Ascension. The Glorification of Christ and the Calling of the Church

written by prof. GDS Smit

When Christians celebrate the Ascension of Jesus Christ, we think of the triumphant victory of the Son of God who went to heaven to prepare a place for us. These events, as recorded in Acts 1, are a key event that shapes the entire Christian life, our hope for the future, and our understanding of mission.

The Ascension reveals the glorification of Christ. The Heidelberg Catechism Question and Answer 49 sums it up nicely:

Of what advantage to us is Christ’s ascension into heaven?

Answer. First, that he is our [a] advocate in the presence of his Father in heaven; secondly, that we have our flesh in heaven as a sure pledge that he, as the head, will also [b] take up to himself, us, his members; thirdly, that he [c] sends us his Spirit as an earnest, by whose power we “seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, [d] and not things on earth.”

[a]: Heb. 9:25; 1John 2:2; Rom. 8:34

[b]: John 14:2; Eph. 2:6

[c]: John 14:16; 2Cor. 1:22; 2Cor. 5:5

[d]: Col. 3:1; Phil. 3:20

He who was previously rejected, humbled, crucified, rose to victory and took his place at the right hand of the Father. This symbolism, sitting at the right hand of the Father, is an expression to emphasize Christ’s kingliness. He is not limited to time and place; He rules over all things (Ephesians 1:20–23).

Contrary to the modern tendency to see heaven as a vague, spiritual state, the Ascension reminds us that Christ ascended in body. It confirms the reality of the incarnation — that God became man — and that He really paid for our sins. From this springs a powerful hope: the resurrection and glorification of the body is not an allegory, but a promise of a future reality for every believer. Christ’s presence in heaven is the guarantee that we too will be there — in a restored creation, with glorified bodies, in the presence of God.

Jesus’ departure does not mean that He is absent but is present in a new way through His Spirit. As He Himself declares, “I will prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). His Ascension is an act of love: He intercedes for us before the Father (Romans 8:34), and He continues to work for our sanctification through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Ascension assures us that Christ is preparing us, his body – the church – for the coming of the kingdom. It gives meaning to our earthly life: we are made holy for a heavenly destiny.

Immediately before his Ascension, Christ gives his final command: “… You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Ascension is therefore not the conclusion of Christ’s work and ministry, but the transfer of that ministry to his church. The Holy Spirit, who was poured out after the Ascension at Pentecost, is the Power for this mission. And so his church is sent out all over the world. The Ascension emphasizes that the church is now the instrument through which Christ is present and actively working in this world through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In a post-Christian world where faith for many people fades into history lessons or myths, the Ascension calls the church back to our original calling: to proclaim Christ as Lord of all people. The fact that Christ is now seated at the right hand of God means that no culture, no ideology, no power or government can hold Him back. The church, then, does not preach a faith that is alien to the world, but a faith that seeks to imbue every part of reality with the reign of Christ.

The angels’ words in Acts 1:11 are significant: “Why do you stand looking at heaven?” This question points to the church and teach us that we must not be passive and look around in amazement for answers, but are called to walk a life that is geared towards the Second Coming. We live in the meantime – between Ascension and Second Coming, and at this time we are called to live with hope, expectation and zeal. He is gone in body, but present in Spirit. It drives us to faithfulness in the present as we await His return.

The Ascension is not an unimportant event in the Christian calendar—it is central to our understanding of Christ’s reign, our mission in the world, and our hope for the future. It reminds us that Christ intercedes for us with the Father, preparing places, and calling us to service. That’s why the Ascension matters – because it changes not only how we look at heaven, but also how we live on earth.

Christians should not live with their heads in heaven in such a way that they are not with their feet on the earth.