The Significance of the Ascension
Good morning! Thankfully we are seeing the begnnings of the easing of the lockdown, and hopefully we can begin to look forward to recommencing our services sometime soon. However, that still may not be until July, another six weeks away. So until then let us continue to encourage and stay in touch with one another, looking how we may help where help may be needed.
This week, on Thursday, is Ascension Day, forty days since Resurrection Sunday. So in our message below we are looking at the significance of that event. Firstly, we have a praise video from Jerusalem, ‘Great is the Lord’, with Paul Wilbur and Sarah Lieberman (the Hebrew sections are repeated in English). It’s a very joyful song, and one that reflects the victory of the Ascension, the event that concluded Jesus’ earthly ministry and set the pattern for His return.
Bless you, Andy.
And here is today’s message:
Acts 1:1-14 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
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