The Ascension was Christ’s coronation—the moment when he took his rightful place on Heaven’s throne. He is no longer the homeless rabbi, the upstart Galilean, or the fanatical preacher. He is once again the Risen, Exalted, Second Person seated at the Right Hand of the Father who reigns in Glory.
Just as Christ descended into our human condition and left Heaven, he has now returned to God in a new way. That which he put off to live like one of us, he has now reclaimed to live as he always did before his sojourn on Earth. What’s more, because he lived like us here we can live like him there—a little now, but entirely later on.
Christ identified with us here, so he could incorporate us into his Kingdom there. He became like us so we could be with him. That’s why Jesus is called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He is 100% divine. Jesus is God. And yet, he came here to live with us as one of us—he is also 100% human. Jesus didn’t just come down to slum it for a little while before heading back home to his mansion in glory. He came to get us.
He came to pick us up and bring us back home.
Adapted from Why God Died