THE BENEFITS OF HIS ASCENSION

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send Him to you” (John 16: 17).

During our Lord’s earthly ministry, we read from the Bible numerous stories of people who had to trek sometimes days looking for Jesus for solutions to their problems. Some laid ambush (e.g. Blind Bartimaeus Zacheus, the woman with issue of blood for 12 years etc) just to see Him and present their problems.

Though he was omnipresent here during His earthly ministry, people hardly realized that, because they knew where to find him physically.

As He ascended into heaven, He assured us that He is with us even to the end of time (Matthew 28: 20). He also promised to send the Holy Spirit as comforter, teacher, adviser etc so His going gives us the full benefit of His omnipresence. He went away to be our advocate, “If any one sins, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sin (1 John 2: 1).

He went up where He is seated at the right hand of the father to fight for us against the unseen forces in the spiritual realm. “He exerted when He raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him on His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rulers and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked not only in the present age but also in the one to come (Eph. 1: 20 & 21) for we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ruler of darkness of the world…” (Eph. 6: 12).

He went away to prepare a home for all believers. “In my fathers house, there are many rooms … I have told you, I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you to be with me so that you may be with me where I am (John 14: 2 & 3).  So His ascension gives us assurance of beautiful home in heaven.

The disciples of Jesus were perplexed and worried when Jesus told them, He was leaving them partly because they were not sure of what He meant by “a little while I will go away a little while I will be with you” and for possible renewed persecution by the Jewish authority when the master is gone but He assured them that though He was leaving them physically, he is with them (us) spiritually. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16: 33)

His ascension, His Omnipresence and the fulfilment of His promise to send the Holy Spirit make us overcomers.