It may be one of the most overlooked events in the Bible, but the Ascension is a key element in the Gospel story's completion. After His resurrection, Jesus continued teaching His followers and preparing them for his earthly departure. As His actions demonstrate, Jesus loves to bless His people: His last act on earth was to bless His followers, and He continues to care for us from the Father’s right hand. Alistair Begg urges us to respond with joyful worship and obedience.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4And while staying1 with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with2 the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The Ascension
6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11and 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.”
The Ascension
50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Series: What Now?
Other messages in: What Now?
If Christ’s death was the end of His life, then the Christian message is the greatest hoax in history. But what if Jesus truly was resurrected, and He continues to live, work, and reign today? How would that reality transform the lives of His followers?
In this series, Alistair Begg walks us through the dismal days following Jesus’ death, the disciples’ shocking discovery that He was alive, and His final, extraordinary departure from the earth. We will learn why we can trust the Bible’s account of these events, why salvation hinges upon Christ’s resurrection, and why we can rest in the knowledge that He never forsakes His own. As Scripture tells us, Jesus continues to advocate for His people today, pleading our case at the right hand of His Father. Our risen Savior gives us every reason to share the Good News with a lost and questioning world.
Related resources: "Easter Letter from Alistair Begg and Related Content"
