Luke 24:50-53 (ESV)

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

As important as the ascension is, only Luke records the event – here and in Acts.

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. – Acts 1:9 (ESV)

The only other direct reference to the ascension is in John 20:17, where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene that He is going to ascend to the Father.

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (ESV)

Fortunately, Jesus repeatedly talked about how He would only be present with His disciples for a while and then He would be seated at the right hand of the Father. Otherwise, this essential doctrine would be unclear.

Although the ascension looked simple, it was anything but. Something crucial happened that day; our Lord went to his throne of glory.

We need Him there.

the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. – The Apostles Creed 5-8

We don’t understand the ascension any more than we understand incarnation. We live in a space-time universe created by God. Eternity is something else.

What we do understand is that He was here and now He’s there – with authority.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” – Matthew 28:18 (ESV)

This is the end of Luke’s book describing the greatest road trip ever. The second person of the Trinity jumped into space and time on an incredible mission, and then returned to eternity.

But He left something behind – the third person of the Trinity – who will change everything.

Describing that will take another book.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies