SUGAR & SPICE

    The ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven is recorded in Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:36-53, Acts 1:6-12, and 1 Timothy 3:16.

    In God's plan of salvation, Jesus Christ had been crucified for the sins of mankind, died, and rose from the dead. Following his resurrection, He appeared many times to his disciples. Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus called His 11 apostles together on the Mount of Olives, outside Jerusalem. Still not completely understanding that Christ's messianic mission had been spiritual and not political, the disciples asked Jesus if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. They were frustrated with Roman oppression and may have envisioned an overthrow of Rome.

     Jesus answered them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.(Acts 1:7-8)

Jesus was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.  As the disciples were watching Him ascend, two angels dressed in white robes stood beside them and asked why they were looking into the sky. The angels said: 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 (Acts 1:11).  At that, the disciples walked back to Jerusalem to the upstairs room where they had been staying and held a prayer meeting.

Points of Interest from the Ascension of Jesus Bible Story:

• In the Bible, a cloud is often the expression of God's power and glory, as in the book of Exodus, when a pillar of cloud guided the Jews in the desert.

• Earlier, Jesus had told the disciples that after he ascended, the Holy Spirit would come down upon them with power. At Pentecost, they received the Holy Spirit like tongues of fire. Today, every born-again believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who gives wisdom and power to live the Christian life

• The command of Jesus to his followers was to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. The gospel first spread to the Jews, then to the Jewish/mixed race Samaritans, then to the Gentiles. Christians have a responsibility to spread the good news about Jesus to all who have not heard.

Jesus' mission on earth had been accomplished. He returned to heaven, where he had come from. He took on a human body and will forever remain both God and man in his glorified state.

• The angels warned that someday Jesus will return in his glorified body, the same way he left. But instead of idly watching for the Second Coming, we should be busy with the work Christ assigned us.

• The ascension of Jesus is one of the accepted doctrines of Christianity. The Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed all confess that Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father.


Question for Reflection:

     It is an awesome truth to realize that God himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit, lives inside me as a believer. Am I taking full advantage of this gift to learn more about Jesus and to live a God-pleasing life.