TODAY WE REMEMBER THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST

THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST
BY Pat Gulley

Acts 1:9-11
(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
(10) And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (KJV)

It has been 40 days since we celebrated the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus. I remember being very shocked the first time I read this Scripture in Acts as an adult. I didn’t know that Jesus stayed around for another 40 days appearing (and disappearing) to His Disciples and to many other people before going back to Heaven to sit at Father’s right hand. (1Co. 15: 1-8) I remember reading it in the Gospel of Luke, but I guess I thought it all happened in just a few days. Here is how Luke recorded it in the first book he wrote. (Remember Luke also wrote Acts.)

Luke 24:48-53
(48) And ye are witnesses of these things.
(49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
(50) And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
(51) And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
(52) And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. (KJV)

I LOVE IT. I love knowing that the disciples saw Jesus as He floated up, up, up into the sky until the clouds received Him out of their sight. I love it that as they stood there gazing with their eyes squinted tight trying to see Him that two men dressed in white were also standing there with them. I love knowing that the last thing Jesus did was to lift up His hands and bless them. I love the fact that they knew that Jesus was sent from God and that they were being allowed the privilege of watching Him ascend back to God. I love it that they heard the voice of these Angels asking them why they were gazing up into heaven.

But most of all, I love the fact that these two Angels told them that this VERY SAME JESUS that they knew and loved and worshipped, and followed would be coming back in the very same manner they had seen Him go. They must have been ecstatic. They must have been bubbling over with joy and excitement as they returned to Jerusalem to wait for the Day of Pentecost to arrive as that was the last thing Jesus told them to do. In fact He was very adamant about it. They were not to leave Jerusalem until they were endued with Power from on High. The Third Person of the Godhead would be coming in just ten days, but they did not really understand that at that time. They just knew that Jesus was alive. They had no clue to the fact that it would be at least another 2,000 years before He would return to earth to receive his Bride, but they were willing to believe in Him and to live the rest of their lives serving Him and being living testimonies to His mercy and grace.

There were a lot of things in store for these early believers, but God was still in control, and the rest is History. Our generation also awaits the return of the Lord Jesus, and we are not just sitting idly by and complaining about why He is taking so long. We see the work that needs to be done and the souls that need to be won. But we still remember that Day of Ascension and thank the Lord for His Promise of Return. I am excited, how about you?