As Jesus Ascended To The Father, He Gave Gifts. Series

THE Last Sunday IN THE SEASON OF EASTER,

Ascension Sunday

INTRODUCTION;;Luke-24: 44-53, ACTS 1:11 There are many days of the church year WE CELEBRATE, CHRISTMAS, EASTER, PENTECOST.

YET, There are ALSO days of the church year the we fail to recognize, and these days and events reveal to us the nature of God. Trinity Sunday, the Sunday of God revealed to us as Father, Son, Holy Ghost... Transfiguration Sunday...Jesus’s transfiguration..the day in which Jesus reveal his glory to us he is transfigured.’‘

And one of my favorites...All Saints Day...

TODAY we will be exploring a day entitled Ascension Day.

THE Gospel OF LUKE, REMINDS US IN THE last chapter of the ascension as well as the first Chapter of Acts of the Ascension.. Luke’s records IN CHAPTER, that "JESUS led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven..

Thus we meet a day called Ascension Day.

ACTS 1; CONTINUES WITH THE STORY WHICH shares that JESUS REMAINED WITH THE APOSTLES FORTY DAYS AFTER THE RESURRECTION.

For forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus walked and talked with the disciples. Relating to The kingdom of God was the major topic of consideration.

Jesus reiterates the philosophy of life..not the average Christian life but as Watchman Nee says the normal Christian life...

He reminds them that they are....

the salt of the earth. a city on a hill a candle that lights up their community.

He speaks about the new creation,"That which is born of the flesh is flesh"; and, "that which is of the spirit is spirit..

After Jesus shares with the apostles and his hopes were clarified. Commands were given that they become "witnesses" in the world. With these thoughts completed, Jesus ascends ,,rises, lifts into the clouds.

The Ascension of Jesus placed the continued work of God’ in the hands of God’s people.

In verse 8 of Acts ,,,,, we read that the apostles were to become "witnesses" of Jesus to people everywhere. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth-

The word witnesses translates the Greek marturia, from which we also derive the word martyr. The verse could well read, "And you will become my martyrs."

Which Jesus meant when he said that to be his followers we must first die to ourselves.

THEN Jesus was gone. Into thin air. Then in verse 10 we read while they were gazing up, two messengers came and questioned them, and set them straight back to the city to wait.

Sent them with a promise. The Jesus they were still looking for, as they looked up into thick air, would come again.

But they were told something, verse 8 ,,they would receive power from on high? Something?

Someone? ...will come to you from beyond the boundless sky, and fill you with power OF THE HOLY GHOST.... Yet beyond that day , a lifetime beyond that day, half a world beyond that place, a man named Paul sat in Rome. Under arrest. Waiting in prison to stand before Caesar’s,,and there to make the final defense of the Gospel, before certain death.

Paul’s was surrounded by stone walls, with A young scribe at his side, to record his last thoughts and prayers for the people of the churches IN ASIA IN CLUSIVE OF Ephesus, THUS WE HAVE PAULS LETTER TO THE CHURCH COMMUNITY CALLED THE EPHESIANS.

SO PAUL GIVES his scribe SOMETHING to write: WHICH IS THAT God has put all things under Christ’s feet and has made Christ the head over all things for the church, which is Christ’s body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.

Paul wrote,

A.......I pray that you may have the power to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth... OF GOD LOVE,

B.......I pray that you may have the power to comprehend OF what God can, and will do, in you and through you, together.

C.......I pray that you may understand the power of God.

Power to respond to every fearful change and challenge.

Power to respond with ministry that renews and transforms a hurting world.

Power to declare the name of Jesus, who has been lifted up above all powers and authorities in this world, above and beyond all forces of darkness.

Power that transcends the breadth and length and height and depth of any problem.

This epistle of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul , about the year 62 AD from Rome while he was imprisoned.

In this passage that we’ll consider this day, Paul offers us a recurrent theme of prayer...

WHICH WE READ IN VERSE 16, AS I REMEMBER YOU IN MY PRAYERS..

Paul writes to them, AFFIRMING that "God is not finished with them yet," SO he prays that they will have the wisdom to know God better,