By Pastor Kyle Lammot

You know that scene in The Princess Bride—the one at the beginning—where a boy is home sick, playing a baseball video game, when his grandfather walks in to read him a book? The boy resists. He thinks he knows how this kind of story goes. He assumes it’ll be boring.

But as his grandfather quips, “When I was your age, television was called books.” What the boy expected to be dull turned out to be full of fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles.

I wonder if we sometimes treat the gospel the same way.

We think we know how the story goes: Jesus came, Jesus will return—and in the meantime… well, we’re not always sure. We focus on the beginning (the incarnation) and the end (the second coming), and we overlook the part we’re living in right now. 

But what about the middle? What about the part where Jesus ascended to heaven? What does that mean for us?  Is Jesus just waiting in heaven until the Father gives the okay for His return? Has God’s eternal plan hit pause?

Absolutely not.

The Ascension of Jesus: A Forgotten Glory  

The ascension of Jesus is not a divine afterthought—it’s one of the most glorious events in redemptive history. It’s not just a narrative detail tucked between the resurrection and Pentecost.  The ascension is central to the good news of the gospel.

To neglect the ascension is like plugging our ears between the opening and closing scenes of the greatest story ever told. We miss the fullness of the gospel when we forget that Jesus not only came and conquered sin and death—but that He ascended to reign. 

The Scriptures are filled with themes of the ascension:

  • Narratively, it’s recorded in Luke and Acts.
  • Symbolically, it echoes through the burnt offerings and the Garden of Eden.
  • It’s declared in Psalms, foreshadowed by the prophets, and confirmed by Jesus Himself as He speaks of returning to the Father.
  • And it’s emphasized in the New Testament epistles, showing us what Jesus is doing now.  

The Gospel is Not Complete Without the Ascension  

We love to celebrate Christmas—the incarnation of Christ. But without the ascension, the incarnation is incomplete.

Why did Jesus come? To establish His kingdom by defeating Satan, sin, and death—and to bring us back to God. Since the fall, humanity has been barred from the presence of God. But Jesus, the true man, lived perfectly, died sacrificially, rose victoriously, and then… ascended.  

At the incarnation, Jesus brought heaven to earth.

At the ascension, Jesus brings earth to heaven.

Jesus ascended bodily to the right hand of the Father, and in doing so, He opened the way for us. By His blood, He purifies His people. And now, as the ascended King, He presents us—washed, forgiven, glorified—before the Father. 

The Coronation of the King  

The ascension isn’t just a departure. It’s a coronation.

Jesus ascended not as a weary traveler but as a conquering King. The prophet Daniel saw this moment in a vision:

“With the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.” —Daniel 7:13

This isn’t a picture of Jesus returning from heaven, but of Jesus arriving at heaven—vindicated, glorified, and crowned.

“And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him…” —Daniel 7:14

The ascension declares that Jesus is not merely going to reign. He is reigning—right now. His kingdom shall not pass away. His dominion shall not be destroyed.

So What Is Jesus Doing Now?  

He is not idle. He is not absent. Jesus is:

  • Ruling and reigning over the nations
  • Placing every enemy under his feet
  • Interceding for His people as our High Priest
  • Building His Church by His Word and Spirit
  • Sending us as His ambassadors to declare His victory  

Why the Ascension Matters  

Patrick Schreiner helpfully lists five dangers of neglecting the ascension:

    1. We ignore Christ’s present work – as Prophet, Priest, and King.

    2. We spiritualize His reign – forgetting He rules in a real, embodied, human nature.

    3. We misunderstand the Church’s mission – as His body on earth.

    4. We forget our call – to live under His Lordship in the now.

    5. We lose sight of His return – which will mirror His ascension.  

Church, Remember This  

Christ is not merely risen. He is enthroned.

He is not distant. He is active.

He is not done. He is preparing all things for His return.

This week, meditate on the glorious truth that the One who came down has also gone up—and that He reigns in majesty until all enemies are placed under His feet.

Your King is on the throne.

Your Advocate is at the Father’s right hand.

Your hope is secure.

He has ascended, and He is reigning.

For the King!

Pastor Kyle Lammott
Exodus Church  

Exodus Church is located in Wichita, Kansas, and exists for the redeeming, renewing, and restoring of all things to Christ.

This report may be republished with inclusion of the following acknowledgement: “This article was originally published by Operation Rescue, a leading pro-life, Christian activist organization dedicated to exposing abortion abuses, demanding enforcement, saving innocent lives, and building an abortion-free America.“