KEY SCRIPTURE Joh 6:62 KJV” What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?”

The Lord realised His disciples were murmuring when He talked about, they eating His flesh to have life. The Lord said, if this was offensive to them, then what would they say and do when they saw Him ascend into the heavens? Why would the ascension create a stir for the disciples? The ascension of Jesus is purely a supernatural and inexplainable but an event that explains lots of truths for the Christian to be firmly established in his faith. The following is Luke’s account in his second narrative of the acts of Jesus after His resurrection. Acts 1:9 KJV” And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”

The following are some of the significance of ascension to the believer and unbeliever as well.

1. The ascension defies the scientific law of gravity and no man has died, resurrected and ascended into the heavens but Jesus.

2.The ascension reveals there is a heaven somewhere. Jesus was seen by about one hundred and twenty disciples, who were ready to testify of what they had seen, to the point of dying for their testimony. It meant, it really occurred. There is a heaven, which is the habitation of God the Father, the Holy angels and the spirits of our departed faithful Christians. Hebrews 6:20 KJV” Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” We have a certain hope that makes us stand faithfully for the tenants of our faith, even in very trying moments, for our master and Lord has evidently entered into heaven.

His ascension into heaven also points to the fact that He would come back again. Acts 1:11 KJV” Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” After the Lord had ascended into the heavens two men in white apparel stood in the midst of the bewildered disciples who were gazing into the heavens, and made the above statement to them. Jesus will come back and all men shall see him. This event is different from the rapture of the church. During the rapture, the Lord will appear in the skies and the Christians who are dead, will be raised whiles those who are alive will be changed in a moment and join the Lord in the skies.

His ascension tells everyman who has not given his life over to Jesus to be aware that just as there is a heaven for all true believers, there is a hell for anyone who would not accept the Lord Jesus. There is a sure place where the spirits of sinners are tormented, called hell. There would be a final judgement where, hell and all sinners would be cast into the lake of fire.

THOUGHT:  THE ASCENSION IS A FACT, AND LEAVES US AN UNDISPUTABLE HOPE FOR OUR FAITH

FURTHER STUDIES

1Thess 4:16 KJV” For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Rev 21:8 KJV” But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”