Ascension

A waiting game.

We read in Acts 1:1-5

Acts 1:1–5 NIV

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:1–2

The verb began indicates that Acts continues the account of the ministry and teaching Christ began on earth. He is still working and teaching through His people today.

Two commands were given to those early apostles, in this section we see the First .

The first was WAIT

Do not leave Jerusalem but wait.

Thursday was ascension day, the day christians enter into a time of waiting, it is the time between Jesus ascending to heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Compare to the current waiting game because of Covid 19.

This time of waiting for Jesus is not a time of lounging about. It is not a time of doing nothing.

The passage goes on.

Acts 1:9–14 NIV

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

This was a time of prayer, seeking God and Preparation. The apostles took the time to replace Judas, they made sure they were connected to God in prayer and equipped for what was to come.

This time we are in now this is a time similar to those days the a time of Prayer and of preparation.

This a time that we need to be focusing on meeting with Jesus on looking to spend time in His presence, reading his word.

It is a time we should be turning to our bibles, to be equipped.

A time we should be focusing on our community, praying together and praying for those around us.

That is why we are looking focusing of the Five a day

five people

five street

five place

five professions

time for prayer.

Difference between the apostles waiting and ours

There is a key difference between the apostles waiting and our waiting though

but to understand that I want to talk about another person that ascended to heaven

There are three people that the bible tells us ascended to heaven alive

Jesus

Enoch an ancestor of Noah - Hebrews 11:5 .

Elijah

I want to to look at Elijah.

Elijah was a great prophet and we can read about him in Kings, you will remember stories about him, how he challenged the prophets of baal to call down fire and they couldn’t but God did.

How he asked a widow who had no oil or flour left for bread and God miraculously kept the oil and the flour jars from running out for day,

How God empowerd Elijah to run ahead of King Ahab’s charriot, he ran faster than a chariot.

Towards the end of his days on earth Elijah had a student Elisha.

2 kings 2:1-10

The New International Version Chapter 2

When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

Elisha spent the days with Elijah - learning = iron sharpens iron

When Elijah died he took on the mantle, the blessing the holy spirit.

This is the difference between the times that the aposteles were in waiting. and our time in waiting.

We already have the Holy Spirit - we don’t have to wait until pentecost.

Jesus empowers us

Ephesians 1:19–20 NIV

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

In this waiting time we are to continue our mission continue our mission.

GL Zoom Call - God is on the move with his church.

Freya & Anne Marie - video - I didn’t ask for that.

Jan setting up the face book chat - I didn’t ask for tat

Alice - producing videos for Promise, for HOPE, for amplify - I didn’t ask for that

Chris and Angela - taking it on themselves to show the love of Jesus to the people they are supporting I did not ask for that

At this time The are taking part in the Mission that Jesus has called us all to. To spread the good news, to be a beacon of hope in the darkness to point the way to HIM.

The mission Jesus points to before his ascension

The New International Version Chapter 1

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is the second command Jesus gives before his ascension.

Go.

Two commands wait and go..

They seem contradictory, but they are to be followed sequentially. Jesus establishes a pattern for us. Wait on God, then Go.

It is no good just waiting on God.

We should defiantly not GO with out God.

When we wait on God then Go we go in power, that power of the holy spirit, Jesus states that he would join us as through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The word baptism here doesn’t have the normal meaning of being dipped or immersed but more a meaning of joining, of uniting with. When we wait on God and Go. We do not go alone. We have the Holy Spirit with us and Jesus in heaven cheering us on - Jesus intercedes for us

Romans 8:34 NIV

34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

One of my favourite stories is the stoning of Stephen in acts 7.

bit weird right that one of my favourite stories is about a good christian being stoned to death because of his beliefs. but it is you see before he was stoned this happened.

The New International Version Chapter 7

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Jesus ascension means he is there cheering you on.

He has empowered you with the Holy Spirit and he sits interceding with the Father on your behalf. He stands in fervent prayer when you need it most.

God is on your side when you live out your life for Him.

Colossians 3:1 NIV

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

The New International Version Chapter 1

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

He is coming back

Some people have commented that the current events point to Jesus coming back

They make reference to plague, or the role of world governments. but I don’t think that is the case

I certainly believe that a time is coming, commonly called the Millennium, when God will burst into human history in a spectacular way to establish His rule on earth. but I don’t think this is it,

, Mark tells us

Mark 13:32 NIV

32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

So they can’t know and neither can I

But I believe that the kingdom of God is near and we are living in times where we are seeing God move in power in an amazing way and preparing us for more.

And I believe that Jesus will one day return. Peter tells us...

2 Peter 3:8–9 NIV

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

This is our mission we are part of Gods plan, to spread the Good news, in word and deed. To love those around us, to serve, to stand up for the downtrodden to get alongside the lost and the lonely. To pray for them to help physically, emotionally and even financially. So that they may see God in us and turn to Him. A God that loves each person.

The Bible says that Jesus is coming back to reward the inhabitants of the earth and bring many back to heaven with Him (Revelation 22:12).

Revelation 22:12 NIV

12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

The Bible also says in Matthew 25:34,

We don’t know when he is coming back but we have a mission to fulfil and I want to do that not in case Jesus catches me not doing it if he should come back but because He loves me, I love him, and I want to love those He loves.

Jesus, more than anything, wants to spend time with you. He invites you to return to heaven with Him to enjoy an eternity with no more tears, pain or suffering.

What would keep you from accepting the invitation of Christ? What would keep you from putting Him first in your life?

What would be more important than saying, “I want to pattern my life after Jesus and soon live with Him forever?”

Appeal

Communion.

1 Timothy 3:16 NIV

16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

Jesus is coming back.

Philippians 2:9–11 NIV

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.