Our Sacred Roots: The Priesthood of All Believers

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T he S eason from E aster to P entecost

The Ascension of the Lord May 26, 2022

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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, 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 and said, “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.” Jesus ascended to God’s right hand, with all power and authority now subject to him. He has been raised to and glorified at TODAY’S THEME YouWill Be MyWitnesses, Acts 1.1-11