Ascension Day 2025

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

Hello, my friend…

This week we celebrate the ascension of Jesus back into heaven. To recap the account, Jesus was tried, convicted, crucified – for our sins, not His – and rose again from the dead three days later. That is the story of Easter in a nutshell.

In the days and weeks following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His followers to assure them and comfort them in their sorrow. He came back to bring gifts to His children – the gifts of healing, of salvation, of joy, of hope, of life. During the three days He was in the tomb, Jesus descended into hell, taking back the keys of death, hell, and the grave and releasing from death those who died in faith. He redeemed those from the Old Testament who had prophesied of His coming and His mission to redeem mankind from the curse of sin. The Bible tells us He led captivity captive – He overcome that which had overcome the race of man: namely, sin and all its side-effects. After His resurrection, remember, He told Mary not to cling to Him or to touch Him because He had not yet ascended back to His Father in heaven, where He was to pour out His blood as the sacrifice for us before the Throne of God. When He reappeared to His disciples and those who followed Him, He had thus accomplished that mission and was freely intermingling with them. Remember when He told Thomas, “Put forth your hand. Touch… See…” (John 20:27).

But Jesus had further taught them (in John chapters 14, 15, and 16) that He must go away – again. He was not meant to remain here on the earth as they had hoped. His kingdom is not of this earth, but of heaven. They had hoped He would help them overcome and defeat their enemies by establishing an earthly kingdom. Yet, that was not to be. Instead, He would return to His former glory – and greater – sitting alongside the heavenly Father on His throne. Not to abandon them, but to complete His mission and to commission us to do His will on the earth. If you remember, when we pray the Lord’s (Model) Prayer, we pray: “… Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Much like Adam and Eve were created to have dominion over the earth and all things contained therein, so are we commanded to walk in the power and calling of the Holy Spirit – also known in scripture as the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and other names.

So, as we stand on the hillside (in our minds) listening to the final words of Christ, we watch as He ascends into the clouds and out of our sight. I challenge you to stir up your imagination as you read through the four gospels. Put yourself into the scene. Be one of the crowd watching as Jesus heals the crippled man at the pool of Bethsaida. Stand alongside as blind Bartimaeus receives His sight from the hand of the Master. Feel the fear inside as we ride in the boat crossing the sea during the storm and see, with the disciples, Jesus walking out toward us on the water in the middle of the night. Imagine standing in the cemetary as Jesus tells the men to roll back the stone on Lazarus’ grave. Smell the smells of death and decay as the putrid air rushes out of that tomb, but then hear the words of Jesus’ teaching as He prepares the people to receive Lazarus back to life. And what must the bread and fish tasted like as over five thousand men (not counting the women and children) took from the hands of Jesus and the disciples on the side of the mountain? The Bible is so descriptive that, with a little imagination, you CAN be there!

Just a little side not here. I learned in military training and behavioral modification training that if someone vividly imagines a thing more than three times, it is the same as if they had actually gone through it. That’s why it is so important what we read, what we hear, what we think, what we imagine. And that is why READING the Bible is SO MUCH BETTER than just hearing it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (repeatedly), granted; however, true growth comes from reading it yourself and allowing your mind to chew on it, think about what you’re reading, letting your mind visualize as you read. Just as faith comes from hearing the Word of God repeatedly, growth and maturity comes from reading and re-reading it over and over again. Teachers are taught to repeat information that the students will remember and recall it later when it’s needed for a test. Learning is about repetition and application. Now back to our text.

Here we stand on the mountain with Jesus as He gives us final instructions before returning to heaven. It has been nice to have Him back with us again these past few weeks. We didn’t get to spend as much time with Him as before His crucifixion – He’s been a little busy – but we have gotten to be with Him periodically. Now He’s going away AGAIN – not to be seen again until WE get to heaven!? Jesus told His followers to return to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Comforter – the Holy Spirit. He didn’t say when He would come, He didn’t say how He would come, He didn’t say what He would say or do when He came – just that He would come. The only information Jesus gave His followers was that they would receive power from on high and that this Comforter, this Holy Spirit, would remind them of all He had taught them, He would tell them further of Jesus, and that He would guide them into all truth.

Of course, we know the Comforter did come. But that’s for another time. Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven – making intercession on our behalf. If you don’t know what that is, picture a courtroom scene. There is the victim (or complaintant) sitting with the prosecuting attorney. There are the witnesses for both sides sitting in the gallery. Of course, the judge is at the front of the courtroom, who’s job it is to interpret the law and consider all facts brought before the court. Then there is you – the accused, the guilty, sitting with your attorney. That is the scene: as on earth, so in heaven. Satan is the accuser of the brethren (that’s you and me). He goes before the Judge (that’s God) and presents his case – everything he has tricked you and me into doing. He presents all the facts, the times, the dates, the victims, everything. When he is finished and sits down, your Attorney, Jesus, rises to present your defense: GUILTY on all charges. But in further evidence, He also presents that you have repented of those charges (sins) and allowed His blood to cleanse you of all wrongdoing and wiped out the penalty of those charges. Restitution has already been accomplished through Jesus’ death on the cross for you. That is – only IF you HAVE repented and allowed Jesus to work in your life. God, checking the Book of Life, sees your name written therein, turns, and pronounces that YOU ARE HEREBY free. All charges have been dropped, no further action needs be taken, and you are set free! No probation, no additional addendums filed, nothing. YOU ARE FREE by the blood of Christ!

That is the message of the gospel. That’s why we celebrate Easter and these days just beyond it. Jesus’ work is done on the earth and now it remains for us to finish His work by sharing the good news with others. Each of us, as Christians, are now His official representatives on the earth. Not just preachers, not just evangelists, not just lay leaders – but every person who has been saved by the blood of Christ and the working of His Holy Spirit in our lives.

My friend, I want to encourage you with these words. This world is a dark and scary place – and it is getting scarier. But we have our hope in heaven – just beyond the veil. Yet we have a mission to spread this good news to others who are groping in the darkness. We have become the beacon set on a hill. We are to point others to Jesus. That is my mission. That is your mission. He is with us always – even to the ends of the world and time. Go forth in that anointing of God.

Be blessed.