Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Luke 24:50-51 When He 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.
WITH HIS ASCENSION JESUS SAYS: I AM THE WAY
In the Nicene Creed we confess: "For us ... and for our salvation ... the only-begotten Son of God, ... came down from heaven." The mission of Jesus was the rescue of every single human being that had ever lived and ever would live from being eternally cut off from God, the one Source of life and love and joy.
Jesus' return to heaven to the right hand of the Father, proclaimed that what the Son of God came to earth to do was fully completed. His Ascension was a dramatic and visually stunning "Mission Accomplished!" The Son of God became the Son of Man-- took on not just human weakness, but human guilt-- all of it. "He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:17). He was born, lived, died-- as our Substitute. Jesus Christ laid aside the use of the power and privilege that belong to him as God in order to rescue us from sin, death and hell.
When we consider the continual outpouring of true love and real obedience which was involved in living the life we were all intended to lead as God’s dear children-- and to do it in the place of every single one of us; when we consider the sheer weight of this world's sinners' sin-guilt and the incredible horror of being punished for all this in our place, we might well ask: Was Jesus the God-man able to carry out all He had come to do?
Did Jesus get the job done or not?
In the early days of his ministry, Jesus told one of his new disciples (John 1:51):
"I tell you the truth, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
When Jesus ascended into heaven, it became clear that He was the ladder, the staircase, between earth and heaven, between God and man.
What Jesus' resurrection from the dead had certified His Ascension made plain. The way to eternal life with God is not some jury-rigged ladder of our good works and intentions. Even being like Jesus is not the way to heaven. Jesus Himself is. Put your whole weight on Him. Trust in Him. He will make it happen.
Jesus is the Way. His Ascension says so.
