What is Ascension Day?
Here's the answer:
Ascension Day is the day where we celebrate Jesus' return to heaven after His death, burial, and resurrection.
Not all churches celebrate Ascension Day. It is mainly celebrated by Catholic and Anglican churches on the Thursday that occurs 40 days after Easter. Ascension Day is to celebrate Jesus’ ascension to heaven as recorded in Luke 24:50–53, Mark 16:19, and Acts 1:1–10.
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He taught His disciples many things and appeared to many people. Some of the things Jesus taught them were about the kingdom of heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them the Spirit could not come unless He left, and they were to wait for the Spirit’s descent (Acts 1:2–9). The total amount of days Jesus stayed with the disciples after His resurrection was 40 days, and then He ascended into heaven.
As the Lord went up into heaven, two angels told the disciples that He would return one day in the same way He left. Jesus will return one day, and we can all eagerly await this day. A great way to look forward to this day is to celebrate Ascension Day. However, if you do not want to celebrate it, you don't have to. It is entirely up to each person to decide whether they want to celebrate this holiday or not, as it is not commanded in Scripture.
Bible Truth
"When the Lord Jesus finished speaking to them, he was taken up into heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19). "While he was going up, they kept on looking at the sky. Suddenly two men dressed in white clothing stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. But he will come back in the same way you saw him go'" (Acts 1:10–11).
"One person considers one day to be more holy than another. Another person thinks all days are the same. Each of them should be absolutely sure in their own mind" (Romans 14:5).
