Ascension of the Lord1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Today is 40 days since Easter. It is the day that the church has traditionally celebrated Jesus’ ascension back to heaven. Here Jesus at least hints that he will return. The angels following Jesus ascent remind the disciples that Jesus is coming back and rebuke them for standing there. It’s time for you to get busy. It’s time for you to go to Jerusalem and pray. Little did they know that 10 days later, during the Feast of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit would come with power and the world as we know it would be turned upside down. The Acts of the Apostles or the mighty Acts of God and his Holy Spirit are recorded and we see what happens when “God shows up!”
What is there in your world, that you are wondering about? Perhaps God is calling you to call upon Him to receive his mighty power that you may be His witness throughout the earth!
Those are my favorite because the just melt in your mouth. Even so, they were very good. Today we worshiped together. Pam and Anna joined me on the worship team and following worship we went out to eat. We had a couple neat videos to start the service – honoring moms.
