It Is Well with My Soul: The Sacred Roots Annual 2022-2023

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T he S eason from E aster to P entecost

T he A scension of the L ord May 18, 2023

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For forty days after his resurrection, Jesus revealed himself alive to his disciples. On the fortieth day, he ascended to heaven to take his place as Lord and Christ at God’s right hand. Ten days after this, on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, he would send to us the promise of the Father – the Holy Spirit, the pledge of our salvation. Here we ponder the wonder of God’s working, from Easter Sunday to the Spirit’s descent at Pentecost. After rising from the dead as he testified to his apostles (whom he had chosen), Jesus gave them commands by the Holy Spirit, presenting himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs. He appeared to them for forty days after his rising from the dead and spoke to them regarding the Kingdom of God. He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit very shortly. In answer to their questions about the timing of the Kingdom, Jesus told them it was not for them to know times or seasons of the Kingdom’s climax, since the Father had fixed that time by his own authority. He did assure them, however, that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. As our Lord had declared these things to them, and as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. As they gazed into heaven as Jesus ascended, two men stood by them in white robes, saying “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” The risen Lord TODAY’S THEME The Ascension of Our Lord, Acts 1.1-11