Imagine that you are in a movie theater watching the Lord of the Rings, and the movie stops immediately after Gollum and the ring disappear into Mount Doom; or if Cinderella cut to credits as soon as her foot fit into the glass slipper. What would be missing?

If these stories ended at such climactic moments, we would experience some satisfaction knowing that the conflict had been resolved and that the ‘good’ had triumphed, but we would leave wondering how each story concludes and how people’s (or Hobbit’s!) lives were different as a result.

I think the same is true if we end the gospel story of Jesus at the cross. On the cross, Jesus died to pay the penalty for people’s sins and break the power of sin. This event is definitely the climax of the biblical story, resolving the conflict which began in Genesis 3 as sin entered the world. But we must continue past the crucifixion to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension if we want to be faithful to the biblical story, and if we want to understand how people’s lives are different as a result.

After Jesus died and was resurrected, Luke records His ascension in this way:

So when [the apostles] had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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 end of the earth.” 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. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 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.” Acts 1:6-11 (ESV)

As a result of Jesus’ ascension, Christians have both a present help (the Holy Spirit) and a future hope (the return of Jesus).

A Present Help

During His last evening with the disciples prior to His crucifixion, Jesus declared that it was necessary for Him to leave so that He could send the Holy Spirit to empower their ministry (John 16:5-11). In Acts 1, Jesus confirms that the Holy Spirit will come upon them as He departs, and on the day of Pentecost, Peter affirms that this has taken place:

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.” Acts 2:32-33

Because Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit is with us at all times. The Spirit is convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgement (John 16:8-10). He is guiding Jesus’ followers into all truth through the words of the apostles (John 16:12-13), and He is glorifying Jesus (John 16:14-15). The apostle Paul adds that the Holy Spirit enables believers to “not gratify the desires of the flesh” and instead produce fruit (Galatians 5: 16-24).

Other New Testament letters affirm that because Jesus has ascended, He is seated at the right hand of the Father! There He rules and reigns over all authorities (Ephesians 1:20-21), intercedes for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25), and mediates a new covenant (Hebrews 7-10).

Because of Jesus’ ascension, believers have a present help!

A Future Hope

As Jesus is lifted up, the angels foretell a future day when Jesus will return “in the same way as he went into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Anticipating His return provides us with a future hope. We know that one day the devil, death and sin will be defeated (Revelation 20:7-15), and those who trust in Jesus will live eternally in a new creation (Revelation 21:1-7).

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

Cinderella and her prince live happily ever after; the rightful king is crowned and peace is restored after the ring is destroyed. These stories authored by people are shadows of the story authored by God. After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, God’s story continues as His people await His return, being empowered by His Spirit. As we tell the story of Jesus, let’s not stop at the cross, but remind people of their present help and their future hope.