The Ascension of Christ | English Devotion | NHFCSG

The Ascension of Christ  

Acts 1:8-11

Four supernatural events have kept humanity from self-destructing. Like beacons of light across a storm-tossed sea, these miracles have shown the way of salvation to a world in despair. We celebrate them on Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and Ascension Day.

Most of us recognize the significance of Christ’s birth, when God became flesh; the cross, when sin’s penalty was paid; and the resurrection, when the power of death was broken. But what about His ascension? Why is that event so important?

This incident took place 40 days after the resurrection. During this time, New Testament writers record that there were many witnesses who saw Jesus after his resurrection.

The ascension literally means that Jesus ascended, or was taken up, to Heaven. This is significant as it shows that he has returned to Heaven after completing his mission on Earth.

Jesus’ return to His Father affected the lives of everyone, believers, and unbelievers alike. After returning to heaven, He sent the Spirit, who would show people their need for a Saviour (John 16:8). Jesus said that the Spirit would also be the believer’s Helper (v.7) and Teacher (14:17; 16:13-15).

Had Christ remained on this earth following His resurrection, His continuing ministry would have been limited. He would not have accomplished what He is presently doing through the Holy Spirit.

Ascension Day reminds us that our exalted Lord is not only continuing His ministry for us, but through the Spirit He is also calling sinners to Himself.

Jesus was taken up from them as He blessed them (Luke 24:50). As He slowly disappeared into the sky, surrounded by a cloud they continued to gaze upward.

The cloud that received Him is suggestive of the cloud of glory (called the Shekinah) that is associated with the presence of God in the Old and New Testaments.

Acts 1 describes the day Jesus ascended to heaven, forty days after Easter—in other words, the day He left this world. 

Jesus will return just as He left.

He left physically and will so come in like manner. He left visibly and will so come in like manner. He left from the Mount of Olives and will so come in like manner. He left in the presence of His disciples and will so come in like manner. 

Acts begins with a huddled group of believers, praying in one lonely room in Jerusalem. Every Christian on the face of the earth fit into one room at that time. 

By the end of Acts just twenty-eight years later, the Good News of Christ had spread far. One of Christ’s apostles was getting ready to tell it to the emperor in Rome.

Jesus has always been with God the Father. He has always been the Son of God, even before he became the Son of David. As Colossians 1:17 puts it, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

Isn’t it amazing and humbling that the triune God was working out this story from the beginning of time?

Prayer

God of time and eternity, thank you for your faithfulness to us day after day. May we rejoice that Jesus is the Lord of life, now and forever. Amen.