Friends,
I’ve often thought when people describe the work of Christ, they stop short. How many times do we hear of his birth, death, and resurrection period, as though that is the end. Sometimes his Second Coming is included. There are two most significant days in between! His Ascension is core and Pentecost essential. So I speak of the birth, death, resurrection, ascension, and return of the Lord, with the presence of the Holy Spirit among us in the meantime! This is a great and significant day! What if there had been no ascension? Then what? Something to think about.
John Stott writes: (All Souls Magazine 1954)
It is a pity that we call it ‘Ascension Day’, for the Bible speaks more of Christ’s exaltation than of his ascension. This is an interesting avenue to explore. The four great events in the saving career of Jesus are described in the Bible both actively and passively, as deeds done both by Jesus and to Jesus. Thus, we are told with reference to his birth both that he came and that he was sent; with reference to his death both that he gave himself and that he was offered; with reference to his resurrection both that he rose and that he was raised; with reference to this ascension both that he ascended and that he was exalted. If we look more closely, we shall find that in the first two cases, the active phrase is commoner: he came and died, as a deliberate, self-determined choice. But in the last two cases, the passive phrase is more common: he was raised from the tomb and he was exalted to the throne. It was the Father’s act.
“At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow…” glory to God!
The Lord be with you all…
Dan Sharp