Tag Archives: He was taken up

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE DEPARTURE – 2

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“Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How different from the day of Jesus’ birth! The only witnesses to that momentous event were Joseph and the animals. He, the King of kings…was born in an animal shelter…where the sheep and goats were kept at night! 

The only ones who came to worship Him and celebrate His birth were a group of lowly shepherds …announced by angels. What a mixture of humility and glory!

Now He was returning to heaven,  not to the accompaniment of angelic choirs heralding His victory or visibly celebrating His arrival. This might have been…but entry into His native realm was hidden from human eyes. 

The memory of the sight…their Lord rising, disappearing into a cloud…would stay with them, sustain them, hold them steady, keep them on the path through many a rough patch…a trial of faith, a test of endurance…until that day when they joined Him in glory, faithful to their last breath and secure in His promise. 

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

No, He had not failed in His mission. He had come, not to secure a kingdom among the nations. He had come, not to drive Rome from Israel’s borders…not to set up another empire to rival Rome. He had come to establish His throne in the hearts of His people, to atone for and remove sin…to breach the chasm between God and man…to restore what sin had destroyed…and He had completed everything to perfection. 

Only one thing remained…

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

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He was crowned King of kings and Lord of lords and given the nations as His reward. The Father appointed Him to reign in Zion. 

“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And fulfilled His promise…

“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And so, risen and ascended to the Father…to receive His reward

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

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He reigns, He will reign…

“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet….When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭25‬, ‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be continued 

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE PROMISE -1

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A“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 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. 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. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The crucifixion saga was over. Jesus had died and risen. The story of His life was complete. He was ready to leave. What now?

Did the disciples think that Jesus would carry on as usual…walk with them…teach them…and continue His campaign of ushering in God’s kingdom? They waited for the next phase…and it came with terrifying reality. He was going, not staying, as they hoped! How were they ever to continue where He left off?

Impossible, but for one thing…one instruction…one promise…one hope! Wait! Wait…for the next chapter. 

In one sentence, Jesus reminded them of John’s words…”You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”  This, the culmination of all that had happened since they had met Him and followed Him. God was at work… to a perfect timetable and an eternal plan. 

Luke, a Gentile, a doctor…was chosen, in the Holy Spirit’s hand, to write a thoroughly researched and accurate record of Jesus at work through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit…who accompanied Jesus throughout His life, enabled Him to die an atoning death, and raised Him to life again…was coming…on them…to enable them to “be” Jesus to the world. 

They trusted Jesus’ promise. Why shouldn’t they? He had done everything He had said He would do…and they knew they were powerless without Him.  

What did they do while they waited…did they sit with folded hands and stare at the sky? No way! They worshipped! They praised! They celebrated with joy! They prayed! No matter how long it took, they were glad and waited with eager anticipation for what was to come. 

They had no idea of what lay ahead for them. Jesus had warned them of trouble…persecution…suffering…rejection. Their lives would follow the pattern of their Master. They would face trials and tests. Their faith would be stretched to the limit…but, like Jesus, the Holy Spirit in them would cushion them against all harm. Jesus would always be right there in the person of “His other self”. 

His peace would guard their hearts and minds from fear. His grace would provide the strength they needed to take the blows and not crumple. His presence would guarantee a sure outcome. His Word would be the sword and the seed to guarantee their victory.  

So…they waited…and the Spirit came…on time…just as Jesus had promised…unmistakable…unforgettable…in wind and fire!

To be continued

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – THE END OF THE BEGINNING

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THE END OF THE BEGINNING

9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16:9-20

Although verses 9-16 are not in the original text, they are an accurate summary of the endings of the other gospels.

Why did the person who added the epilogue to Marks’ Gospel take pains to record the disciples’ persistent unbelief about the resurrection of Jesus? How could eleven bewildered and frightened men have stolen and hidden Jesus’ body and then spread the story that He was alive? The last thing in the world they wanted was to draw attention to themselves by setting up a hoax that would destroy any credibility they might have about the story of Jesus’ life and teachings.

The ending to this gospel is consistent with Mark’s unembellished record of Peter’s report of Jesus’ life. Miracles and all, it is a credible story, told by an eyewitness who was part of the story. It encapsulates the conclusion to this astonishing part of God’s redemptive plan, unveiling God’s personal entry into time and space to effect in the physical what had already been accomplished before the beginning of creation.

The ending of the book also puts the future in perspective. Jesus came to earth to begin something that has no ending. Every new life has the potential to add something to and continue the story into the next generation until Jesus comes. His instruction to the first group, minus Judas, was to tell the world what the Jews already knew – our God reigns! It’s much more than accepting Jesus as our personal Saviour so that we can have our sins forgiven and go to heaven when we die!!!

It’s about leaving our own agenda behind and identifying with God’s agenda because He has a BIG plan for the whole of creation. He’s taken care of all the obstacles that get in the way of reconnecting with Him. He came to show us how to carry out and carry on His BIG plan.

Like the pieces of a giant puzzle, everyone has a part in the big picture and it all fits together to make sense of history and to fulfil God’s destiny for each person and for everyone together. Jesus is the glue that holds it all together and makes it all come alive! His death was not an interruption in God’s plan. It is the heart and centre of His rescue plan to get human beings back on track with His purpose for the whole of creation.

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