Hail the Day: Celebrating Christ's Ascension and Blessing

Luke 24 shows Jesus leading his disciples to Bethany, lifting his hands in blessing, and being carried up into heaven, and the text answers with worship and great joy. Charles Wesley’s “Hail the day that sees him rise” gathers that scene into song and helps the church see what the ascension means right now. The first verse names Jesus as the ascended Lamb. The Old Testament lambs without blemish prefigured a perfect sacrifice for an imperfect people, and John the Baptist’s cry, “Behold, the Lamb of God,” comes true at Passover as God’s Lamb is offered and then raised. On the fortieth day, that same Lamb ascends. The ascension means the Father received the sacrifice. So, through faith in Jesus, it is “all good” between God and the believer. There is now no condemnation, only blessing, because the Lamb still calls his people his own.

Verse two lifts the gates. “There for him high triumph waits.” In Wesley’s usage, pomp means pageantry, not pride, and heaven stands on tiptoe to welcome the faithful Son. Psalm 24 gives the words: “Lift up your heads, O gates.” The King of glory comes in because he has done what David and the ark could never do. He has conquered death and sin. Heaven must take him in, and the throne belongs to him.

Verse three says, “See… Hark.” See the nail-pierced hands raised; hear the gracious lips bestow blessing. Luke’s detail matters: while he was blessing, he was carried up. The implication is ongoing. The crucified and risen hands do not turn their backs in condemnation; they face the church in benediction. The prints of love shown to Thomas are shown now by faith. The choice stands clear: listen to the Accuser, or look up and listen to the Lamb and King who blesses.

Verse four prays to be lifted. “Raise our hearts to reach thy height… find our heaven of heavens in thee.” Worship answers the blessing, and in that gaze the soul finds real joy. Luke says those first disciples worshiped and came back to Jerusalem with great joy and a life of blessing God. So the ascended Jesus satisfies those who look up and adore him. For graduates and all who stand at a threshold, the ascended Lamb loves without change, the ascended King orders all things for good, the ascended Lord is blessing right now, and he is worthy of first place. Surrender to this King is not defeat. It is true victory, the path where grace proves sufficient, power rests on weakness, and joy becomes strength.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The ascended Lamb secures acceptance [34:56] Through the ascension, the Father publicly receives the Son’s sacrifice. The Lamb who was slain and raised is welcomed into heaven, which means the offering stands and the debt is cleared. Faith in this Lamb rests in “all good” with God, not in a shifting mood but in a finished work. [34:56]
• 2. Heaven receives the conquering King [39:30] Psalm 24’s lifted gates fit Christ alone, because only he has conquered death and sin. The throne is not a promotion but the reward of obedience unto death. Heaven’s pageantry marks a coronation that grounds earthly hope in a reigning, present Lord. [39:30]
• 3. Nail-pierced hands still bless [41:58] Luke notes that Jesus was ascending while blessing, not after. The benediction did not stop at the cloud; it continues from the right hand of God. The hands that bled do not turn away in disgust but face the church in favor, and the lips that prayed on earth still speak peace from heaven. [41:58]
• 4. Worship becomes durable joy [46:09] The disciples’ first response to the ascension is worship, and the fruit is great joy and a life of blessing God. Adoration re-centers the heart on the face of Christ and loosens the grip of lesser loves. In that gaze, the soul tastes the “heaven of heavens” and learns contentment. [46:09]
• 5. Surrender to Jesus is victory [48:12] Yielding to this King does not erase trials; it repurposes them. Successes and setbacks become raw material for likeness to Christ. Surrender trades the illusion of control for the reality of kept promises, where grace proves sufficient and joy grows sturdy. [48:12]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:04] - Call to worship and mystery of godliness
• [05:14] - Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
• [25:32] - Gospel reading: Luke 24:50-53
• [26:33] - Prayer for the Spirit’s assurance
• [27:20] - Ascension Day across the world
• [28:50] - Why the church sings the ascension
• [29:31] - Charles Wesley and the hymn’s background
• [31:34] - Jesus our ascended Lamb
• [36:15] - Jesus our ascended King
• [40:29] - The blessing that continues now
• [43:57] - Worship that satisfies the soul
• [47:01] - A charge to graduates
• [50:34] - Benedictions and doxology
• [54:14] - Graduate recognition
• [59:58] - Prayer for graduates and meal

1. What specific actions did Jesus perform as He ascended, and how did the disciples respond (Luke 24:50-53)?
2. Psalm 24:7-10 speaks of “lifting up the gates” for the King of glory. What does this imagery reveal about Jesus’ identity and authority?
3. In Revelation 5:12, the Lamb is declared worthy to receive power, wealth, and honor. How does this connect to the sermon’s emphasis on Jesus as the ascended Lamb?
4. According to the sermon, why did the disciples return to Jerusalem with “great joy” after witnessing the ascension? [46:09]

1. Why is it significant that Jesus is described as the ascended Lamb (Revelation 5:12) rather than just a sacrificial lamb? How does this title shape our understanding of His ongoing work?
2. The sermon states that Jesus’ blessing continues “from the right hand of God” even after His ascension. How does this truth challenge common misconceptions about God’s attitude toward believers? [41:58]
3. The disciples’ worship led to “durable joy.” How does adoration of Christ reorient our hearts amid life’s trials or distractions? [46:09]
4. The sermon claims that surrender to Jesus is “true victory.” How does this redefine cultural ideas of success or control? [48:12]

1. The ascended Lamb’s sacrifice secures our acceptance with God. How might your daily choices change if you fully believed there is “no condemnation” for you?
2. Jesus’ nail-pierced hands are described as continually blessing His people. When have you struggled to believe God’s posture toward you is one of blessing? What practical step could help you “look up” to His hands this week? [43:28]
3. The sermon ties worship to lasting joy. What distractions or “lesser loves” tend to pull your focus away from adoring Christ? How could you intentionally recenter your heart on Him?
4. For graduates and others at life thresholds: The sermon urges trusting that Jesus orders all things for good. What fears or uncertainties about the future do you need to surrender to His kingship? [47:35]
5. How might you encourage someone who views surrender to God as defeat? What example from your life or Scripture could you share to reframe surrender as victory?
6. The disciples’ response to the ascension was continual worship. What habit or rhythm could you adopt to cultivate a lifestyle of “blessing God” in ordinary moments?