Why the Ascension Matters for Christians Today
After nearly two decades of pastoral ministry, I recently discovered, to my dismay, that I’d never taught about the ascension of Christ. I’d given it very little thought or attention at all. In the months that have passed, this has become a doctrine that routinely ministers to me.
For most of my Christian life, I have honestly lived as if Jesus is currently hibernating. I know he was busy between Christmas and Easter, and I believe he will return again as judge and savior. But I have given very little thought to Jesus’ present ministry. He isn’t on sabbatical while the Father and Holy Spirit are at work in the Church today.
I want to highlight two key texts about the ascension of Christ and then draw out a few pastoral applications, with special attention to their application for teenagers.
What Does the Bible Say About the Ascension of Christ?
Jesus Ascends into Heaven (Acts 1:6-11)
I’ve often wondered if the angels’ question in Acts 1:11 is the silliest question in the Bible. Think about it. The apostles had just seen Jesus - the man with whom they’d spent the last three years and then watched die, bury, and rise from the grave - fly up into heaven. Suddenly, the angels appear and ask, “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.”
While discussing this with my friend Matt, he pointed out the significance that “a cloud took him out of their sight.” Remember, Israel followed the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night while they wandered in the exile (Exodus 13:21-22). And here, Jesus is taken into the cloud - the symbol of God’s very presence with his pilgrim people who are walking towards the promised land. And then, days later, the disciples received the indwelling Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Jesus didn’t ascend in order to leave his Church behind, but to lead and guide it!
In case Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t enough to prove his divinity or to assure his disciples that he truly is the God-man, surely the ascension must!
The Stoning of Stephen (Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-60)
When Stephen was arrested and then stoned to death for blasphemy he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (7:56).
Jesus is standing at the right hand of God. He isn’t hibernating or napping. He isn’t lazily waiting for the right time to return. Jesus is standing in glory, watching over and interceding for his people (Romans 8:34).
Some people think about God like he’s watching and waiting for the opportunity to spoil your fun. Instead, we see the ascended Christ watching over his people, interceding for and strengthening his Church. Surely, this message was not lost on the early Christians whose lives were marked by persecution and martyrdom.
What Does the Ascension Mean for Us Today?
The ascension shapes our view of Christ, as summarized above. But it also strengthens Christians to live with confidence in the following ways.
Confidence that Jesus sees us
He isn’t aloof up in heaven. He isn’t hibernating until he returns again. Jesus knows and sees what is happening today. He is still leading and caring for his people, especially in the midst of their suffering and persecution.
Through the Christian’s “union with Christ,” they have been brought into the heart of Christ. So, when we say “God loves you,” what we mean is this: the Father loves the Christian with the very same love he gives to God the Son, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Because of our union with Christ, and because of the ascension of Christ, teenagers can live with confidence that Jesus isn’t merely watching them, he is watching over them. The presence of Christ is not simply a metaphor. For a generation who is marked by loneliness and mental health struggles, the presence of Christ is a significant encouragement.
Confidence that Jesus will finish everything he began
Jesus was not a failed-messiah. It’s common for teenagers and young adults to be disillusioned with the world, and to wonder, “If this is what Jesus accomplished, then why bother?” This is the sentiment that fuels nonbeliever’s frustrations over “thoughts and prayers” after yet another mass shooting.
His death and resurrection were central to his victory over sin and death, but so are his ascension and return. The ascension is a reminder that the victory of the gospel is secure, but it hasn’t yet been fully applied. We are living in between the victory over satan (the cross and resurrection) and the judgment of satan (Christ’s return and final judgment). Remembering Christ’s ascension gives teenagers confidence that God’s salvation is still unfolding.
The frustrations and trials we experience today aren’t evidence that God’s plan has failed, but reminders that the wheat and tares are both growing and God will execute his faithful judgment in his time (Matthew 13:24-30). The ascension gives teenagers confidence that Jesus will finish everything he has promised.
Confidence in the body
Jesus wasn’t a ghost. His resurrection and ascension were both bodily and physical, and he will return in the same way. Christianity is a physical and bodily religion. We do not merely believe in mindfulness or spirituality but in the goodness of creation and salvation of the body. The gospel leads us into the New Heavens and New Earth, which will be a physical life that is marked by glory and holiness.
Youth culture is overflowing with a subtle gnosticism that’s skeptical of the body while elevating what’s spiritual. Remind students that the body matters so much that Jesus was a fully embodied human being, even to the point of the ascension and his eventual return. What we do with our bodies matters.
I know messages about the ascension are rare, especially in youth ministry. But it would be theologically wise and pastorally helpful to refer to the ascension in more messages and conversations. After all, Jesus isn’t hibernating and he didn’t ascend to abandon his Church. He is actively leading and watching over his people. And that’s astoundingly good news.
