Someday Jesus will return. The angels’ words spoken as Jesus ascended into heaven must have surprised His disciples. Think for a moment about what it must have been like to be one of Jesus’ disciples just before He ascended into heaven. Before Jesus left, He gave them last-minute instructions that would be critical to their lives and future ministry.
Acts 1:9 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!” [1]
If I had been one of the disciples, my head would be spinning as I contemplated the words of Jesus, the angels, and the sight of Jesus going up to heaven. In many ways, it would be like a child having the training wheels taken off. The disciples were now entering a new season in their lives that would change them and the world. Perhaps you are in a new season today. Transitions are always scary, but when we know Jesus is with us, we understand we have an anchor in our lives that never moves.
Jesus is Always Teaching
Even as Jesus ascended into heaven, He was teaching the disciples and us through what happened. Jesus could have ascended on a clear day, but there were clouds. The cloud symbolized the glory of God. In the Old Testament, the cloud guided the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness for forty years. Also at the transfiguration, a cloud enveloped Jesus and His three disciples. It was very symbolic when Jesus returned; He would do so in a cloud.
As Jesus ascended into heaven, it confirmed that He truly was God, and now the work of spreading the good news would be for His followers. But before they could carry out witnesses to Jesus, they would have to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Although the disciples did not know at the time, the Spirit would come ten days later on the Feast of Pentecost.
Jesus Will Come Again
The angels promised that Jesus will come again while the disciples watched Jesus disappear.
The time God has given to humanity is not random because God has a plan, and part of that plan includes His return. As believers, we must be prepared for Jesus’ return, much like firefighters on alert, because we cannot predict when He will return. There is a continued urgency to spread the Good News of Jesus and live out our Christian life day by day as if tomorrow Jesus is coming back.
It might be nice if Jesus came back today, but every day Jesus delays is another chance to carry out the great commission. Someday Jesus will return, and we won’t have the opportunity to witness to our neighbors anymore. Just thinking about this makes me feel a sense of urgency. How about you? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/discipled-to-make-disciples
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ac 1:9–11). Tyndale House Publishers.