One More Sight – May 22, 2020

They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:10,11

One More Sight

The question seems ridiculous, doesn’t it? “Why are we standing here staring up into the sky? Are you kidding? Did you not see what we just saw? Of course, we’re going to be staring into the sky, because that was amazing!”

But then came the exciting announcement. “He’s coming back, you know. And he’s coming back in the same way you saw him go into heaven!”

And just how had they seen him go into heaven?

He had gone up as the powerful one, the one who could simply cause himself to lift off the earth and go up into the sky.

He had gone up with his hands raised in blessing. They could be sure that when he returned, he would not come in terror but to bless his people.

He had gone up showing them his nail-scarred hands, reminding them that their sins were forgiven. They could be sure that when he returned, those same nail-scarred hands would welcome them home to heaven.

The ascension was the last sight that Jesus’ disciples got of him. And in a way, it’s the last time we “see” him, too.

And maybe there’s one more reason that Jesus left us with this sight of him; so that we would hunger for his return! For us believers, Jesus’ return will be wonderful! Oh yes, he’s coming back powerfully, those hands are going to be up, blessing us! Because those hands bear the nail marks, the proof that you are forgiven, that your eternal home is in heaven. That’s what we will see!

Yeah, I guess I can kind of “get” why Jesus ascended the way he did. What a sight!

Wow! What a sight that will be!

Prayer:
O Savior, remind me of your ascension that I might eagerly await that day when you return to take me to heaven. Amen.