The Resurrection Of Jesus

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
JESUS RETURNS TO HEAVEN

Forty days had now passed since Jesus had risen from the dead, and His disciples were in Jerusalem. Jesus had told His disciples not to go away from Jerusalem for a few days, because there the Father in heaven would send them the Holy Spirit. The disciples were not yet near enough like Jesus, their Master, to do His work, and could do nothing without the help of this Spirit. Jesus said, “After the Father has given you the Holy Spirit, you shall have power to work and spread my Gospel to every part of the earth.”

So, the disciples were in Jerusalem, waiting till this Spirit should be given to them, when, one day, Jesus came to them, and led them out as far as Bethany. Jesus lifted up His hands in blessing, and while He blessed them Jesus was taken from them and carried up into heaven. A cloud came between Jesus and them. While they were still looking toward heaven, two men stood by them in white clothing. These men said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken from you into heaven, shall come again in the same way that you have seen him go into heaven.”

The apostles went back to Jerusalem, and there, with the women and the other friends of Jesus, they waited and prayed that the Father in heaven would show them what to do. God soon sent the Holy Spirit, and then they went out to teach, though they knew that they must suffer, as Jesus suffered.

The earthly life of Jesus was now ended, but He was not dead. Jesus was now living with His Father in heaven, and always watching over His disciples, and giving them help and strength as they needed it. Jesus was seen by men several times after He ascended into heaven, and we will think about two of these times.

One of the most active workers against Jesus and the work of Jesus’ disciples was a young Pharisee named Saul. This man, Saul, was so eager to work against Jesus and His disciples that he asked permission to go to other cities than Jerusalem and find and punish any of the followers of Jesus. One day, while Saul was traveling to Damascus, on this errand, he saw a wonderful sight. A light that was brighter than the sun at noontime shone around him, and Saul saw a glorious form, and heard a voice, which said, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

Saul asked, “Who are you?” Jesus said, “I am Jesus whom you are trying to destroy.”

Saul had not wanted to stop the work of the disciples of Jesus because he was a bad man, but because he thought it was the right thing to do, and this vision of Jesus, the Master, was the means of changing Saul from a persecutor of the followers of Jesus, to one of the most active and successful of Jesus’ disciples. For many years Saul, or Paul, as he is usually called, traveled from country to country, telling folks about Jesus, and proving that Jesus was really the king that the Children of Israel had so long expected.

Paul always told this story of the time that Jesus came to him on the road to Damascus, when he wished to show why he had become one of Jesus’ followers, after he had for so long been so active against them. For many years Paul worked for Jesus, and then at last he gave his life for Jesus, the Master he had served so well.

John, the youngest of the apostles, is another person Jesus made an appearance to after ascending into heaven. John is also called “the beloved disciple,” because he was loved so much by Jesus. John was sent in his old age to a lonely island far away from any of his friends.

While on that lonely island, John had a wonderful vision. First, Jesus, his Lord and Master, came to him, but not in an earthly form. Jesus was so wonderfully bright and glorious, the Bible says that John, “Fell at his feet as one dead.”

But Jesus came to John kindly, and spoke to him, and showed John sights that are too great for us yet to fully understand. John wrote what he heard and saw, and we can read it in the last book of the Bible – Revelation.

The Children of Israel as a nation never believed that Jesus was and is God’s Son. However, many other nations do believe in Jesus, and today Jesus is known over almost the whole world. Jesus will reign forever; for the Bible says that at the name of Jesus every knee must bow, and every tongue must say that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Aren’t you glad to have such a king?