Todd Allen-The Amazing Ascension-Acts 1:1-11 (KJV)

The first eleven verses of the first chapter of Acts describes the Ascension of the Lord following His resurrection.

In the book of Acts Luke continues his account begun in the gospel of Luke to his friend Theophilus. Within the apostolic generation the gospel of Christ expanded in all directions until it reached every nation of the then known world. (See Colossians 1:23)

This book which could be called the Acts of the Apostles, is  an account of the Acts of Peter and Paul, mainly Paul. Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, that is, the nationalities other than Jewish.

The Old Testament is the account of God's dealings with the Hebrew people. This people were from the call of Abraham God's chosen people. From this nation would come the Messiah who would be a blessing to all nations.

The book of Acts details the great spread of the gospel since the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. The household of God passes from being a national people limited to the Jews to an international grouping of people, a worldwide institution. The Israel of God now included both Jews and Gentiles.

The book of Acts depicts the historical beginning of the reign of Christ over all nations.

Convincing Resurrection Proofs

It was necessary that the risen Christ should convince the apostles of His resurrection from the dead. He did this by appearing to them over a forty‑day period, showing them the holes in His hands and feet inflicted by the Romans when they nailed Him to the cross. His resurrected body was a flesh and bone body but different in texture from what it was before. The evidences of His crucifixion were still present but life had been restored in some new substantive mode of existence. Now He was able to appear and disappear at will. Apparently He could will to be someplace without material limitation or hindrance.

When He first appeared to the disciples in the upper room they thought they were seeing a spirit, "And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them." (Luke 24:38-43)

Our scripture today says that He presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days.

We know that there were a number of appearances, enough to remove doubt that He was alive in the flesh. His bodily resurrection is the sure proof that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God and Savior of mankind.

Jesus spent His time telling the disciples the purpose of His suffering and crucifixion.  When He appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus He entered into conversation with them. They had been discussing the events that had happened at Jerusalem when the chief priests and rulers of the Jews had delivered Jesus to the Romans for execution. They told Him that they considered Jesus a prophet and that they had been hoping that He was going to redeem Israel. They also mentioned that some of the women had reported that they had seen a vision of angels, and that the angels said that He was alive. 

Jesus then proceeded to chide them for their lack of understanding. "Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:25-27)

There was no New Testament to guide them. So our Lord opens up the Old Testament scriptures to explain to them how that the suffering and crucifixion and resurrection of Christ had been prophesied and were necessary before He should enter into His glory. 

This teaching was repeated and expanded to the apostles, for the scripture tells us that during His forty day resurrection ministry He spoke to them of things concerning the kingdom of God.

How wonderful that our Lord gave divine teaching from His own resurrected lips to the men who were to give forth apostolic doctrine to the church, doctrine that was inerrant and infallible for all time. This apostolic doctrine was later codified in the New Testament scriptures.

Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but  to wait for what the Father had promised, telling them that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days. This baptism occurred ten days later on the Day of Pentecost. They were given a Holy Ghost outpouring that brought conversion to 3,000 souls in a single day. This was the beginning of a movement that proclaimed the gospel throughout the whole world of Paul's day.

The disciples wanted to know whether His resurrection meant that He would restore the kingdom to Israel at that time.  His answer is significant, "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8) 

 The kingdom was passing from the stewardship of national Israel to a new international Israel, which would embrace all nations. 

Christ told the disciples before His ascension that it is not for us to know the times which the Father has fixed by His own authority. This knowledge is withheld. I take it to mean that a day is coming when national Israel will have deliverance from their unbelief.

The Amazing Ascension

After he said these things Jesus Christ was bodily lifted up as they were looking on, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Judy and Rachel and I were in Branson, Missouri the first week in May. While we were there we went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to see the Great Passion Play.

In an impressive 4,100 seat outdoor amphitheater we saw a re-enactment of some of the events in the life of Christ. All the players were dressed in authentic attire. The stage had realistic scenery and props that represented such places as the upper room used in the last supper, the garden of Gethsemane, the Jewish temple, the judgment seat of Pilate, Herod's court and Mount Calvary where Christ was crucified.

The final scene has Christ saying some of His last words before He was lifted up into the sky.  The man acting the part of Christ was lifted up from the ground in a re-enactment of the ascension. As His body was lifted up every one of us in the audience stood and cheered and applauded.

The ascension of Christ was prophesied in Daniel chapter 7. We read, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Dan. 7:13-14)

Jesus entered upon his eternal kingdom as He ascended back to the Father, having accomplished His mediatorial mission.

The apostle Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15 that He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet . . . For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. When He returns Paul says the end will come. He will then deliver up the kingdom to the Father who put all things under His feet.

As the disciples were looking skyward they saw the Lord Jesus disappear in a cloud. Two men in white apparel stood beside them and said,  "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

I take this to mean we are not to spend our time looking heavenward for the return of Christ but to be doing what He said in His final words to them, namely, to be His witnesses. We should be about the business of spreading the gospel so long as we have time and health and strength.