Up With Jesus

Up with Jesus!

President GW said good-bye to the nation in his famous Farewell Address. In it, he included:

…Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion, and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man ought to respect and to cherish them.

In 1983, the U.S. House of Representatives quietly dropped a fifty-year-old tradition. The tradition involved the annual reading of George Washington’s farewell address on his birthday. Democrat and Republican leaders decided it was useless to continue to read the lengthy address to a mostly empty chamber. “It’s too bad,” said a GOP aide, “but it’s time for this to be consigned to the dustbin.”

Stated “The Calgary Herald”: “In past years, it was almost holy writ that the address must be read. Through war and storm for half a century, a member of each chamber has been chosen to read the address.” Declared the newspaper heading, “Nobody listens to Washington’s farewell address.”

A parallel to this has taken place in the Christian church. Fewer and fewer believers are listening to Christ’s farewell message. To His disciples, Christ gave clear instructions - to go to all nations with the Gospel and there to make disciples. Then, He ascended to His Father.

The most important events in Jesus’ life certainly include His birth, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. We tend to overlook His ascension and let the resurrection overshadow it. Yet, the ascension is a critical part of God’s plan.

Jesus spent forty days making believers and instructing His disciples. He told them to make disciples as they went throughout the world (Matthew 28:18-20). Among the last things He told them was to wait in Jerusalem for power. Listen to His conversation with the disciples in Acts 1:4-8 (NKJV):

4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Following this interchange, Jesus ascended back to His Father. Angels urged the disciples forward and described His return. Let’s continue in Acts 1:9-11 (NKJV):

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Much like we do when we visit our loved ones, Jesus reviewed the things He accomplished on His visit and what they needed to accomplish in His absence. He promised to stay in touch with them and told them of His plans to see them again.

Jesus ascended in plain sight of His disciples and anyone on the Mount of Olives. If you let your imagination wander, you can imagine the disciples staring into the skies as Jesus ascended. No wonder they had to be shaken into reality by the two “men” in white. They had never seen anything like this, and perhaps they imagined Enoch or Elijah as they watched Him depart.

Luke describes Jesus’ ascension in his gospel in Luke 24:50-52 (NKJV):

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Some scholars believe that the way Jesus blessed His disciples with the priestly blessing which is described in Numbers 6:22-27 (NKJV):

22 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: