Brothers and sisters in Christ,
I pray you and yours are well.
On Thursday, May 13, we will have a special worship service at 6:30 PM to remember our Lord’s Ascension back to heaven. Jesus ascended 40 days after His resurrection. In another 10 days, the Holy Spirit would descend from heaven in an event we call Pentecost. Just as the Angel of the Lord had appeared to Moses in fire within a bush that did not consume the bush, the Holy Spirit would appear as tongues of fire, resting over the heads of the disciples but not consuming them.
When He ascended, Jesus had completed 40 days of confirming to untold thousands of believers that He in fact was raised from the dead on Easter. This would be very important as the Church began to share the Gospel because there would naturally be questions as to who was an eyewitness to these events.
Jesus has ascended, but He has not abandoned. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He intercedes for us daily. Wherever two or three are gathered in His name, He is there with us. Christ comes to us in the Lord’s Supper, as we receive His very body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins.
Jesus ascended to heaven because this was His Father’s will. Our Father’s will for us is to share this great Easter news with friend, family, and foe alike. God desires for all to be saved.
This same Jesus who ascended will again descend, with angels in His train. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen!
V/r,
Pastor Jim