The Truth about... Jesus Ascension and Return

Jesus Leaving and Return

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Jesus died

Jesus rose

This week - Jesus Ascension and Return

Jesus Leaving - Ascension

Verse on jesus ascension

Look at scripture- why did jesus have to ascend, why didn’t he just stay on earth?

Do we know the answer?

40 day timeline - Draw on Board

DO NOT ADD DAYS...

Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus and His disciples went to Mount Olivet, near Jerusalem. There, Jesus promised His followers that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit, and He instructed them to remain in Jerusalem until the Spirit had come.

Then Jesus blessed them, and as He gave the blessing, He began to ascend into heaven. The account of Jesus’ ascension is found in Luke 24:50-51

Luke 24:50–51 ESV

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

LOOK THESE UP

Acts 1:9–11 “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. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 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.””

Imagine your one of Jesus disciples… Imagine it was you.

This is my expression if what it could’ve felt like...

🕊️ “He Left Us, But Not Alone” — A Disciple’s Point of View

I thought I had seen everything.

I saw Him walk on water. I saw Him raise the dead. I saw the whip tear His back, and the nails driven through His hands. I saw His body—still and breathless—sealed in the tomb.

And then I saw Him alive again.

That alone would have been enough to shake a man for life. But today… today shook something deeper.

We had gathered near Bethany, just down the slope of the Mount of Olives. The city was behind us. The sky was clear, and Jesus was standing just ahead, looking at us with that same calm authority that always seemed to steady the chaos in me.

He was teaching again—about the kingdom, about power coming from above, about the Holy Spirit. He told us not to leave Jerusalem. “Wait for the promise of the Father,” He said. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”

I still wanted to ask more about the kingdom. About when He’d overthrow Rome. About when things would finally be right. But He wasn’t talking about thrones or armies. He was talking about us—spreading His message to the ends of the earth.

Then it happened.

At first, I thought maybe my eyes were tired, or maybe the light was playing tricks. But no—His feet were leaving the ground.

He was rising.

He didn’t stumble. He didn’t struggle. He just… lifted. It was as though the very air obeyed Him. His robe rippled slightly as He ascended, His eyes still on us. Not a sound from Him—just that peaceful, powerful presence. And then a cloud, white and brilliant, wrapped around Him and carried Him out of sight.

I stood there frozen with the others in the crowd. Mouth dry. Hands shaking slightly. Part of me wanted to cry. Part of me wanted to shout. But mostly I just stared upward, not wanting to blink.

That’s when I heard a voice beside me—gentle but filled with power. Two men, dressed in white robes, suddenly appeared among us.

“Men of Galilee,” one said, “why do you stand looking into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw Him go.”

Come back.

Those words hit me like fire in my bones. The same way. The clouds. The glory. The Reigning King.

He left us—but not forever. Not even alone. I begin to remember now… He had promised us that His Spirit would come to us. The Holy Spirit I think he said.

He also promised to return.

I finally lowered my eyes. The others did too. There was silence between us, but it wasn’t empty. It was sacred. I will never forget the peace, and awe of that moment.

We turned, slowly, and walked back toward Jerusalem—hearts burning, minds racing. A chapter in all our lives had just ended… but a new chapter far greater had just begun.

Soon we make it back down the mountain and there we wait for the promised “Holy sSpirit”.

Why?... Jesus went to Heaven

1) It signaled the end of His earthly ministry. God the Father had lovingly sent His Son into the world… it was time to return. 2) It signified success in His earthly work. All that He had come to do, He had accomplished. Jesus died for mankind. Offering us a chance to be reunited with God. 3) It marked the full-return (unhiddenness) of His heavenly glory. Jesus’ glory, power, and majesty was partially covered… except the transfiguration.

“GLORY” means:

Look up for an example of “his glory”: Matthew 17:1-9

Matthew 17:1–9 ESV

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”

Revelation 21:23 ESV

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

I’m reminded of: In Exodus 33:18-23, Moses asked God to show him his glory. Instead of directly revealing his face, which is too bright for human eyes, God hid Moses in a cleft of a rock and covered him with his hand

What is Gods Glory? His radiance, his character, all of God wrapped up in human form.

4) It symbolized His father was pleased and now honored. Philippians 2:9 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,” 5) It indicated the beginning of His new work as High Priest (Hebrews 4:14–16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

6) It allowed Him to prepare a place for us (John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

7) It set the pattern for His return. When Jesus comes to set up the Kingdom, He will return just as He left-literally, bodily, and visibly in the clouds

What will it be like when Jesus comes back?

If Jesus comes back what do you want to be “caught doing”?

Have you ever been caught?

Jesus left them… but Jesus Plans to Return.

LOOK THESE UP.. then summarize on board

📖 Jesus Return - WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE

Visible to All

“Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him.” (Revelation 1:7)

His coming won’t be secret; it will be global and unmistakable.

2. With Power and Glory

“They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)

He will not return as a humble servant, but as the King and Judge.

3. As a Conquering King

“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)

4. Sudden and Unexpected

“The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

“As it was in the days of Noah… so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37–39)

👁️‍🗨️ SIGHTS & SOUNDS

Sights

Jesus on the Clouds (Matthew 24:30)

Angels Appearing: He will be accompanied by angels (Matthew 25:31).

Great Signs in the Sky: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall.” (Matthew 24:29)

Heaven Opened: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” (Revelation 19:11)

Sounds

Loud Trumpet Call:

“With a loud trumpet call, he will send his angels to gather his elect.” (Matthew 24:31)

“The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 15:52)

A Shout from Heaven:

“The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

⏳ WHEN WILL JESUS RETURN?

Exact Time Unknown:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36)

Only Clues in Signs:

Wars, famines, earthquakes (Matthew 24:6–8)

Widespread deception and apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

The gospel preached to all nations (Matthew 24:14)

Imminent but Delayed for Mercy:

“The Lord is not slow… but is patient… not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Jesus Return

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

a trumpet will blow

dead burst from tombs

living begin to rise

we will all rise together - meet Jesus Mid-Air

Revelation 21:1–8 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

there will be a new heaven and new earth

no pain

no death

all will be made new

Jesus wins - we win

Conclusion

Story: "The Morning Everything Changed" — A First-Person Story

It started like any other Tuesday.

I remember yawning as I rolled out of bed, groggy-eyed and still clutching my phone from the night before. I scrolled half-heartedly through a few headlines, brewed a strong cup of coffee, and muttered something about needing more sleep.

The sun was just peeking through the blinds, warm light stretching across my kitchen floor. I had a meeting at work that morning—nothing special, just another day in the routine. I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my keys, and headed out.

Traffic was a little heavier than usual, the kind of morning where the radio just drones in the background. The DJ was talking about political stuff again, something about another war flaring up overseas. I remember glancing at the sky—cloudy, but nothing unusual.

Then it happened.

The clouds didn’t just shift—they ripped open. Not like weather. Like something was parting the sky itself. Everything—everything—stopped. Cars screeched to a halt. People got out of their vehicles, staring up in shock. Even the birds had gone silent.

And then came the sound—like a trumpet, but not from earth. It was louder than anything I’ve ever heard, but it didn’t hurt my ears. It shook my chest. A voice followed—a shout, thundering across the sky. Not angry, not panicked. Commanding. Final.

I saw light—blinding, radiant, beautiful. A man—no, not just a man—stood on the clouds, surrounded by what looked like fire and wind and legions of glowing figures. Angels.

There was no mistaking it. It was Jesus.

I don’t know how I knew, but I knew. His presence hit harder than any emotion I’d ever felt. Joy, fear, awe—all at once. Some people were falling to their knees. Others were running, some weeping. I could barely move.

