If you are as old as I am, my title might bring to mind one of two things. First, in the 1950’s TV series, “The Adventures of Superman,” “Up, up, and away.” is what Superman always proclaimed as he took flight.
Second, you could be remembering the debut album of the American pop group The Fifth Dimension, in which they sang, “Up, up, and away, in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon.”
What I want us to think about today is another super man who promised to take each of us up, up, and away, just as he went up, up and away when He ascended into the fifth dimension.
The Ascension of Jesus was the last event of Jesus’ earthly life, which began with his conception and virgin birth. At 12, Jesus appeared in the temple and confounded the religious elite with Hs wisdom. Afterwards, He returned with His parents to Nazareth and “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and Man” (Luke 2:52).
When He was about 30 years old, He was baptized by John in the Jordan and began His ministry of teaching about the Kingdom of God and working miracles. He was so controversial that the Jewish leaders manipulated the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, into having Him crucified.
After He died on the cross, He was buried, but the grave could not hold Him and He rose from the dead. For a period of 40 days, He appeared to His disciples, proving to them He had risen from the dead and charging them to preach the Gospel and build His Church. His ascension into heaven at the end of the forty days was not meant to be a limitation on Jesus, but a bookend to the major events of His earthly ministry.
John 14:1-3 tells us that Jesus went away from earthly view to prepare a place for us, meaning that if He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, then we shall also rise from the grave and spend eternity with Him. There, we shall be like Him and live forever with God (I Corinthians 15:19-27).
The One who ascended will rule over all creation from His throne in glory. All things, including death, will be subject to His reign of victory and peace.
From His throne in glory, the ascended One shall administer the last judgment, separating the righteous from the unrighteous, as in The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25). All will be accountable to Him, and those who have chosen to be in relationship with Him shall live with Him forever.
St. Paul said, “And He (the Father) has put all things under His feet (the Son) and has made Him the head over all things for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23).
When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem after His ascension until they were baptized with His Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). This promise of the infilling of the Holy Spirit was not just for the original 12 disciples, but for all of us.
Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7).
The purpose of this divine infusion is that we might have fellowship with Jesus, for He has not left us as orphans, and he wants us to know the peace that passes all understanding (John 14:18 & 27 and Philippians 4:7).
Another purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is that we might receive the power of the divine to witness to our faith and bring people into the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:8). God has big plans for us. He wants to use us to bring the message of salvation to all the world.
Sometimes we want to stand around with the apostles who were asked by an angel when Jesus ascended, “Why do you stand here looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:11). We have been blessed with the Spirit, let’s get to work sharing the Good News of salvation with all who are willing to hear our testimony of how much Jesus loves us and wants to save us from the darkness.
Jesus ascended into heaven, but He will certainly come again to complete the work of His Church (Acts 1:11b). He will draw us to Himself when He comes, and we shall attend the great banquet for all of God’s people. We will celebrate the Messiah of God’s salvation.
Where do you want to go? Do you want to go up, up, and away into the fifth dimension? If so, you don’t need a beautiful balloon, you just need Jesus. He will take you where you want to go. There, you will reign with him for eternity and enjoy His presence forever.
Until then, we have work to do on earth.
Dr. Dan Darby is a retired United Methodist pastor.
