Jesus’ Ascension, the Promises of Receiving the Holy Spirit and of His Return

“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 1:8-11 (ESV) [Read Actos 1:1-11]

The Acts of the Apostles is a continuation of Luke’s gospel, written by Luke himself, and recounts the story of Jesus Christ’s work after His ascension, the work He commissioned His disciples to do. Addressed to “Theophilus,” which could have referred to a nobleman, but most likely meant “friend of God,” (the meaning of the two Greek words, “Theo” – God; and “philus” – friend of), a term for all believers everywhere.

Imagine the scene: The disciples were gathered together on a mountain (Matthew gives this mountain as in Galilee [see Matthew 28:16]). Jesus had appeared to them during a forty-day period after His resurrection (Acts 1:3), speaking to them about the Kingdom of God. And now it was time for Jesus to ascend back to the Father, and for the disciples to get on with the work of preaching, teaching, healing and making disciples, as He had commanded them. They were instructed not to leave Jerusalem until they were “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (vv. 4-5). Jesus began to rise, still in His recognizable, resurrected body, and ascended into heaven. A cloud descended and enveloped Him (v. 9). This cloud was not an ordinary rain cloud but the manifestation of God’s power, presence and glory. The disciples were so amazed at the scene unfolding before them that they had to be reminded by two men in white robes (angels—v. 10-11) that Jesus would eventually return to earth as they had seen Him go into heaven (in glory and in recognizable form, scholars believe). “The amazing miracle of the incarnation is not only that the eternal Son of God took human nature on Himself and became a person who is simultaneously God and man, but also that He will remain both fully God and fully man forever.” (Dr. John B. Pholhil, professor, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in study note, ESV Study Bible, p. 2081).

Before Jesus’ kingdom could come to earth, the disciples had a job to do. They were told to go to Jerusalem and await the fulfillment of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon them in power. Thus imbued with power, they would be able to spread the gospel from where they were in Jerusalem even unto the ends of the earth. That promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming was fulfilled shortly after Jesus’ ascension. And here Luke gives an outline of the Book of Acts which he addressed to “Theophilus” (I like to think friend(s) of God—disciples). Acts tells how the gospel spread first in Jerusalem, then to all Judea, to Samaria, and “to the end of the earth,” thus coming to us, thousands of years later.

An amazing thought is that the great commission given by Jesus from that mountain just prior to His ascension into heaven is still for disciples today. The gospel came to us on its way to someone else. And we, too, are to remain faithful in sharing the good news with others. Pray that God will impel us forth to tell of His love for all peoples, even to those where we are and to whom we can witness. -Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.30.2017

An Everlasting Kingdom ~ A Messianic Prophecy

“How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion endures from generation to generation.” -Daniel 4:3 (ESV).

The amazing context of this declaration about the Lord God and His everlasting kingdom is that the words were written by King Nebuchadnezzar, pagan king who ascended the throne in Babylon in 605 B. C. He made a golden image and commanded the people to worship (see Daniel, chapters 2 and 4). He became temporarily insane, but was restored to sanity, and with his association with the godly Daniel, acknowledged God. Daniel became his mentor and instructor about the one true God. In a letter “to all people, nations, and languages that dwell in the earth” (Daniel 4:1.), King Nebuchadnezzar prefaced his statement about the one true God and His kingdom with these words: “It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.” (Daniel 4:2).

How did the statement about God foretell the qualifications of the Messiah?  “His signs and wonders are great”: When Jesus was upon earth, He went about doing good. He fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes. He said “Peace be still,” and the winds and waves obeyed Him, the sea became calm, and the storm stilled. He cast out demons, healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, raised persons from the dead, and forgave sinners and outcasts. And these are but a few of “His signs and wonders.” 

“His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom”: In His testimony before Pilate as He stood on trial before him, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). As He was ready to ascend into heaven following His resurrection, his disciples asked Him: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). He answered them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority” (Acts 1:7). 

