A Faith-building Event
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, who do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11, NKJV.
The next essential step in the ministry of Jesus for a lost world had arrived. We have seen so far His incarnation, sinless life, death, and resurrection. Now we witness His ascension. And here we can be thankful for Luke, the only Bible writer who describes this event.
The first thing we should note about the Ascension is that it was public. And that was important. The alternative would have been a quiet disappearance that left Jesus' bewildered followers puzzled as to where He had gone. That would have resulted in a picture of Jesus appearing to His disciples less and less often until they finally saw Him no more. Eventually they would have wondered what they believed in.
But Jesus didn't do it that way. All the leading disciples and many others saw Him rise from the earth and return to heaven--an event they would never forget. They served a Lord who had not only risen from the grave but also from the earth. The manner in which Jesus departed was faith building. It had to bring to the minds of the disciples Jesus' words on the night before His crucifixion when He told His followers not to let their hearts be troubled because He was returning to heaven to prepare a place for them and would come again for them. The public manner of the Ascension was a visible, public demonstration of the first half of that promise.
One of the more interesting aspects of today's passage is the question of the angels: "Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?" The answer seems to be obvious. If we saw someone from our church (or anyone else) floating toward heaven, we would be left both gawking and speechless.
The public ascension of Jesus was absolutely essential for the disciples. Because of it they knew that they served a risen Lord who had gone to heaven to minister in their behalf. They weren't altogether sure what that meant. But they could have faith that they were not alone.
And we have that same faith.
Thank You, Father, for the ascension of Jesus. As we meditate upon that event may its meaning become ever more clear in our hearts and minds.
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, who do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11, NKJV.
The next essential step in the ministry of Jesus for a lost world had arrived. We have seen so far His incarnation, sinless life, death, and resurrection. Now we witness His ascension. And here we can be thankful for Luke, the only Bible writer who describes this event.
The first thing we should note about the Ascension is that it was public. And that was important. The alternative would have been a quiet disappearance that left Jesus' bewildered followers puzzled as to where He had gone. That would have resulted in a picture of Jesus appearing to His disciples less and less often until they finally saw Him no more. Eventually they would have wondered what they believed in.
But Jesus didn't do it that way. All the leading disciples and many others saw Him rise from the earth and return to heaven--an event they would never forget. They served a Lord who had not only risen from the grave but also from the earth. The manner in which Jesus departed was faith building. It had to bring to the minds of the disciples Jesus' words on the night before His crucifixion when He told His followers not to let their hearts be troubled because He was returning to heaven to prepare a place for them and would come again for them. The public manner of the Ascension was a visible, public demonstration of the first half of that promise.
One of the more interesting aspects of today's passage is the question of the angels: "Why do you stand gazing up into heaven?" The answer seems to be obvious. If we saw someone from our church (or anyone else) floating toward heaven, we would be left both gawking and speechless.
The public ascension of Jesus was absolutely essential for the disciples. Because of it they knew that they served a risen Lord who had gone to heaven to minister in their behalf. They weren't altogether sure what that meant. But they could have faith that they were not alone.
And we have that same faith.
Thank You, Father, for the ascension of Jesus. As we meditate upon that event may its meaning become ever more clear in our hearts and minds.
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