WHAT WAS THE ASCENSION?

After His resurrection, Jesus was with the disciples for forty days. During that time, He trained and prepared them to tell everyone what they had seen and lived when they were with Him.

He wanted everyone to know that God loves and forgives them. He instructed them to baptize everyone who believed in Him, and to give the whole world the good news that Jesus had died for them and had risen again.

Jesus had already accomplished His mission in this world and had to return to His house, to be together with His heavenly Father. But He promised them that He would be with them “always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

The disciples didn’t know that this was going to be their last walk with Jesus to their favorite place: the Mount of Olives, near Bethany. When they were there, His face began to glow. Everyone looked at Him in amazement. Then He extended His hands and blessed them. Suddenly, He began to rise toward heaven.

Can you imagine the disciples’ faces? They didn’t want to lose sight of Him, but a glowing cloud covered Him and they couldn’t see Him anymore.

Instantly, some angels encouraged them and promised them that Jesus would return to earth a second time, just as they had seen Him go up to heaven.

Jesus will return in the same way He ascended! The disciples lived with that hope. Remember that Jesus will always be with you and wants you to share that hope with others.

Make cards with today’s verse to hand out, and ask Jesus in your Prayer Journal to help you share the hope of Jesus’s return.