In the name of our ascended Lord, dear fellow beneficiaries of his ascension,
Even though everyone of us realizes that you can’t change history, that still doesn’t stop us from speculating on how things might have been if we could. For example, history buffs might find it interesting to discuss what this country would be like if the American Revolution had not taken place. Would the most powerful nation on earth be Great Britain? Or what would changes would we see in the world if the Germans would have been victorious in World War I or if the Japanese would have succeeded in winning World War II? Some would think it’s a waste of time to consider any of these scenarios, especially since they never became a part of history. But we can still learn something by looking at things that didn’t happen, wondering about how things might have been.
That’s what we’re going to do tonight as we once again review our Lord’s return to heaven after his time on this earth was over. Let’s look at how things might have been by asking the question:
“What If Jesus Had Not Ascended?”
Luke is the inspired writer of the Book of Acts, and he’s writing to a man named Theophilus. This was the same man to whom Luke had addressed his Gospel, and it’s believed that he was most likely a Roman official or at least a man of high position and wealth. Here in Acts Luke begins with a brief summary of Jesus’ work here on this earth (vv 1-3), “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” We see the love of our Lord evidenced in the fact that he did spend 40 days here on this earth after his resurrection to give solid proof that he had indeed come back from the dead, as he had promised, and to teach them even more about “the kingdom of God.” We also see his love in the fact that he assured them that they wouldn’t be left alone once he had gone, but that he would send them the Holy Spirit. So why couldn’t he just stick around? Why did he have to go back to heaven? What if Jesus had not ascended?
Staying here on earth would have given the indication that Christ’s work was not yet done. Many could have assumed that his mission was not complete. After all, Scripture proclaims that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Lk 1:10), and that’s what Jesus did on the cross. Our salvation is complete. Jesus accomplished what he came to do. When a student finishes an assignment for school, he turns it in to let the teacher know that it’s finished. Think of Jesus’ ascension in that way. He was “turning in” the assignment given to him by his heavenly Father – an assignment that received a perfect grade! It was important for Jesus to let the world know that his work was done, that the plan of salvation was complete, that it was time to return to heaven.
Jesus’ departure would actually enhance the disciples’ ability to witness. They would receive all they needed when the Holy Spirit would come (vv 4,5), “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Jesus was talking about the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit would come in a very special way to empower the disciples for the work which lay ahead. But why couldn’t Jesus just stay with them? Why couldn’t he be there to empower them and to help them with their work? Why did he have to ascend back to heaven?
Remember when you were learning how to ride a bike, and you heard those intimidating words, “Let’s try taking the training wheels off”? You knew that time had to come, that you finally had to “go it alone,” even though you may have been a bit apprehensive. It was time for the disciples to “go it alone,” to head out without having Jesus there to steady them, without expecting him to do the bulk of the work. They had been taught and trained personally by their Savior, and now it was time for them to take the baton from Jesus and take his Word to the world.
I remember back when I was 12 years old and was going to start my first job – a paper route. For a week or two I went along with someone else, just riding my bike and learning the route. But then came the day when it was all my own, with no one riding along with me. Without question, I took things a bit more seriously when all the responsibility was placed on my shoulders. In the same way, if Jesus had not ascended, would the disciples have had the same sense of urgency in serving as his witnesses? Wouldn’t they have been able to just sit back and “let Jesus do it”? Now they wouldn’t have a choice. But don’t forget – they really wouldn’t be alone. They would be empowered by the Holy Spirit, having their faith strengthened daily as they witnessed the Spirit’s power in action. After all, isn’t that what faith is all about? Scripture proclaims (Heb 11:1), “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” With Jesus gone, is it too much of a stretch to believe that the disciples had their faith strengthened even more, as they became even more certain of what they did not see?
In the midst of Luke’s ascension account comes the reminder of how much the disciples needed the Holy Spirit to sort out the confusion that still existed in their understanding of the Messiah’s mission (vv 6,7), “So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.’” Even after all that had happened, the nationalistic fervor for an earthly Messiah was still ablaze even in the hearts of Jesus’ own disciples. Sure, they should have known better. Give Jesus some credit for not ripping into them but instead only explaining that they shouldn’t worry about the plans his heavenly Father had in store for the nation of Israel. But just think what would have happened if Jesus had not ascended? Notice how confused the disciples were now with Jesus still with them If he would have remained on this earth, would they have ever been able to put off the thought of him being just a political Messiah? No, Jesus had to return to heaven to make it clear that his work was finished, his work of being a spiritual Messiah and Savior.
The disciples’ confusion over Jesus’ role here on this earth was one reason our Lord told them to sit tight and wait for the Holy Spirit before heading out into the world. After that, there would be no such restrictions (v 8), “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” There had been a couple of other times when Jesus had sent the disciples out on missionary trips, but they always knew they would be returning back to him. Notice that with him gone, they were to start out at home but would expand their mission field in ever-widening circles. If Jesus had not ascended, perhaps the disciples would not have been as anxious to be gone from the “home base” for too long. There would always be the pull to return back to him as their mentor and teacher. But with him gone, their witnessing became more widespread. Consequently, the church was able to grow and spread at a more rapid rate.
We know that Jesus did ascend back into heaven, because Luke tells us how it happened (vv 9-11), “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” Don’t be too hard on the disciples as they stood there, staring up into the sky. You’d be doing the same thing, wondering whether or not Jesus was coming back. He would return, but not for a while. It took a couple of angels to snap the disciples back into reality, reminding them that they hadn’t seen the last of their Savior. He would return “in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
When Adam and Eve fell into sin and were forced out of the Garden of Eden, Scripture tells us that God “placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Ge 3:24). God didn’t want his people to keep eating from the tree of life, because he didn’t want them to live forever in their sinful state. He had a much better life in store for his people, a life that could only be lived after leaving this world, a life that could only be entered through death. What if Jesus had not ascended? With Jesus here on this earth, who would want to leave? With his loving presence and power among us, who would want to be separated from him? No, Jesus wanted his disciples and all people to know that there’s something much better than this world to look forward to. He had already tried to explain to them why he had to leave (Jn 14:2,3), “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus wants us with him – in heaven! He doesn’t want us to think only about life on this earth, but he tells us (Col 3:2), “Set your minds on things above.” By not ascending and instead sticking around here on this earth, Jesus would have been giving a confusing message as to where we should want to be. But with him in heaven, we can now wholeheartedly agree with the apostle Paul and proclaim (Php 1:23), “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” His ascension assures us that heaven is where we want to be.
Speculating on how things would have been if our Lord had not ascended won’t certainly change how things did take place, but I pray that it has afforded us an opportunity to appreciate what his ascension does mean for us today. Tonight take home with you the comfort that Jesus’ mission here on this earth was accomplished, that our salvation is secure. Be reminded that after the fall into sin God never intended us to live forever in a sin-tainted world, so Jesus’ departure reminds us how foolish it is to simply live for this life without keeping an eye on the life that is to come, without realizing that the best is yet to come. And never forget that while we await our eternal home in heaven, the best use we can make of our time is following our Lord’s directive and proclaiming his Word to all people.
Be thankful and rejoice that we have a Savior who did return to heaven. Praise be to our crucified, resurrected, and ascended Lord!
Amen