After Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord appeared many times to His disciples. For forty days, Jesus performed miracles and taught concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
On His last day, the fortieth, He led His faithful disciples to a secluded place on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12). There He commissioned His followers to carry the Good News east and west, north and south. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they were sent out as Jesus’ “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The Apostles and faithful followers were all there, gathered around the Resurrected and Glorified Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus miraculously defied gravity. Slowly, His physical body rose from the ground until “a cloud took him out of their sight”(Acts 1:9).
Can you imagine Peter’s astonishment? “Hey John, did you see that?” The disciples had witnessed many miracles; Lepers were instantly healed; The lame were made to walk; Jesus fed a multitude to a little boy’s lunch; The dead were raised to life. But they had never seen anyone defy the law of gravity.
While they all stared into the sky, they suddenly became aware to two white-robed men standing behind them... apparently angels.
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
They remembered Jesus’ promise: “If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3).
It’s true!
“The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God … We who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord”
(1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).
I’m ready. “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
Are you ready?
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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