Ascension Sunday

Many Christians are familiar with Christmas and Easter, but Ascension Sunday—marking Christ’s return to heaven and the beginning of his reign—is a deeply significant yet often overlooked part of the Church Calendar.

When many Christians think of the Church Calendar, they think of the major holidays of Christmas, Good Friday, or Easter. Culturally, these holidays often have much pomp and circumstance both in church and in secular culture, and they mark the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.

But these are not the only church holidays in the church calendar. In fact, there are a number of lesser-known church holidays amongst Protestants. One of these is Ascension Sunday, which commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ from earth to heaven. Ascension Day, celebrated in some Christian traditions, takes place 40 days after Easter (always a Thursday)— though most Protestants commemorate Ascension Day the following Sunday as Ascension Sunday. 

Theologically, the Ascension signals the full vindication and glorification of Christ as Lord over all things, fulfilling Psalm 110:1.

Ascension Sunday remembers this important event in the history of the Church when Jesus Christ, having descended to earth as a baby and incarnated into human history to take on humanity, suffered his humiliation in the crucifixion, conquered Satan, sin, and death through his resurrection, and ascended into heaven to take his rightful place enthroned at the right hand of God the Father.

What is Ascension Sunday Remembering?

The narrative of Jesus Christ’s ascension is primarily captured in Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:6-11. The passage in Acts 1 reads:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 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. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Theologically, the Ascension signals the full vindication and glorification of Christ as Lord over all things, fulfilling Psalm 110:1 which reads, “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’” Christ, fully man and fully God, no longer physically present on earth, has transitioned to his heavenly rule and reign over all creation. The Ascension marks the beginning of Christ’s priestly intercession for his people where he, as the ascended High Priest, mediates on behalf of the Church and ensures their sanctification. It is from heaven that Christ fulfilled his promise to send the Holy Spirit to be the ever-present Helper of believers and to empower them to fulfill his mission and purposes. Christ, having received all authority, sends his people into the world with the power of the Holy Spirit to make disciples. 

It is from heaven that Christ fulfilled his promise to send the Holy Spirit to be the ever-present Helper of believers and to empower them to fulfill his mission and purposes.

The Ascension of Christ marked the end of his earthly ministry, when he gave his final instructions to his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. He was then taken into the clouds as his gathered followers watched. While this is a theological event, it is important to remember that this is also an historical event. There are multiple eyewitness accounts documenting the event and the accounts are restrained and sober, completely lacking any legendary embellishment. The testimony of the Apostles is further evidence, as they grew from fearful and confused in the wake of Christ’s death to bold proclaimers of the risen and reigning Christ, having witnessed his resurrection and ascension to heaven. Christian belief in the Ascension of Christ is documented early in Christian writings, and it is a part of uniform Christian belief as it is recorded in the epistles (Philippians 2:9-11, 1 Peter 3:22) and affirmed in both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. 

The Ascension account, which concluded the first Advent, ends with two angels who declare that Jesus Christ will return one day in the same way he ascended: bodily, visibly, and gloriously. This is why the Church continues to this day with watchfulness for Christ’s return as they fulfill the Great Commission that Christ commanded them to. 

Ascension Sunday Traditions

Since the days of the early church, the Ascension has been celebrated. Various traditions today involve singing hymns and hearing Scripture readings that reflect on the themes of Christ’s ascension and the commissioning of the disciples. In our Presbyterian tradition, church services remain simple as we remember Christ’s kingship at the right hand of the Father and commemorate the inauguration of his reign over all things. 

Christians have celebrated Ascension Sunday as families by reading the story of the Ascension in Acts 1 to their children while out on a picnic, watching the clouds that Christ ascended to. This is a practical way to illustrate to families that Jesus will return from the heavens in the same way that he ascended. 

What does Ascension Sunday look like at Christ Church Bellingham?

At Christ Church Bellingham, the liturgical fabric remains white on both the cross and the table to mark the Ascension. The theme of the liturgy reflects themes concerning the Ascension. We sing hymns whose lyrics reflect the kingship of Christ such as Holy, Holy, Holy or From Heav’n O Praise the Lord. 

Additionally, as we regularly go through the Westminster Shorter Catechism concerning the Lord’s Prayer during the season of Eastertide, we return to reciting the Apostles’ Creed for our Profession of Faith, which is the primary creed our church recites for its profession of faith throughout the year.
Ascension Sunday marks the conclusion of Eastertide and begins a three-Sunday series including Pentecost Sunday and Trinity Sunday, which altogether conclude the Christian year as the season of Ordinary Time begins. 

Why We Follow the Church Calendar

As a church we are building a distinctively Christian culture. These moments throughout the year continue to tell the story of the Gospel and help reinforce our shared Christian identity as we remember what Christ has accomplished for us and what he is continuing to accomplish on our behalf, as he is our Mediator before God the Father. As we build our local traditions around the Church Calendar, we also root ourselves with our broader Christian heritage and show our unity with other Christians around the world. 

Just as the disciples stood watching Christ ascend into heaven, we remember the words of the angels who promised that Christ would return in the same manner, and we continue to watch and wait for Christ’s return.