Text: Acts 1:1-11
“After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.” — Acts 1:9 (NIV)
I climbed 12.2% of Mount Everest!
Well, not actually. But let me have this one. Though it was about 12.2% of Everest’s elevation, the Biseulsan hike my daughter and I took in Korea was much different terrain. And at the end of the day, my body believed it had climbed Everest. Matter of fact, it felt that way for several days!
Jesus was the ultimate Alpinist! His ascension into heaven can be likened to a climber reaching the ultimate summit. Not a summit of terrestrial merit such as Everest, but one of celestial merit far beyond human limits.
Imagine a team of climbers at the base of a massive mountain. The climb is treacherous, and no one has ever reached the summit. Then one climber—strong, experienced, and trustworthy—leads the way. After days of struggle, he reaches the top. He plants the flag, sets up a secure rope, and calls back down, “I’ve made it. Follow me—I’ve prepared the way.”
That’s what Jesus has done for us. He didn’t just rise from the dead—He ascended to the highest place, into the very presence of God. And from there, He draws us upward. He’s the “trailblazer” of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), the one who has gone before to open the path no one else could. His ascension is both a victory and an invitation: “Where I am, you will be also” (John 14:3).
The Ascension of Jesus can feel like a goodbye — a moment where He leaves His disciples, disappearing into the clouds. But it’s more than that. It’s a victory. Jesus had completed His mission on earth — defeating sin, conquering death, and showing us the way to live.
The fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father means His atoning work of salvation is finished (Hebrews 10:12). Unlike the Old Testament priests who stood continuously, Jesus sat because the work is now complete. There is no sense in us striving to earn our salvation. It’s impossible to earn because we always fall short, yet Jesus has already made “the climb” for us. We get to rest in His finished work, trusting fully in His grace.
The Ascension reminds us that Jesus reigns now. He is not retired. He is not distant. He is not out of commission. Jesus actively reigns supreme right now, and He will return just as He left (Acts 1:11). He is also interceding for us at the right hand of God. He is our advocate, praying and pleading on our behalf (Romans 8:34). You are never alone. Even when you don’t know how to pray, Jesus is praying for you. He understands your struggles and brings them before the Father with perfect love and wisdom.
When Jesus tells us “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” He really means it. When He tells us to trust Him with an unknown future, we can because we know He is already there. When He commissions us to go into the world and be His witnesses to others, saying “I am with you always,” He really is giving us His authority to go. In that sense, I like to think of the Ascension as being loosely translated: Yeah, I really meant that. Now trust me.
Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for Your victory over sin and death. Thank You for ascending to the Father and sending the Holy Spirit. Help me to live each day knowing You reign and give me courage to be Your witness. Amen.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:
- How does knowing Jesus is reigning right now affect how you live today?
- Are there areas of your life where you forget that Jesus is still present and in control?
- How should knowing Jesus is in the future change the way you think about the future?
- How can knowing that Jesus is interceding on your behalf in heaven inform the way you pray on earth?
- How can you be His witness in your world this week?
Text: Acts 1:1-11
“After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.” — Acts 1:9 (NIV)
I climbed 12.2% of Mount Everest!
Well, not actually. But let me have this one. Though it was about 12.2% of Everest’s elevation, the Biseulsan hike my daughter and I took in Korea was much different terrain. And at the end of the day, my body believed it had climbed Everest. Matter of fact, it felt that way for several days!
Jesus was the ultimate Alpinist! His ascension into heaven can be likened to a climber reaching the ultimate summit. Not a summit of terrestrial merit such as Everest, but one of celestial merit far beyond human limits.
Imagine a team of climbers at the base of a massive mountain. The climb is treacherous, and no one has ever reached the summit. Then one climber—strong, experienced, and trustworthy—leads the way. After days of struggle, he reaches the top. He plants the flag, sets up a secure rope, and calls back down, “I’ve made it. Follow me—I’ve prepared the way.”
That’s what Jesus has done for us. He didn’t just rise from the dead—He ascended to the highest place, into the very presence of God. And from there, He draws us upward. He’s the “trailblazer” of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), the one who has gone before to open the path no one else could. His ascension is both a victory and an invitation: “Where I am, you will be also” (John 14:3).
The Ascension of Jesus can feel like a goodbye — a moment where He leaves His disciples, disappearing into the clouds. But it’s more than that. It’s a victory. Jesus had completed His mission on earth — defeating sin, conquering death, and showing us the way to live.
The fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father means His atoning work of salvation is finished (Hebrews 10:12). Unlike the Old Testament priests who stood continuously, Jesus sat because the work is now complete. There is no sense in us striving to earn our salvation. It’s impossible to earn because we always fall short, yet Jesus has already made “the climb” for us. We get to rest in His finished work, trusting fully in His grace.
The Ascension reminds us that Jesus reigns now. He is not retired. He is not distant. He is not out of commission. Jesus actively reigns supreme right now, and He will return just as He left (Acts 1:11). He is also interceding for us at the right hand of God. He is our advocate, praying and pleading on our behalf (Romans 8:34). You are never alone. Even when you don’t know how to pray, Jesus is praying for you. He understands your struggles and brings them before the Father with perfect love and wisdom.
When Jesus tells us “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.” He really means it. When He tells us to trust Him with an unknown future, we can because we know He is already there. When He commissions us to go into the world and be His witnesses to others, saying “I am with you always,” He really is giving us His authority to go. In that sense, I like to think of the Ascension as being loosely translated: Yeah, I really meant that. Now trust me.
Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank You for Your victory over sin and death. Thank You for ascending to the Father and sending the Holy Spirit. Help me to live each day knowing You reign and give me courage to be Your witness. Amen.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion: