Grace and Peace to you!
How excited were you about going to church Easter Sunday? No doubt, there is something special about Easter! After all, how can you top the message of Jesus’ resurrection? As wonderful and special our Easter celebration, there is one day this May that doesn’t seem to catch as much of our focus anymore. That day is Ascension Day – May 26th this year.
Ascension is the day when, forty days after his resurrection, Jesus was visibly taken up into heaven. While we may no longer think that this festival deserves the same kind of attention Easter does, the first disciples thought differently. In fact, they were more excited at Jesus’ Ascension than they were at his resurrection.
If you think about it, it is really a remarkable thing for them to think so highly of the Ascension. Remember that Jesus’ disciples were hiding behind locked doors that first night of Jesus’ resurrection. They were afraid of what the Jewish leaders might do to them if they were discovered. During the day they had received various reports of Jesus’ resurrection, but for the most part they remained skeptical of the things that they had heard. Even when Jesus appeared in their midst that evening, one disciple still doubted.
It was unfortunate that the disciples were so slow in believing. They should have expected and been looking forward to the resurrection, for as Jesus remarked, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).
Aren’t we often like the disciples? We suffer needlessly when we don’t take to heart God’s Word - whether that’s his invitation for us to call on him in our time of trouble, or to give all of our cares and worries over to him. Like the disciples it’s not that we lack knowledge. We know what God has promised, we just often lack understanding and trust. We lack this understanding because we are sinful and therefore don’t naturally accept what God tells us. We lack trust as we have a human tendency to want to do things on our own terms.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples didn’t return to Jerusalem just with joy, but great joy! Not only that, but they also stayed continually at the Temple praising God out in the open where everyone, even the Jewish leaders, could see them! What a difference Jesus’ Ascension had made in their lives.
Can Jesus’ Ascension make that difference in our lives? It can if we understand what it’s all about. The disciples rejoiced greatly and openly because they knew that Jesus’ Ascension wasn’t the end. The disciples also knew that Jesus’ Ascension meant that he would return as he said that he would. They knew that the battle with the devil, sin, and death had been fought and won. The time had now come to publicly acknowledge that victory.
We know that we have forgiveness through Jesus because the Ascension guarantees it. Since Jesus ascended, we can be certain that his mission to wash us clean of all sin was accomplished. Jesus forgives us all!
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. Luke 24:50-51 (NRSV)
How excited were you about going to church Easter Sunday? No doubt, there is something special about Easter! After all, how can you top the message of Jesus’ resurrection? As wonderful and special our Easter celebration, there is one day this May that doesn’t seem to catch as much of our focus anymore. That day is Ascension Day – May 26th this year.
Ascension is the day when, forty days after his resurrection, Jesus was visibly taken up into heaven. While we may no longer think that this festival deserves the same kind of attention Easter does, the first disciples thought differently. In fact, they were more excited at Jesus’ Ascension than they were at his resurrection.
If you think about it, it is really a remarkable thing for them to think so highly of the Ascension. Remember that Jesus’ disciples were hiding behind locked doors that first night of Jesus’ resurrection. They were afraid of what the Jewish leaders might do to them if they were discovered. During the day they had received various reports of Jesus’ resurrection, but for the most part they remained skeptical of the things that they had heard. Even when Jesus appeared in their midst that evening, one disciple still doubted.
It was unfortunate that the disciples were so slow in believing. They should have expected and been looking forward to the resurrection, for as Jesus remarked, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).
Aren’t we often like the disciples? We suffer needlessly when we don’t take to heart God’s Word - whether that’s his invitation for us to call on him in our time of trouble, or to give all of our cares and worries over to him. Like the disciples it’s not that we lack knowledge. We know what God has promised, we just often lack understanding and trust. We lack this understanding because we are sinful and therefore don’t naturally accept what God tells us. We lack trust as we have a human tendency to want to do things on our own terms.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples didn’t return to Jerusalem just with joy, but great joy! Not only that, but they also stayed continually at the Temple praising God out in the open where everyone, even the Jewish leaders, could see them! What a difference Jesus’ Ascension had made in their lives.
Can Jesus’ Ascension make that difference in our lives? It can if we understand what it’s all about. The disciples rejoiced greatly and openly because they knew that Jesus’ Ascension wasn’t the end. The disciples also knew that Jesus’ Ascension meant that he would return as he said that he would. They knew that the battle with the devil, sin, and death had been fought and won. The time had now come to publicly acknowledge that victory.
We know that we have forgiveness through Jesus because the Ascension guarantees it. Since Jesus ascended, we can be certain that his mission to wash us clean of all sin was accomplished. Jesus forgives us all!
In Christ!
Pastor Bakker
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. Luke 24:50-51 (NRSV)
