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The Feast of Ascension (May 26th, 2022)

 


This Thurday marks The Feast of The Ascension, the celebration of when our Lord Jesus Christ ascended back into heaven after His Resurrection from the dead. The principle account is contained in the first chapter of Acts, 

“The Ascension

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11) 

The Ascension marks a paradigm shift, when our Lord returns to The Father in the flesh, and  He now dwells in us and we in  Him, “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.” (1 John 4:15).  In addition, we become His ambassadors, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20). The Ascension is the pivotal moment when Christ makes us all evangelists, carriers of his testimony: the gospel. God chooses to partner with us, to allow us to be heirs and partakers in spreading the good news! What a privilege! What an honor! He could have lurked about, and done the work solo, but it is evident even in His ministry he meant for His Disciples to participate, and that we beget more disciples, going forth and making disciples of all nations, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19). 


The Ascension also marks the anticipation of The Return of Christ in the flesh (Revelation 19:11-18), the promise of the angels that “He shall return as He has left.” (Acts 1:11). Indeed, just as Jesus ascended into cloud He shall come back on the clouds, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight,” (Acts 1:9), and “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”  (Matthew 24:30). Amen. 



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