Then the sky changed again. The sun dimmed. The moon was red like blood. Stars—or something like them—seemed to fall, vanishing before they hit the ground.

And then I saw it: the dead were rising. Not like in horror movies—no, it was majestic. Glorious. Their bodies renewed, faces glowing, like they had been waiting for this moment for centuries.

And there I was, standing in the middle of a traffic jam on the side of Route 15, holding my coffee, trembling.

I remembered the verse from Sunday school: “Every eye will see Him.” And there He was. Not just mine—every eye, across every country. I could feel it.

Some around me were crying in joy. Others in terror. I didn’t have time to check my phone, to check the news, to make sense of anything. None of that mattered anymore.

Because this was it.

He came back. Just like He said He would.

And suddenly all those little things—deadlines, bills, what people thought of me—they melted away. It was just Him.

All was now made right in the world.

Jesus the conquering king had arrived.

It was time to Go home.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

we can be encouraged.

We will live forever

Jesus Return Matters

1. Jesus Will End All Suffering and Injustice

➡️ “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” (Revelation 21:4)

When Jesus returns, the brokenness young people see and feel—depression, bullying, anxiety, injustice, violence—will not last forever.

It gives hope that evil doesn’t win, and that God cares enough to step in and make things right.

2. We’re Not Alone—Jesus is Coming Back for Us

➡️ “I will come back and take you to be with me…” (John 14:3)

When life feels lonly, uncertain, or out of control, Jesus’ return reminds us that this isn’t the end of the story.

He’s not distant or silent—He promised to come back personally for those who trust Him. That means every day lived for Him has eternal purpose.

3. It Pushes Us to Live Boldly and Differently

➡️ “Since everything will be destroyed... what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Peter 3:11)

Jesus’ return challenges young people to live with courage, purity, and purpose, knowing they’re part of a much bigger story.

Instead of just surviving school, peer pressure, or social media drama, they’re called to be light in the darkness, knowing their faith has meaning.

God promised them “a comforter would come”… next week we will talk about that and what it meant for them and us.

but until then...

Pentecost Talked About Next Week

The truth about “The Inbetween”?

Pentecost Changed Everything Tony Cooke

A pastor friend texted and asked my thoughts on how the original disciples had been changed by what they experienced in the second chapter of Acts. In other words, what were they like before and after that momentous event of being filled with the Holy Spirit?   My immediate thought went to Peter, the most impulsive and outspoken of the original twelve. He was always the first to share his opinion and was the first to get out of the boat and attempt to walk on the water with Jesus. We see the limits of his human strength, though, when he denied knowing the Lord three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. The biblical account reveals the depth of Peter’s intensity and emotion:  

MATTHEW 26:74-75 (TPT) Peter denied it, and using profanity he said, “I don’t know the man!” At that very moment the sound of a crowing rooster pierced the night. Then Peter remembered the prophecy of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times.” With a shattered heart, Peter went out of the courtyard, sobbing with bitter tears.  

Luke’s account adds an important detail of what happened at the exact moment of Peter’s third denial:  

LUKE 22:61-62 (TPT) At that moment, the Lord, who was being led through the courtyard by his captors, turned around and gazed at Peter. All at once Peter remembered the words Jesus had prophesied over him… Peter burst into tears, ran off from the crowd, and wept bitterly.  

