A first-order event of cosmic importance

For me the answer was obvious, given the overwhelming importance of Christmas in my life: “Which was the most important event in Jesus’ life?” To be fair, I was only 14 years old and had just started attending the local Covenanter Group at the nearby Gospel Hall.

“His birth,” was my considered response as I counted the weeks to 25th December. Obviously, if Jesus hadn’t been born, none of the rest would have followed.

This, however, was the wrong answer. The leader conceded that had there been no Christmas, there would have been no Jesus. But the correct answer, I was informed, was his resurrection. For the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead implied his birth, his ministry, and his cruel death on the cross. And so we have Easter eggs.

However, I have now come to the conclusion that the Covenanter leader too was wrong. The correct answer for the most important event in Jesus’ life is his ascension. That implies everything else, including his resurrection, and carries profound implications—especially for those who would follow him.

And yet, we give no presents or share confectionery for Ascension Day, even though John Calvin, whose theology is formative for the Church of England, considered it “the Queen of all festivals.” In his Institutes of the Christian Religion (which I ploughed through as a student), he writes about Christ's ascension as the means by which believers gain confidence in their salvation and their own future glorification.

While Calvin stripped away many feast days he saw as lacking biblical warrant, he retained and honoured major events in the life of Christ—especially the Ascension, which he saw as the culmination of Christ's earthly ministry and the foundation of his heavenly reign as Lord of all.

The problem is that Ascension Day invariably falls on a Thursday, some 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus. And so Ascension Day services are always poorly attended.

Moreover, we find it difficult to picture the ascension of Jesus, as if he suddenly shoots upwards to about 3000 feet and disappears into a  cloud. We fail to appreciate the restraint Luke uses as he describes this pivotal event, which ends his Gospel and begins his Acts of the Apostles.

He writes: “When Jesus had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50f)

And in more detail: “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.” (Acts 1:9f). These two men are important, as we will see—if I remember—below.

In one sense, God has a problem. Jesus has been raised from the dead and has appeared to his disciples over a period of 40 days. “After his suffering, Jesus presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3).

The number 40 is highly symbolic and significant throughout the Bible—associated with periods of testing, preparation, transition, and divine revelation. But this period is merely transitional. The aim, as so wonderfully described by the apostle Paul, is “to fill the whole universe with his presence.” (Ephesians 4:10, Good News Bible) The presence of Jesus has to change—from being at one place and one time to being everywhere, forever. His leaving has to be a memorable event, even one beyond our understanding. Moreover, the transition has to be witnessed. Jesus can’t just suddenly disappear, exit stage-left. Otherwise, we’re into Da Vinci Code territory, with Jesus setting up home with Mary Magdalene.

Luke is very restrained in his language. As in English, the languages of the Bible use the same word—heaven—for the sky and for the place where God dwells. Furthermore, the Hebrew concept of cloud and Shekinah are closely linked in Jewish thought and biblical theology, especially in relation to God's presence.

Jesus is not disappearing into space—he is entering into the presence and glory of God.

For those disciples at Bethany, they were witnessing something unique and of profound importance. Even so, this event needed to be explained: it wasn’t totally self-evident. And so the two men in white who suddenly appear—angels, we assume—explain: “This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.” (Acts 1:11, The Message)

So no longer is Jesus localised. And what gives the Ascension its huge significance is the understanding that you and I may talk with Jesus—even the same Jesus of Nazareth we read about in the Gospels. There is complete continuity.

So the Jesus to whom we may pray is the same Jesus who touched the leper, who welcomed the outcast, who stilled the storm.

And more—this Jesus is rooting for us. So the apostle Paul rejoices: “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 8:34). That is, he continually brings the power and sufficiency of his death and resurrection into the presence of God on our behalf.

He is our advocate, priest, and friend—always active in securing our salvation and presenting us faultless before the Father.

Happy Ascensiontide, our celebration of the most important event in Jesus’ life.