 

Only through the revelation from God could the prophecy King Nebuchadnezzar wrote in 600 B. C. have been about Christ’s kingdom. Certainly Christ could speak of the kingdom while He was upon earth. 

 

Also in Nebuchadnezzar’s declaration were these prophetic words, “and His dominion endures from generation to generation.” This shows the responsibility one generation has to another to tell of the King and His kingdom, to “pass on” the good news. In our observance of Christmas, if we truly seek the Spirit and truth of the Lord’s coming to earth, and, living after the event, we know how we have responsibility to “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, that Jesus Christ is born!” The gospel came to us from someone, and it goes to someone else through our telling others the story of Jesus and His love. Thus “His dominion endures from generation to generation.” A scholar once said, “We are one generation from paganism.” If someone had not witnessed to us (as Daniel, the captive Hebrew, witnessed to King Nebuchadnezzar long ago), we might not now know of the Lord Christ. 

 

I read a story of how a pastor, when Christmas fell on Sunday, asked his congregation not to attend church that day but to “go out and be Christ to people you meet.” Remarkable testimonies came of how people shared Christ and many came to believe as a result of “going into the highways and hedges” to tell others of the Christ who, because He loved us all, came to earth to restore mankind’s fellowship with God. “Go, tell it on the mountains…and everywhere” that Jesus’ Kingdom is everlasting, and we can be a part of it through faith and belief in Him.

-Ethelene Dyer Jones 12.06.2015.

Wait for the Promise of the Father

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”-Acts 1:1-4 (ESV).

The book of the Acts of the Apostles has as its purpose to give a selective history of the early church and the spread of the gospel following Jesus resurrection. Its theme is the witness of those who received the Holy Spirit and were compelled to share the good news of Jesus Christ to all, beginning in Jerusalem. In the introduction, the “I” is believed by scholars to be Luke, author of Acts. who also wrote the Gospel of Luke. Both the Gospel of Luke and Acts are addressed to Theophilus, a name which means “friend of God.” Speculation about the unknown Theophilus holds that he might have been one who was in high political standing and was a benefactor of the apostles and the early church; other scholars hold that Theophilus was a generic term meaning, as the name implies, any who are friends of God. 

 

Luke himself is not mentioned either in his gospel or in Acts, but we learn about him in the three places Paul names him in his writings (Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11 and Philemon 24). He was present with Paul on occasion and he was a physician. The name Luke is Greek, and he wrote both his gospel and Acts in excellent Greek. The date usually accepted for the writing of Acts is about 70 to 80 AD. Luke’s knowledge of the Old Testament as often reflected in his writings. This shows that he was well acquainted with the Hebrew writings of the law, the prophets and the wisdom literature, and that he may have been first, before becoming a Christian, a Gentile convert to Judaism who regularly worshiped in a synagogue. Or, through study, he could have gained this knowledge after he became a Christian. Dr. John B. Polhill who wrote the study helps for Acts in the English Standard Version Study Bible (Crossways, 2008, p. 2077) states: “The book of Acts is a small anthology of individual literary genres. The list includes hero story, adventure story, travel story, conversion story, and miracle story. Drama also figures prominently; there are 32 speeches in Acts.” He notes that a common pattern is repeated throughout the Acts account of early church beginnings: (1) Christian leaders preach the gospel; (2) listeners hear, are converted, and are added to the church; (3) opponents begin to persecute Christians; (4) God intervenes to rescue leaders or to protect the church (Polhill, p. 2077). Acts is an exciting account of God’s work. It is fitting that, after the introduction, Luke tells of how the apostles are to “wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father.” Note name change from disciples (learners) to apostles (those who had been with Jesus and were sent on a mission). 

