Apostles’ Creed Week 8: He Ascended
Introduction
In the coming weeks, we’re going to walk slowly through one of the oldest, most widely embraced confessions in the history of the Church—the Apostles’ Creed. This ancient creed is more than a set of beliefs; it’s a narrative. It tells the story of God, the story of the gospel, and the story we are invited into.
The Kansas City Underground holds this creed as a foundational confession. It’s a declaration of trust, a form of spiritual formation, and a shared language that binds us together with the global Church across time and culture.
Each week, we’ll sit with a single line or phrase. You’ll engage Scripture, linger in reflection, and respond in prayer. This is not a study to rush through, but an invitation to abide with truth until it shapes your imagination and your life.
If you want to dive deeper into the meaning behind each line, we highly recommend The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism by Ben Myers. It’s a short but powerful companion that can enrich your journey.
Apostles’ Creed
Read the following line from the Apostles’ Creed:
“He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
The Creed now turns our attention from the cross and the empty tomb to the throne.“He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t just disappear into the clouds. He ascended—visibly, bodily, and purposefully—to the place of ultimate authority. His mission on earth was complete, but His reign was just beginning.
The ascension is not about Jesus leaving us. It’s about Him being exalted, enthroned, revealed as King. This moment fulfills what the prophets saw in shadows:
Daniel saw the Son of Man approaching the Ancient of Days and receiving everlasting dominion.
David heard the Lord say to the Messiah, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool.”
When Jesus takes His seat at the right hand of the Father, He isn’t retreating—He’s reigning. He takes His place not above us, but for us. He becomes our intercessor (Hebrews 7), our advocate (1 John 2), our reigning Lord who holds all things together (Colossians 1).
He doesn’t rule with clenched fists, but with scarred hands. The Lamb who was slain is now seated on the throne. And that changes how we pray. How we live. How we hope.
The ascension assures us that Jesus is not just the center of our faith—He is the center of reality. He sees all. He holds all. He rules all.
And He is drawing all things toward Himself until heaven and earth are one again.
This week, we remember: Jesus reigns now. And that means we live not in fear, but in faith. Not as orphans, but as citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
Scripture Readings
Acts 1:6–11 – The ascension of Jesus.
Daniel 7:13–14 – The Son of Man receives dominion.
Psalm 110:1 – “Sit at my right hand…”
Hebrews 7:23–25 – Jesus always lives to intercede.
Ephesians 1:19–23 – Jesus is seated far above all rule and power.
Colossians 3:1–4 – “Set your hearts on things above…”
Reflection
We often celebrate the resurrection but overlook the ascension. Yet the ascension is the confirmation of Jesus’ kingship. It declares that the risen Jesus now reigns as Lord over heaven and earth.
The throne at the right hand of the Father is not a far-off cloud in the sky. It’s the place of ultimate authority. It’s the fulfillment of the promise that a human—fully God, fully man—would rule the world in justice, mercy, and truth.
And that’s what Jesus is doing now.He is reigning—but not with force or fear. His is a crucified authority. He carries nail scars on the throne. He rules with wisdom and compassion, truth and grace.
And He’s not just reigning—He’s praying. Interceding for us. Bearing us before the Father.
This line of the Creed reminds us: We are not alone.
Jesus sees. Jesus knows. Jesus reigns. And one day, the kingdom He now rules in heaven will be fully revealed on earth.
Consider
Do you picture Jesus as present and reigning—or distant and waiting?
Do you trust His authority over your life? Over the world?
The ascension can feel abstract, but it’s intensely personal.
Before continuing on to the prayer prompts this week, take some time to journal your answers to the following questions:
What would it look like to live as someone under the loving reign of Christ?
Where in your life do you need to trust that Jesus sees, knows, and rules?
Where in our city do we long to see His kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven?
Prayer Prompts
Let your prayers this week rise with Jesus. Let them rest in His authority.
Worship: Praise Jesus as King. Let Daniel 7 or Ephesians 1 shape your words. Acknowledge His power, beauty, and supremacy.
Surrender: Bring an area of your life that feels chaotic or uncertain. Say: “Jesus, You are Lord of this too.”
Receive: Sit in silence and imagine Jesus interceding for you—by name. Let that reality comfort and strengthen you.
Hope: Name the broken places in your life or in the world. Ask for glimpses of the kingdom. Say: “Let Your kingdom come.”
Intercede: Pray for our network to live under the lordship of Christ. That we would be people of peace and courage, surrendered to His leadership and aligned with His kingdom. Ask that we would proclaim not only a risen Savior, but a reigning King.