Most of us know the story well how Jesus so beautifully restored Peter and reaffirmed his calling to feed the Lord’s sheep (John 21:15-19). Then, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood up as the group’s spokesman and with boldness proclaimed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Three thousand souls received that word and were ushered into God’s family that day. We all know the difference in Peter’s life is that he had received power after the Holy Spirit had come upon him (Acts 1:8).   But There’s Far More to Pentecost   As important as Peter’s transformation experience was, there is far more that changed in the overall picture of the “Pre-Pentecost” and “Post-Pentecost” disciples. The power of the Holy Spirit did not come on the Day of Pentecost just so an individual preacher could preach with power! There is a much bigger picture, and it involves every believer.   Before Pentecost, the disciples really struggled with unity. The disciples were often self-willed and self-promoting. On three different occasions, Jesus had to correct the disciples because they were arguing about which of them was the greatest, and one of these happened at the Last Supper. Immediately after the resurrection, John even went to great measures to point out that he was faster than Peter, and outran Peter in getting to the tomb (John 20:3-8).   Prior to Pentecost, the disciples had a fleshly type of energy, and it was often misguided. Peter had cut a man’s ear off in the Garden of Gethsemane. James and John wanted to call fire down on a village that was not welcoming to them. They tried to run off little children that wanted to see Jesus, and John demanded that someone else not use Jesus’ Name in ministering to hurting people because that individual was not a part of their group. All of these types of expressions were carnally based, and Jesus corrected them all.   After Pentecost, a radical transformation took place. Yes, Peter did preach under the anointing, but the empowerment of the Spirit also brought a unity and a focus of purpose they had not known before. Instead of competing, the disciples were now cooperating. Instead of conflict, they were now collaborating.  

ACTS 2:46-47 (NLT) They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.  

A corporate blessing flowed from Pentecost. “They were all filled…” What happens next is really remarkable. Peter and John had had their moments of competition, but now we see a new dynamic taking place. Instead of Peter and John elbowing each other and seeing who can get to the tomb first, we see them walking side-by-side, together in partnership en route to prayer.  

ACTS 3:1 (NKJV) Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer…  

Such a simple statement, and yet when you consider their history, it is remarkable.   They were going together to pray together. You know about the miracle of healing that took place then with the man who had been lame from birth. After that, Peter preached to the people and testified to the Jewish council, and then he and John together returned to their own company. They were now operating as team members. How the believers then prayed reveals the unity that been had birthed in them through their newly found empowerment of the Spirit.  

ACTS 4:24, 29-31 (NKVJ) They raised their voice to God with one accord and said… grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.    

It appears that the “preaching with boldness” was the tip of the iceberg in the earliest days of the church. The preaching is what people often noticed, but the bulk of the power of the early believers was found in their unity of purpose and the richness of their fellowship.   Is it possible that “power” was not so much the goal, but was actually a by-product of the Holy Spirit’s working in the early church? If that is true, then power was simply a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. The power of God facilitated the changing of peoples’ lives. That’s why 3,000 people got saved on the day of Pentecost! Maybe it’s really important that we be love-hungry and unity-hungry—not power-hungry.   When we look at what Jesus said and prayed before His death, burial, and resurrection, we recognize what Jesus’ goals and priorities were for His church. Consider these two passages:  

JOHN 13:35 (NKJV) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.  

JOHN 17:21, 23 (TPT) I pray for them to become one with us so that the world will recognize that you sent me… that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me…  

Based on those two Scriptures, the way the world will (1) know, (2) recognize, and (3) be convinced of God’s work in our lives and His love toward them is through our love and our unity! That is exactly what we see happening in the lives of the earliest believers following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost!   As a preacher, it is tempting for me to simply focus on how much “power” I feel when I’m in the pulpit, and it is wonderful to sense divine empowerment when preaching. But Pentecost was designed to produce so much more than that! The man God used mightily during the Azusa Street outpouring in the early twentieth century, William J. Seymour, said, “The Pentecostal power, when you sum it all up, is just more of God’s love. If it does not bring more love, it is simply a counterfeit.”   After Pentecost in the book of Acts, we see

The fearful become bold

The lost get saved

Competitors become collaborators

The divided become united

The individualists become a team

Those who had cowered in trepidation pour into the streets and become world changers

I pray that we will clearly embrace the biblical principles and values that constitute the very purpose of our existence. I believe that we can see all that the Holy Spirit produced through Pentecost in the first century, develop in us as well.