The Ascension
Image courtesy Unsplash
CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 18 May 2023
Friends in Christ, today is Ascension Day, where we recall how after his resurrection Jesus ascended to heaven.
Acts 1 indicates his ascension occurred after a period of 40 days where "he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive" and spoke about the kingdom of God. This completed his time of "giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen" (v2).
Safe to say those 40 days with Jesus would have been far better even than my 4 years at Moore College, which I so loved and which so blessed me!
Jesus discouraged speculation about times and dates regarding matters to do with latter times in the kingdom of God (v7). But he did assure his followers that they would "receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth".
This confirmed what he'd taught previously before his crucifixion, for example, in John 16:7. Although they felt bad at the prospect of no longer having Jesus with them, he said it was to their advantage that he went, because then he would send the 'Advocate' (NIV) or 'Helper' (ESV) to them, speaking of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture teaches that a key part of the Spirit's help is to give us courage to tesitfy to the reality of Jesus Christ by the gospel, and to live fruitfully for our Lord.
Acts 1:9 then says
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
In his new and very approachable systematic theology, The Life of Faith, Peter Jensen writes that the biblical material describing the ascension,
...tells us clearly that Jesus remains both true man and true God, and his withdrawal is not to be regarded as the loss of his true humanity, but its transference to another plane of existence, in glory, to his Father ([John]20:17; 1 Tim 3:16). It speaks also of his continued triumph (Eph 4:8-10) and reminds us that Jesus is Lord of this present age. [p203]
The ascension introduces the period of what is called Jesus' present session. This is like us saying Parliament is in session. It means the MPs are seated in the chamber and on the job of law-making for government.
In the case of the Lord Jesus, his 'session' means he is sitting at God's right hand on high, actively reigning (albeit hidden from human eyes) over world history.
In particular, the Bible says he is actively interceding for us, for the security of all who have believed in him, on the basis of his justifying work on the cross (e.g. see Hebrews 7:25).
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney