”Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.“
Luke 24:50-53 NLT
The Ascension is one of the most overlooked events in the life of Jesus. It is important! Jesus didn’t just disappear; He ascended—with His resurrected body—into heaven. Jesus is fully God and fully human, united together as one person. Jesus is fully united into the Trinity. A human being is part of the Trinity! This points to our ultimate destiny as human beings—to be united together in the love of the Creator—sons and daughters of God. This does not take away our personalities but amplifies the wonderful diversity God gave to each of us.
Jesus ascended into heaven, but He is still with us. He calls us to follow Him and join Him on His mission. We share His Good News and sacrifice for people to know the forgiveness and hope of Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives in us, putting to death our sinful nature and helping us become more and more like Christ. We are sons and daughters of God, called into the church to live the mission of God. He wants us to go to the ends of the earth to share with people the hope we can have in Jesus—the next step in our growth as humans.
What does the Ascension mean to you? What do you want to remember from the Gospel of Luke?
