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Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Eternal Word of God
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John’s Witness: The True Light
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word Becomes Flesh
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:1-18

The Great Commission
“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:16-20

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand
And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven, “He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” Mark 16:17-20; Luke 24:50-53

Culminations of the Ascension--what it ended
(1) It ended Christ’s humiliation and self-limitation (John 6:62; Phil. 2:5-11).
Even during Christ’s appearances in His post-resurrection ministry, to some extent, He limited the manifestation of His glory. But through the ascension, though still possessing a glorified human body, the Lord assumed all of His former glory and authority.
(2) It ended His public ministry of words and works (John 17:4-11).
The ascension concluded His prophetic ministry and miracles accomplished by His bodily presence on earth (Walvoord, p. 224). His prophetic ministry and miracles would continue for a while, but only through the lives and ministry of the Apostles.
(3) It ended His redemptive work (Heb. 1:3; 10:12).
The ascension declared His work on the cross was finished. It demonstrated that there was nothing more that could be done for our sin and that He and He alone had accomplished our redemption (Note Heb. 9:11-12).
(4) It ended the Old Testament Covenant and declares the New Covenant to be better and in force (Heb. 8:7-13; 9:11-15, 23-10:1).

The ascension declared that the old Mosaic Covenant was no longer valid, that it was only a temporary covenant until Messiah-Savior could come.

Yes, the first thing that becomes clear is this: Jesus' ascension is NOT the END of His ministry, but the END of His more limited, restricted, earthly ministry, and the BEGINNING of His more widely encompassing, eternal, heightened, far more powerful and more far-reaching ministry as He is seated at the Father's right hand in heaven.

Christ's Ascension affirms that He has carried our humanity into the highest heaven and that it is seated "at the right hand of the Father." It is a promise of a fullness to come and of the fullness, which is made known to us, even now, in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is Still With Us
Jesus, even when He walked among us, was in Heaven, and although the disciples saw Him return there, He is still here!

The Ascension of Christ and His Glorified Existence
He ascended to receive the glory due to Him as conqueror of sin and death (Philippians 2:8-11); to be our Mediator and advocate with the Father (Hebrews 9:24); to send the Holy Spirit as He had promised at the Last Supper (John 16:7); and to prepare a place for us as He also promised (John 14:2).

Moreover, the ascension of the Lord Christ to Heaven makes us direct our ‎sights to Heaven where He is and where He was before His incarnation.‎ and that’s why we say in our liturgical prayer, when the celebrant says:

The Love of God the Father, and the grace of the Only-begotten Son, and the fellowship and indwelling of the Holy Spirit be with you all, my brethren, forever.

Deacons say: Amen- And with your spirit.
Celebrant: Upward, where Christ is, at the right hand of God the Father, let our minds and thoughts and hearts be at this hour.
Deacons: They are with the Lord God.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks unto the Lord in awe.
Deacons/People: It is meet and right to give thanks.
The statement “to Heaven” means to the highest, and so our sights rise ‎up there when we pray. And so do the church towers and aim for the Heaven.‎

The Lord’s ascension is also a guarantee of our ascension.‎ Not now, but when He catches us up in His second coming and “we ‎shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4:17). When He “will transform our ‎lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body.” (Phil. 3:21).
Remember, that this same Jesus Who has gone up to heaven, will so come in like manner as He was seen going up into heaven. His return is certain, and your summons to His bar equally certain. May the Lord bless you and grant you a share in His ascension. Amen
Happy Feast to you all.‎