Luke 24:50-53
Luke’s short account of the Lord’s ascension has a number of deliberate links with Leviticus 9 (see especially Leviticus 9:22-24). This helps us to understand the significance of the ascension, not only has Christ now entered the heavenly temple (Heb 9:24), but he has sanctified our human nature so that, like Aaron, we can be in God’s presence too. At his ascension he creates a bridge between Heaven and Earth so that God’s glory fills the new temple, his body, the Church and then goes out into the world. Through this we see that Christians are priests: as the meeting place of Heaven and Earth, we are called not just to be reconciled to God but to be reconciling the world to him (2 Cor. 5:18). That means we are the channel through which God’s glory flows from heaven into the world – God calls us to be “continually in the temple” (vs 53), seeing every part of your life as an opportunity to bless God in order to bless the world.
Once again God’s Word turns us outwards, we are called not for our own sake but for the sake of others. Every part of our life – good works, worship, ministries, work, family, marriage, relaxation – can fill the world with his life, transforming it as we are filled with God’s love. Without this focus on fruitfulness our relationship with God becomes stagnant. That means it is really important that our private devotions, our family life and our church services all have a focus on overflowing with God’s goodness to the world around.