7 Ways the Issue of Honour is Important in the Ascension of Jesus Christ

photo credit - Wikimedia Commons

In our part of the world, we have a public holiday this week for Ascension Day.

Many churches (including ours) have a time of worship together for it.

In many other parts of the world, the Ascension is totally ignored by society at large, and is almost a forgotten event even in the church, or is only mentioned sometimes in passing. 

Yet, I believe it is of far greater significance than we realise, especially in the context of the issues of honour and shame.

Here are seven ways in which I believe we should maybe take the time to re-think the context and vital importance of the ascension of Christ:

• The ascension gives us the confirmation that Christ's suffering of a shameful death and then his subsequent resurrection, was acceptable to God, because God the Father has now accepted Jesus back into the place of honour at the Father's right hand. Thus we can have acceptance in God's family and before his throne also, if we are in Christ.

• The ascension is the confirmation that shame never has to have the final word. God the Father did not keep Jesus shamed even though he bore our shame in himself. While some religions in our world cannot accept that God would allow his son to be shamed (including some African 'independent' more syncretistic churches here in Botswana), they fail to consider the conclusion of the story to see that Jesus went beyond the shame and into eternal glory. He obediently accomplished what the Father tasked him with even though it was a path of shame, and the Father honoured him at the end of it. We may not understand that shame could ever be a way to glory, but Jesus showed us that in God's eyes it can be. Temporary shame can be a road to eternal honour. Even as we now follow Christ, we are called on this earth to share in his sufferings, his shame, and consider them momentary, but we do so knowing the expectation of the eternal weight of glory to come (2 Corinthians 4:17).

• Thus the ascension is also the reminder that the promise from God of honour is not to be doubted, even in the face of enduring shame on this temporary earth as we share in Jesus' sufferings. Our shameful sufferings (like for Jesus) are not the full story. There is an assured higher glory and honour awaiting us. For the joy that was set before Him, he endured the cross and despised the shame and is now seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 12). We are to keep our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He has gone before us as the firstborn from the dead, giving us confidence in times of doubt and courage to press on toward the eternal prize of glory in our 'upward call of God in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 3:13-14)

• The ascension reminds us that because we are 'in Christ', we are 'joint heirs' in his eternal exaltation - Though the world might humiliate us, one day God will exalt us. We are in this world but no longer of it. We are citizens of a new heavenly Kingdom and the 'honour code' of that Kingdom is what will have the final say, for all eternity. Remembering Christ's ascension reminds us to remember our eternal identity and status.

• The ascension is what assures us of the reality, validity and sufficiency in the Father's eyes of Jesus' sacrificial payment for our sins, and that Jesus has definitely done ALL that the Father requires to satisfy the need for such a payment for the debt of dishonour we owed. It is the assurance in heaven that what Jesus did on earth was sufficient and approved of by the Father, and fulfilled the Father's purposes for the Son on our behalf. There is nothing left for us to do to accomplish what has already been fully accomplished. In God's accounting system the debt is fully paid and it is just our responsibility, in the common grace we have been given to exercise in what/whom we will trust, to respond. We have been given a great gift, that is not gained by our works as if Christ's work is lacking in power to be sufficient. Christ's work was accomplished in full. The gift of honour we are given in Christ is 'grace' in the fullest meaning of the word.

• It is also the point at which Jesus gives us the honour of being the heralds/preachers of the gospel, the ambassadors of his Kingdom into all the world. It is an honour with the responsibility of bringing the truth of Jesus to others, bringing them into an earthly-visible and heavenly-affirmed means of membership in his family through believer's Baptism, and teaching them what it means to follow him as his disciple forever.

• It is also the promise to us that Jesus is coming back because it was as he ascended that he promised he would return in the same manner…and it is his return in which he comes to take us to himself for all eternity, to a time of rewards and eternal honour with him in the place of no more shame and forever glory.

May this ascension day 'anniversary' be a wonderful encouragement to you, bringing comfort and confidence in your walk with Christ on this earth as you prepare for eternity with him, and in obedience to his final command before he ascended, tell the world about the true glory to be found only in him!