The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Ephesians 4:10,
"He [Christ] who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe."
As Paul tells of the wonderful gifts Jesus Christ gives the church, to build her up, he points to his ascension to heaven. Following his death on the cross and his resurrection, we are told Jesus Christ was taken up into heaven. When he ascended to the right hand of our heavenly Father he extended his grace to us in the form of gifts designed to build up the church, his body. "To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it... to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:7,12-13.
We read of the ascension of Jesus Christ in several places in our Bibles. Luke speaks of it in Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:9-11. Paul tells us that one of the activities he is engaged in there is to speak to the Father on our behalf, "Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Romans 8:34. The writer of Hebrews says of Jesus Christ, "We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man." Hebrews 8:1. He also tells us in 12:3, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." And, Peter tells us Jesus Christ remains on his throne at the right hand of the Father until the day he returns for us, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." Acts 2:32-33. And, "He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets." Acts 3:21.
The ascension of Jesus Christ and his lofty position at the right hand of our heavenly Father is important to know of. Knowing I belong to one so well connected to the Father provides assurance I am as well connected as anyone can ever get. No one else sits in that lofty position, only Jesus Christ. There is no religious figure, no other that has the lofty position Jesus Christ has. Knowing him brings all there is to have for both this life and life in the resurrection.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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