Ascended

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.  (Acts 1:9-11, NASB)

This Thursday, May 26th, is  Ascension Day, aka the Feast of the Ascension, or Ascension Thursday (many celebrate this day in their churches; it’s always on a Thursday, 40 days after Resurrection Sunday).  The passage above from the first chapter of Acts, is Dr. Luke’s account of the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven.  This came, of course, after the crucifixion and the resurrection.  Luke tells us that Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days (v. 3); He gave specific instructions to them (v. 2); He told them not to leave Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit, “not many days from now” (vv. 4-5); and when the disciples questioned Him about when the Kingdom would be restored to Israel, Jesus responded that only the Father knows of the day and time (vv. 6-7). 

We pick up now with the passage above.  “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”  This must have been quite spectacular, because “they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going.”  It’s not every day that we see a man being levitated up into the sky, and disappearing into the clouds.  I imagine the disciples had mixed emotions as well:  Their Teacher, Who they now understood as their Lord and Savior, Who had been crucified and entombed, then 40 days ago had risen from the dead, was now gone.  He had told them this would happen, but still . . . 

As they were still “gazing intently into the sky,” two angels appeared beside them and brought them back to reality.  “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”  It’s as if the angels were telling them that until Jesus returns, they have a lot of work to do, and they’d best get moving!  Interesting, too, is the information they give about Jesus’ return:  He “will come in just the same way as you watched Him go into heaven.”  Presumably, when Jesus comes back, He will descend from the clouds onto the Mount of Olives!

Jesus is going to return to the earth He created.  In the meantime, since He ascended into heaven, He has been busy:  The Bible says that He is seated at the right hand of the Father; He asked the Father, Who in turn sent the Holy Spirit, Who dwells in the hearts of all believers; He is our Advocate before the Father; He is praying for us RIGHT NOW, interceding for His people; and He is preparing a “dwelling place” or a “mansion” in the New Jerusalem for those who have called on His name!  Knowing what Jesus is doing right now for His people, would you like the Creator to do the same for you?