Celebrate Ascension: “Mission Accomplished!” – May 15, 2026
Read: Luke 24:44-53
When he [Jesus] had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Luke 24:50-53
Celebrate Ascension: “Mission Accomplished!”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
There are lots of holidays we celebrate every year. And each one has something special about it. On Mother’s Day, we celebrate moms. Maybe you make breakfast, draw a card, or give flowers. On Memorial Day, we remember people who served our country. On the Fourth of July, we celebrate with cookouts and fireworks. Every holiday has its own special reason to celebrate.
That’s true for church holidays too. At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus came into the world to be our Savior. At Easter, we celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead and won the victory over sin, death, and the devil. And there is another important church holiday many people forget about: Ascension.
Ascension happens 40 days after Easter. That was the day Jesus went up into heaven in front of his disciples. That might sound strange at first. Why would we celebrate Jesus leaving? Because Jesus wasn’t leaving his work unfinished. He was showing that everything he came to do was done. Jesus came to live for you. Jesus came to die for you. Jesus came to rise for you. And when Jesus went up into heaven, it showed that his saving work was complete. Mission accomplished. That is a reason to celebrate.
So how do we celebrate Ascension? We celebrate with God’s Word, because the Bible shows us the full picture of what Jesus has done. We celebrate by telling others about Jesus, because he sends us to share the good news. We celebrate with joyful worship, because Jesus’ victory is our victory and he’s coming back to take us to heaven where he will be King now and forever.
Ascension is a day to celebrate Jesus the risen King. And that means Ascension is worth celebrating every day!
Prayer:
Living Christ, Ascended Lord, we thank you for completing the work of our salvation and giving us a great reason to celebrate your Ascension. Strengthen our faith in your Ascension promises, that every day might be a celebration of you until you come back to take us home. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- What is your favorite holiday? Why?
- What do we celebrate on the holiday called Ascension?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- When Jesus first told his disciples he was leaving, they were sad. Why do you think they felt sad?
- After Jesus actually ascended into heaven, the disciples were joyful. What had changed? Why were they happy now?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- On Easter evening, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors (John 20:19). What were they doing after Jesus’ Ascension instead? What does that show had changed in them?
- Our devotion talked about three ways to celebrate Ascension: with God’s Word, by telling others, and in joyful worship. What does each one mean? What is one simple way you can celebrate Ascension this week?
