We often focus on Jesus’ resurrection, but we sometimes forget that Jesus stayed on earth for 40 days after he rose from the dead, and then he ascended. He went up into heaven, returning to God the Father’s side. The ascension was the beginning of a whole new way for Jesus to be present with us in our daily lives. Where Jesus is right now makes a huge difference in how we can live today. Let’s explore why this historical event helps keep our faith moving forward right now. Here are 5 reasons why the ascension still matters in our daily faith.
1. Jesus is with us anytime and anywhere. A wonderfully powerful reason the ascension matters today is that it helps us connect with Jesus’ presence with us whenever we reach out to him, wherever we are. By leaving his physical, localized body on earth, Jesus removed the limits of time and space. He returned to his place in heaven as part of the Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit). When Jesus was on earth in a human body, he was in one place at a time. So, if he was in Galilee, he wasn’t in Jerusalem. If he was talking to Mary, he wasn’t simultaneously talking to Peter across town. But because he ascended to heaven, he is now accessible to all of us, everywhere, all at once! In our daily faith, we can be confident that Jesus is as close to us in our cars or at our desks as he was to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. He didn’t go away to get away from us; he went up to heaven so he could be with all of us through his Spirit. Acts 1:8-11 reports how the ascension happened: “… ‘you will 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.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” The people who witnessed the ascension must have felt a huge sense of loss when Jesus left them physically. But the ascension was actually a gift. This transition from a physical presence to a spiritual one is what allows us to call on Jesus in the middle of a business meeting or a difficult conversation at home and know that he is fully present with us. We don’t have to travel to the holy land to find Jesus physically. Because Jesus ascended to heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to us, Jesus is already right here with us as a constant companion.
2. We have a powerful advocate for humanity in heaven. It’s easy for us to feel like God is a distant judge who doesn’t really understand our human experiences, such as what it’s like to have a headache, to feel rejected, or to be overwhelmed by the stress of living in this fallen world. But the ascension tells us that Jesus ascended with his human body – the same body that experienced and overcame all the human suffering and temptations we face in our own lives. Jesus was hungry, thirsty, tired, sad, angry, and more during his earthly life. When he ascended to heaven, Jesus chose to do so with the full memory of what it was like to live on earth as a human. Right now, Jesus serves as our advocate, representing us to God in ways that benefit us. Hebrews 4:14-16 encourages us: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” When we pray, we’re talking to someone who has actually lived here on earth and knows what that’s like. Jesus carries our humanity into God’s presence. This can give us tremendous confidence in our daily faith. Because Jesus advocates for us, he is constantly standing in the gap between our struggles and God’s grace. Jesus makes sure that we’re always heard and understood when we pray, and that we receive answers to our prayers that are covered with grace.
3. We can enjoy an eternal perspective. Since Jesus ascended to heaven, God has raised our spiritual perspective thanks to our relationships with Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 tells us: “… because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Because of that, we can look at our lives with an eternal perspective and see what really matters most. We don’t need to let ourselves get overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Instead, we can see those challenges – debt, family conflict, health issues, and more – in light of God’s unlimited power. Our problems no longer have the power to define who we are or how our stories end. Reminding ourselves of Jesus’ ascension helps us focus on how God’s power is far greater than our problems and gives us confidence that God will meet our needs and help us solve them. The ascension assures us that Jesus has already made a way for us to overcome whatever challenges we face.
4. The Holy Spirit will help us. Another important reason Jesus’ ascension still matters today is that he sent his Holy Spirit to be with us on earth after he ascended to heaven. Jesus says in John 16:7: “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” It can seem strange to us to hear Jesus say it’s “for our good” that he leaves. The disciples probably also thought that seemed strange. But Jesus knew that the ascension was necessary for the Holy Spirit to come to earth. The Holy Spirit helps us in many important ways. Thankfully, we don’t have to rely on our own limited power if we have welcomed the Holy Spirit into our lives. God’s Spirit will help us with whatever we need – and Jesus’ ascension to heaven made a way for that to happen. The same power of God that raised Jesus from the grave and lifted him into the heavenly dimension is the same power available to help us right now whenever we ask the Holy Spirit.
5. We can look forward to Jesus returning. The ascension gives our daily lives a sense of hope. Thanks to Jesus’ ascension, we know that Jesus will return to earth one day and set everything right. Acts 1:11 records angels who were present at the ascension saying to the people there: “… why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Whenever we need a fresh dose of hope, we can remember that. The ascension reminds us that this current state of our world isn’t the final chapter in the story God is writing throughout history. We can have faith that Jesus will return to earth when the time is right, to make wrongs right eventually. This encourages us that every prayer we pray and every act of love we do for God is part of a greater story that’s heading toward a wonderful conclusion.
In conclusion, the ascension is the spiritual bridge between the finished work of the cross and the future hope of heaven, and we’re living on that bridge right now. Jesus hasn’t abandoned us; he has just fulfilled God’s plan to return to heaven for now to make it possible for us to live with faith and rely on God’s power in the process. Our Savior is alive and advocating for us in heaven. Jesus’ ascension proves that God’s plan for our lives is greater than anything we can see with our eyes. So, we can let the ascension inspire us to live with confident faith!
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