As Acts opens, it seems the Gospel story has already come to an end. Jesus has risen, He’s spent time with His disciples teaching them about the Kingdom of God. Then, as they were watching, He is taken up into the clouds and disappears from their sight.
 
From their perspective it would have been easy to see His ascension as Jesus leaving, but Luke won’t let us think that way.

Before He left, Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit and commissions His disciples as His witnesses to the ends of the earth. His departure doesn’t bring the work to an end; it marks a brand new stage of it.

The same Jesus we celebrated last week for defeating death through resurrection now ascends as the victorious King whose authority will frame everything that follows in the book of Acts.
 
The disciples are standing around gazing up into heaven, undoubtedly mesmerized by an unexplainable sight. Suddenly, two men interrupt their gawking, saying Jesus will return, but it was time to stop looking up to where He went. They’d been given more than a promise; they’d been given a calling.
 
This is where we enter the story. We live between Christ’s ascension and His ultimate return. The rest of this week will help us to see what it means that Jesus has already won victory over death and has ascended to the Father.
 
Today, notice what’s happening in the story. Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised to life. He’s now ascended into heaven, but His followers aren’t abandoned; they’ve been commissioned.
 
The King has taken His throne and the Kingdom mission continues.
 

When you think about the ascension, have you pictured Jesus leaving or Jesus reigning? How does Acts 1 impact the way you understand your place between Christ's ascension and His return?

Father, thank you that the resurrection wasn’t the end of the victory! Your Son has ascended, and Your purposes continue forward. Keep me from living as though Jesus is absent from His Kingdom. Teach me to understand my role in the story and to live faithfully while I wait for His return. Prepare my heart to follow where the King leads. Amen.

“The ascension reminds me that Jesus __________________.”