Today is Ascension Day, so named because Jesus has ascended—that is, he has gone up to live with his Father in heaven.
As the Bible puts it, Jesus was speaking with the apostles when “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)
And then some angels appeared and gave this explainer to the disciples: “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.” (Acts 1:10–11)
The Book of Common Prayer urges us to give thanks for this: “Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.“
In old-fashioned language, this is a reminder that we can turn our minds to heaven because our Saviour is there.
What is he doing there? He is praying for us, he’s our lawyer, and he is able to totally save us.
- “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:35)
- “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1)
- Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
For those who follow Christ, today is a day of great joy and hope as we remember where he is living – in our future neighbourhood.