THE ASCENSION
[Jesus left earth and went to be with God in heaven]
At last, one day when Jesus had been talking to the disciples, he returned to heaven. The disciples actually saw him go up. They watched until a cloud hid him. They did not see him again. Jesus was not still on earth. But Jesus’ work would continue with the help of the Holy Spirit. While the disciples were still looking at the sky, two angels appeared. This is what they said:
Acts 1:11 'Men of Galilee, you do not need to continue to look at the sky. You saw Jesus go up to heaven. Like that, he will come back again.'
The importance of Jesus
It is important for us all that Jesus died on the cross. It is important that he became alive again. It shows us many things. When Jesus died on the cross, he dealt with all our sins completely. God has accepted what Jesus has done for us.
Now, Jesus has great authority and power. In fact, he told the disciples, ‘God has given to me all authority in heaven and on earth.’
When Jesus comes again, he will not be an ordinary man. He will not merely be someone that men killed on a cross. He will be the Lord. Everybody will respect him. Everybody will give him honour. Nobody will be able to stop his power and rule.
Jesus today
About 50 years after the Ascension, the disciple John had a vision. In his vision, John saw Jesus in heaven. John saw how great Jesus is now. The vision made John very much afraid (see Revelation 1)
Today, Jesus is not here with us, in this world. But we speak to him in prayer. We hear him through his Word [that is, the Bible]. And Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to us. The Holy Spirit speaks to us and teaches us.
© 2002-2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK)
http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-study
|
