LGBT+ people, https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2017/02/28/glitter-ashes-ash-wednesday/98551236/; https://www.christianpost.com/news/lgbt-groups-planning-glitter-ash-wednesday-in-21-states-for-lent-175515/
[44] An issue summarised theologically by this quote, “the work of Christ for man was done in man (in his human nature) prior to its appropriation by man (us)” (Hendry). This Christ-centred approach is also opposed to the objective-forensic emphasis of much conservative Evangelical theology.
[45] His enhumanisation or inhomination. According to the truth that what Jesus took on he healed.
[46] “for one who is ‘in Christ’… his human nature …exists not just alongside of the Creator, but in such a way that his human being is anchored in the very being of God. The breath taking import of all this … is that our human nature has been taken up and in Jesus to the top and summit of being, and that with him and in him man is located in the very centre of all things!” (T.F. Torrance).
[47] Which is the message of the parable of the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matt 25:31-46). “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (25:34).
[48] Calvin consistently applies the benefits of the ascension to the Christin life: “Thus, since He has gone up there, and is in heaven for us, let us note that we need not fear to be in this world. It is true that we are subject to so much misery that our condition is pitiable, but at that we need neither be astonished nor confine our attention to ourselves. Thus, we look to our Head Who is already in heaven, and say, Although I am weak, there is Jesus Christ Who is powerful enough to make me stand upright. Although I am feeble, there is Jesus Christ who is my strength. Although I am full of miseries, Jesus Christ is in immortal glory and what He has will some time be given to me and I shall partake of all His benefits. Yes, the devil is called the prince of this world. But what of it? Jesus Christ holds him in check for He is King of heaven and earth. There are devils above us in the air who make war against us. But what of it? Jesus Christ rules above, having entire control of the battle. Thus, we need not doubt that He gives us the victory. I am here subject to many changes, which may cause me to lose courage. But what of it? The Son of God is my Head, Who is exempt from all change. I must, then, take confidence in Him. This is how we must look at His Ascension, applying the benefit to ourselves.”
[49] It is also the secret of the unity of the whole Body of Christ, “It is the Spirit then which is in God, and not we viewed in our own selves; and as we are sons and gods because of the Word in us , so we shall be in the Son and in the Father, and we shall be accounted to have become one in Son and in Father, because that that Spirit is in us, which is in the Word which is in the Father.” (Athanasius) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/28163.htm
[50] “Then quite suddenly I found it very difficult to pray. It was like some terrible weight was pressing on me and to stay in prayer I was laying face down on the floor gripping the carpet with both hands. Nothing quite like this had ever happened to me before, I was in deep inner torment trying to hold in there with God….
(Acts 3:17-21). Then I received an indelible visual impression, I hesitate to call it a vision, but it was “visionary”. Jesus was in heaven far above the earth and he was putting everything on earth into its proper order and place as he ruled over it as Lord. I could sense all these spheres of becoming subject to Christ; education, health, marriage, art, media, politics, law etc. All of life and culture was being brought into submission to his Lordship. My thinking about Jesus could never be the same again.” Located online in chapter 3 of this book of mine: http://cross-connect.net.au/books/the-mystery-is-christ-by-john-yates/