Jesus Ascends to Permanent Glory
That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 1:19-21
There will be a new Stanley Cup champion in the National Hockey League this year. My Dallas Stars defeated last year’s champion the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games. The Golden Knights reached the height of glory in 2023, but their glory only lasted one year. Even the Stars’ Sunday glory has faded a little with them blowing a 3-0 lead to lose game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
That’s how earthly glory goes. You reach a peak of glory in your life, perhaps not as glorious as other peaks but glorious all the same. And yet, it lasts only a little while. Who besides your teammates still remembers your state championship from 50 years ago? Who still remembers that you as a fresh-faced grad ready to take the working world by storm? Who still remembers how you singlehandedly won trivia night? The trophies are in boxes. The money’s been spent. Glory fades.
Today, Ascension Thursday, Jesus ascended into permanent glory. It’s a coronation, a crowning ceremony. Ephesians 1:19-21 tells us that Jesus’ glory is both better than earthly glory—“far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked”—and longer lasting—“not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
We spend much of our lives seeking a fleeting glory. Many of us suffer because we don’t have the glory we desire. But like all things of this world, the light of this glory grows dim, its shine tarnishes, its promise fades. Should we only have this glory, only seek this glory, our lives would end in shame.
But we can have lasting glory, too. It’s not glory we attain for ourselves through our accomplishments, our successes, or our monuments to ourselves. Instead, Christ promises to share his glory with us. He is the eternal champion, and our championship run will never end because his reign will never end. “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Forget the world’s glory. Hold onto Christ’s glory. And when your eyes see the glory of the coming of the Lord, sing, “Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!” because you know your glory is near.