 

The “promise of the Father” for which the apostles were to wait was the Holy Spirit. They were to be “baptized” with the Spirit soon. Jesus had promised the disciples on many occasions that the Holy Spirit would come upon them and be in them (Greek paraclete—“walk beside”). One of the notable promises is found in John 14:16-17: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” In his post-resurrection appearances, and especially at his ascension, Jesus promised His disciples again that the Holy Spirit would come upon them. I can imagine the anticipation, the eagerness, with which the disciples awaited the “baptism” (or coming upon them) by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had announced it (see Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 and John 1:33).

It is significant that they waited for the promise of the Father, the imbuement of power by the Holy Spirit. To be “baptized” by the Spirit can be interpreted as being completely immersed by the Spirit, to have one’s life directed by Him and propelled forward by Him in the work God intends. The disciples did not have long to wait. On the Day of Pentecost the Spirit descended in their midst as Jesus had promised. In the meantime, there was the period of preparation, of expectantly waiting, and prayer. This pattern for receiving the promise of the Father has not changed: preparation, waiting, prayer. May we be faithful, even in these and may we wait expectantly for the Holy Spirit to guide us into the work Christ has called us to do. We sing, “There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.” (Kurt Kaiser, c1962) May we recognize the Holy Spirit’s presence, follow His leadership. –Ethelene Dyer Jones 04.12.2015

Disciples Watched as Jesus Ascended into Heaven

“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?’  And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  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.’  Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 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.’” –Acts 1:6-11 (NKJV).

                Can you imagine being present with the believers on the occasion of Jesus’ ascension into heaven?  With what awe must they have been filled!  No expressions of doubt about His resurrection of His mission were expressed by those gathered on that glorious day.  We are told in Acts 1:3 that He had showed Himself “alive to them after many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.”  The place of Jesus’ ascension was the Mount of Olives outside Bethany.  I have had the privilege of visiting the site and being there was indeed “standing on holy ground” as the gospel song expresses.  In His final words to the disciples before His ascension, He reaffirmed that His kingdom was not to be as they had expected, a restoration of Israel’s kingdom, but a new kind of kingdom, spiritual and under the authority of God Himself who knows the time of fulfillment.  When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were to be witnesses of what He began to do and to establish (the spiritual Kingdom of God) while He was upon earth.

                The ascension of Jesus was visible, victorious and authoritative.  The ascension expanded Christ’s ministry through His followers who were given the Great Commission to witness of Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and throughout the earth.  The ascension showed Jesus’ restoration to His exalted position in Heaven at the right Hand of God where His executive power is ever acting on behalf of believers everywhere.  There He also intercedes for us! (see Hebrews 7:25).    

                Jesus began to rise from their midst and visibly lift from their presence.  A cloud received Him out of their sight.  A cloud was often manifested as a visible sign of God’s presence.  The cloud by day and the fire by night had protected the Israelites after their release from Egyptian bondage.  Is it any wonder, that after seeing Jesus visibly go up and disappear into a cloud that the disciples were so rapt they could not move from the Mount of Olives?  Two men clothed in white raiment (angels) came to speak to them, asking a pointed question:  “Why do you thus stand gazing into heaven?”  And then they repeated the promise Jesus had made to them:  “As you have seen Him go into heaven, He will come again in like manner!”  The awe, amazement and wonder of the disciples must be turned to practical work to bring about the spiritual kingdom Christ had commissioned them to tell about and be involved in establishing.  The incarnation of God (Emmanuel, God with us) had been successfully accomplished in Jesus Christ the Son.  The two messengers gave the believers assurance that Jesus would indeed return as He had gone into Heaven.  This is a great motivation for Christians to be involved in service to the living, reigning, ascended Lord until his second coming.  Those gathered on the Mount of Olives to see Jesus ascend into Heaven, marvelous as the experience was, had work awaiting them.  We, too, have work to do while we await His return.  Who in your family, among your neighbors and fellow workers, those you meet from day to day need your witness about their becoming a Christian? Is God putting them in your pathway so you can witness to them?  May we be found faithful!  -Ethelene Dyer Jones  04.27.2014