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The Importance of Ascension Day


Why is the Ascension of Christ so important? Significantly, Psalm 110 (particularly verse 1) is the most quoted passage in the NT and typically it is referred to the Ascension. 'The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool". St Peter applied this verse to the Ascension of Christ in Acts 2 (vv34-35) noting that the verses could not be definitively applied to David because he did not ascend into the heavens! The full meaning of Psalm 110 is found in the Ascension to (and present Session of Christ at) the Father's right hand.

The Ascension concerns authority, Christ's authority; for Jesus Christ ascended after the resurrection to where He is at the right hand of God "with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him" (1 Peter 3. 22). Significantly again, Hebrews 1, which also quotes Psalm 110 (v1), speaks of Christ's ascension by implication (1.3) but adds that Jesus the Son, sat down 'at the right hand of the majesty on high'. Sitting down indicated the status of the Son. No one sat in the presence of the King except the King's heir; here Jesus sat down to point to his rank. According to Psalm 110, he is now waiting until all his enemies recognise his rightful place as Lord of the heavens and earth.

It's important for us to recognise afresh the place of our Lord at the right hand, the favoured place beside the Majesty on high, to bow our hearts before Him and continually to reverence Him in our hearts.

And, he is doing something remedially as his enemies are subdued; of course, it often does not look like it but to urge the problem of evil as an argument against the existence of the God revealed through the Christian scriptures does not work. It does not work because, as is now accepted more and more, man cannot stand in a position with regard to the whole universe so as to be able judge the plans and purposes of God.

However, apologetics aside, mankind can reflect on the fact if it will, that full humanity now dwells in the heavens with the King of the Universe. We note that in Luke's account (ch24), Jesus eats before his disciples, showing thereby his humanity but then a little later parts from them and is taken up into heaven (following the KJV text). Hebrews reminds us that this Son in the heavens who intercedes for us is able to do that effectively because he knows what it is to be human, to be tested, tried and tempted (2.18). So, are you in pain, need, sickness or any other kind of trouble; the Man in the heavens knows what that is like and sympathises with your condition not necessarily leading to our being lifted out of our condition but strengthening us in the condition.
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