Ascension Day (29 May 2025)

After His crucifixion, Jesus resurrected on the third day. But Jesus did not ascend immediately into heaven. He stayed for 40 days in this world and strengthened the faith of the disciples. He reminded them about everything that He preached. After 40 days, Jesus ascended into heaven on the mount Olives. At church, we remember and celebrate this day that marks the ascension of Jesus Christ.

In Acts 1 we can read about what happened during ascension. Jesus said ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. When he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. They saw two men in white apparel with Jesus. They asked and 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.” Every Sunday, when we confirm our faith by saying the Creed, we confess Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection and ascension. We also confess that He will come again. When we expect someone, we are prepared for their coming. We who are expecting Jesus to come again should know why Jesus ascended into heaven, when and how Jesus will come and when He will come again to mount Olives. 

Why did Jesus ascend into heaven?

When Jesus ministered in this world, He mentioned about the reason of His ascension in John 14. In verses 2 and 3 Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. We know that Jesus spoke based on Jewish customs and practices. During Jesus’s times, the prospective groom travelled from his father’s house to the home of the prospective bride. He paid the price for the bride and gave gifts to establish the marriage covenant. Once betrothed, the groom would return to his father’s house to prepare living accommodations for his wife in his father’s house. At a time not known exactly to the bride, the bridegroom would come to take his bride to his father’s house. 

Similarly, the bridegroom Jesus came and paid the price for our redemption by shedding His blood and dying on the Cross. He gave us the gift of salvation through his precious blood. On the night before he was betrayed, He made a new covenant with us and separated us from the world. Those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour are His bride. We, the church, are His bride.  

When and how will Jesus come?

We are confident that Jesus will come to receive the church as His bride. But no one knows when He will come. As Mark 13:32 says, only the Father knows when Jesus will come. No man or the angels which are in heaven or the Son know when Jesus will come to take His bride. 

We know from Luke 17:24 that He will come “as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven”. We also read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 17 that “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God”. When He comes, “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”. Those who are prepared to be His bride will be taken with Jesus. Jesus’ feet will not touch the earth, but we will be transformed into glory and meet Jesus in the mid of the air. Those who believe in Jesus and those who are washed by the blood of the Lamb of God and saved will be His bride.   

When will Jesus come again to mount Olives?

In Acts, the men of Galilee were given a promise: “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”. All the promises in the Bible will be fulfilled. 

We are now in this period which is the grace period or church age. When his own people rejected Jesus, the salvation was extended to gentiles. No one knows how long this period will last. The age of grace or grace period will come to an end when the church is received as the bride. 

After Jesus receives His bride, the world will be given to Antichrist. He will rule the world for seven years. The first three and a half years will be tribulation and the second three and a half years will be great tribulation. The church will not be in earth during Antichrist reign. These 7 years is the time for Salvation of Jews. After this seven-year reign, Jesus will come as a king and will descend on the mount Olives. When his feet touch the mount of Olives, the mount of Olives shall cleave in the middle and there shall be a very great valley. Half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. This coming of Jesus as king is for the Jews. Jesus and the armies of heaven will fight with the beast and its army, which is the Armageddon war. The Jews believe that Messiah will come and establish the kingdom of heaven in this world. Jesus will sit on the throne of David and reign for 1000 years in this world. The White Throne judgement will follow and new heaven and new earth will be then created.  

There are various arguments about the second coming of Jesus. We may have varied beliefs, but we all agree that Jesus will come again and we must be prepared to meet Him. Today, I would like to ask ourselves if we are ready for His second coming. Every year we are celebrating and remembering Jesus’ ascension. Every week we profess our faith and say we are anticipating Jesus’s coming as the judge. How is our personal relationship with the LORD Jesus? Are our robes be washed by the blood of the Lamb of God? Are they spotless and white as snow? Can we boldly say that Jesus is our personal saviour? When Jesus comes, will we be among the chosen? Today, as we remember the ascension of our Lord, let us receive the gift of eternal life that He has given. Let us renew our relationship with Him. Let us be always prepared to meet Him. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”.  Our Lord is waiting at our heart’s door. Let us open our heart and invite Him in and enjoy a personal relationship with Him.

May the LORD Jesus prepare and preserve us to inherit eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. Amen!