We're On Our Own Until Help Arrives! Series

We’re on our own now, until help arrives!

Acts 1:1-11

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

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[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”

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.”

Series: We’re on our own now! (Until The Helper arrives)

Acts 1:1-11

Thursday 21st May, this Thursday past, was Ascension Day. Exactly 40 days since Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day.

The Christian Calendar moves on inexorably, despite The CoronaVirus, and despite the lockdown that we find ourselves in.

We declare that our church is closed but we proclaim that it is not locked down.

I’m writing about Ascension Day as if it has already happened when in fact I’m actually starting this sermon just an hour after I preached to you on the 17th May.

Sermons are a living breathing thing in my house. I am always gathering materials and ideas for them. I have several little notebooks on the go, each gradually filling with scripture, with phrases, with quotes and with ideas.

But, as is often the case, when I am preaching to you God is also speaking to me.

Ideas pop into my head and a new sermon is born.

That's exactly what happened this week, I got the germ of the idea for this sermon whilst I was preaching to you last Sunday.

Last week we talked about grief and how Christ is both the comforter and the solution to grief.

He is also the Conqueror of grief, and His conquest is both swift and complete.

There is no going back to the dark place when Christ has opened your spiritual eyes and ears to the truth of His deliverance.

Once He has lifted the veil from your mind and your eyes there is no going back because the future is just too exciting.

Suddenly eternity with God becomes real.

The disciples in our scripture today have seen The Risen Lord Jesus. They have even walked with Him and spoken with Him. Some may even have been able to touch Him, and they have had the truth revealed to them by the lifting of the veil of grief that pervaded their lives whilst they thought He was dead, and that His death was somehow final.

In The Book of The Acts Of The Apostles, chapter 1 verses 3 to 5, Luke, who is thought to be the author of Acts, records the following; ‘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.”

I am attracted to the idea that the disciples spent a lot of time hiding away in the house which they had first occupied when they had celebrated the Passover with Jesus about 44 days previously.

His crucifixion, the following day, after The Passover Meal, and the attitude of the authorities and the crowds towards Him would have probably caused them to stay in, behind locked doors, fearing for their lives.