For six Sundays since Easter, we’ve been exploring powerful stories of the risen Jesus—appearing to His followers, proving He was alive, and changing lives forever.
We serve a risen Savior. Death could not defeat Him! Today, we turn to the final moment Jesus appeared to His disciples before
ascending into heaven. It’s a pivotal scene—a farewell, a promise, and a mission—all in one. Our Scripture comes from Acts 1:6–11.
Acts 1:6-11
6 So
when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time
come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times,
and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me
everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud
while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed
men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing
here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but
someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
The question the disciples asked amounts to this: “Lord, when are You going to fix everything?”
It’s such
a revealing question. After all they’d seen—Jesus’ teachings, His death, and His resurrection—the disciples were still holding onto their old
expectations. They were still hoping Jesus would throw off Roman rule and restore Israel’s
independence. In other words, “Is now the time You’re going to fix everything for us?”
We can
relate to that, can’t we? We often want God to step in and take care of
everything—
to fix our problems, change our circumstances, and do it now.
The
disciples weren’t wrong to hope, but their vision was far too small.
They wanted national restoration. Jesus was about to launch a global mission.
They were focused on their country. Jesus was thinking of every tribe, tongue,
and nation.
They wanted comfort and control. Jesus offered power and purpose.
How often
do our prayers sound like their question?
“Lord, when will You finally fix this situation?”
“When will You restore my idea of how things should be?”
Jesus
doesn’t rebuke our questions, but He gently lifts our eyes to something far greater than we can imagine.
Jesus doesn’t answer the disciples the way they expect. He doesn’t give them a timeline. He doesn’t lay out a political plan. He tells them two key things:
First, “It’s not for you to know the
times or dates the Father has set.” In other words—“You don’t need to know the schedule. That’s the Father’s
business.” How often do we want God to give us the when and how? But Jesus shifts their focus from timing to trusting.
Second, “But you will receive power when
the Holy Spirit comes on you…” This is the true gift—not power to take control, but power to share the Good
News.
And here
comes the surprising part. Jesus said:
“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth.” This is bigger
than national renewal. It’s a worldwide revolution of grace and truth.
And let me
ask you—have you ever thought about this?
If the disciples had clung to their small vision—if they had kept the Gospel
only for Israel—you wouldn’t be sitting here today. There
would be no Pleasant Grove Methodist Church. No Christian faith in America. No Bible
on your nightstand. And more importantly—no forgiveness of your sins, no hope beyond the grave, no peace that passes understanding. Every blessing you know in Christ is possible because those first followers let
go of their narrow view and embraced God’s global mission.
In His
response, Jesus is also saying: “Don’t wait around for Me to do the work you’ve been called to do. I’m sending you. But I’m also equipping you—with Holy Spirit power—to fulfill your purpose.”
It’s not a
small story about Israel anymore. It’s
God’s mission for the world. And the Disciples—and everyone who calls Jesus Lord—is part of the
mission.
And that means you.
On the Christian calendar, today is known as Ascension Sunday—the day we remember that Jesus ascended back into heaven. But that raises a question: Why did He leave? Why not just stay on earth?
First, because He belongs on Heaven’s
throne. After conquering sin and death, Jesus takes His rightful place as King—not just
of Israel, but of all creation.
Second, Jesus left for our good. In John 16:7, Jesus said, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go, the Advocate [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you.” You see, Jesus’ resurrected body is still a physical body. Glorious and perfect, yes—but still bound by time and space like ours like all physical bodies. That means Jesus, in bodily form, could only be in one place at one time.
But the
Holy Spirit is not limited that way. The Spirit can be with me in the hospital
room, with you in the middle of a stressful workday, with a mother protecting her
children in Gaza, with a world leader making a critical decision, and with a high school student taking their final exams—all at the same time.
The Holy
Spirit makes the presence of Jesus available everywhere, to everyone who
trusts Him.
So yes—it was good that Jesus ascended to Heaven to sit on His throne so we could receive the Holy Spirit.
Finally, by ascending, Jesus passed the
baton to us. If He had stayed on earth, we might still be sitting around waiting for Him
to do the work. But instead, He gave that work to us. We
are now His hands and feet in the world.
I wonder how long the disciples stood there, mouths open, eyes on the sky. After seeing such an incredible thing, I probably would have stood there a long time. I think that’s why two angels appeared—to snap the disciples out of their wonder. They asked, “Why are you staring into heaven?”
In other
words—don’t just stand there! Jesus has
gone, but now you’ve got a mission. There’s work to be done, lives to be changed, Good News to share. Get going!
But the angels also offered reassurance: “This same Jesus who saw going up to heaven will come back in the same way you saw Him go.” So don’t lose heart. Jesus reigns. The Spirit empowers. And one day, our King will return. But until then—let’s get to work.
But before we go out to serve, let us pause to remember and be empowered. At the table of Holy Communion, we remember His sacrifice, we receive His grace, and we are nourished by His presence. The Risen, Ascended Christ is still with us through the Holy Spirit. Come to the table, not because you have it all together, but because Jesus invites you—to be forgiven, to be filled, and to be sent.
