After many wonderful events, the time had come: Jesus had told his friends, the disciples, a lot about the kingdom of God after his resurrection. He had encouraged them and prepared them to carry his message of God’s love to the whole world. The disciples were excited and wanted to know what would happen next.
On a special day, the disciples gathered together with Jesus on a mountain called the Mount of Olives. There they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” They may have thought that Jesus would now reign as King over the whole world.
Then Jesus said to them: “It is not for you to know times or deadlines that the Father has determined in his power.” This means that some things only God knows, and we can trust that He will do everything at the right time. But then Jesus promised them something special: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Holy Spirit was to help the disciples to tell people about Jesus and His love. And then something amazing happened: while Jesus was talking to them, he was slowly being lifted up into heaven. A cloud took him in, and he disappeared before their eyes.
The disciples looked at the sky, were amazed and could hardly believe what they saw. Suddenly, two men in white dresses stood with them. These men were angels, heavenly messengers. They said to the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking at heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come again just as you saw him ascend into heaven.”
The disciples rejoiced in the message of the angels. They now knew that Jesus was going to His Father in heaven, but would come again one day. They should not be sad now, but prepare themselves to carry the good news of Jesus into the whole world.
Message of history
Jesus is in heaven, but He has sent us the Holy Spirit to help us. He will come back one day, and until then, we can tell others about his love.
Bible passage
“Then those who had come together asked him, saying, ‘Lord, will you restore kingdom for Israel at this time?’ And he said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed in his own authority; but 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 ends of the earth. And when he had said this, he was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took him up from their eyes. And as they kept their eyes on heaven while he ascended, behold, two men in white robes stood by them, saying, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here looking up into heaven?” This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come just as you saw him ascend to heaven!”
