By Nick Batzig
I’ve always loved worshipping at churches in which the congregants hold out their hands, at the end of the service, to symbolize their expectant reception of the blessing of God when the minister lifts his hands to pronounce the benediction. I suppose I first came to love this aspect of worship when I realized that it was the last thing Jesus did during His earthly ministry.
As He ascended to heaven, Jesus lifted up His hands and pronounced a blessing over His disciples. How fitting that this was His last act on earth since Jesus ascended to heaven as our great High Priest, in order to continue the work of redemption on our behalf in the presence of God.
The ascension is one of the most wonderful and yet overlooked acts of God in redemptive history. It not only teaches us that “the body of Jesus has a zip code,” as Derek Thomas has so illustratively captured it; it reminds us that we have a Savior who is continuing His work on our behalf, as our Priest, having already offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.
In the Old Testament, the priest carried the sacrifice into the most holy place in the Temple while he also carried the names of God’s people into the presence of God on his breastplate. His work as the people’s representative was to sacrifice and intercede for them.
This is a divinely inspired picture of what we all need. We are sinners and, as such, need a Priest to represent us before the presence of our infinitely holy God. Jesus Christ is that priest. All of the blessings of God have been secured for us by His perfect life and atoning death, making His ascension and continual intercession for us a constant source of confidence in His grace.
The writer of Hebrews calls the hope that we have on account of Jesus’s ascension “an anchor for the soul” (Heb. 6:19). We are anchored in glory because Christ has ascended to the Father.
When we see the enormity of our sin and feel the doubts rising in our hearts, we must look, by faith, at the nail-pierced hands of Jesus. Jesus has lifted up His hands as symbols of His redeeming work, even as He was lifted up to glory, to pronounce the eternal blessings of God on those for whom His hands were pierced.
Written By Nick Batzig
13 thoughts on "The Ascension: Where Is Jesus Now?"
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Remember Jesus perfect sacrifice once for all. Remember Holy Spirit with me guiding and empowering me to do God’s will!
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He loves us and provides for our continual needs by interceding for us in Heaven.
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We are reminded that we still have a sinful nature and continue to need grace from God to live our lives in ways that please God.
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It’s good news that continues forever!
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Lord help me to remember your provision. Help me to be more in touch with your Holy Spirit for guidance and strength.
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He is infinitely holy and has to punish sin. However, he is our father and is rich in mercy so his desire is for us to have him. He sent Jesus to intercede.
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When things seem impossible God makes a way for those he loves. That’s who he is! He is a God of second chances and a God who wants to give all of himself to us!
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Man is wholly incapable on his own of accomplishing anything good. We have the Holy Spirit to lead an guide us into all truth.
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Man can make as many sacrifices as they want but it will never take away their sin.
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Responding to this is by staying true to him, praying, spreading his word, and having a Christ-like attitude/figure every day.
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It teaches me that with just one offering, Christ’s life, he washed away our sins.
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The Gospel has all of the info we need to know for our time on this earth. This information gives a strong relationship and the Gospel provides just the right amount.
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We need to pray to stay strong and repent but to also ask for forgiveness because we all are lost and mess up at times.
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