05/17/2025
Following Jesus into Transfiguration and on to His Ascension leads us into our study this morning, but beyond that let’s also look forward towards Pentecost. A day that comes Forty nine days, seven sevens, from Easter. Will we, can we, understand what Jesus felt and became during His transfiguration, at prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, or whiles Ascending into heaven? Perhaps not, or at least not yet, but we can certainly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. The promise of "another", a comforter, that is very real to us today.
“And he led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, blessing God.”
Luke 24:50-53 ASV
At the time when Jesus Ascended several things happened that warrant our consideration. First, He led His Apostles to a place where heaven and earth were about to touch one another; not just spiritually, but in a physical manner. He was allowing them to witness His going where they could not follow. Then He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Blessing them became His final act towards them before ascending into heaven, O to have such a blessing. Then He separated Himself from them, and finally, Jesus ascended... He didn't fly or levitate on His own but was carried into heaven. The realm of heaven and earth touched for that instant and the Son of Man was carried into the presence of God, who recognized Him as His Son.
What an incredible sight and moment those apostles experienced! We too will join in such a moment at the second coming, Isaiah prophesied it in the Old Testament:
“Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead.”
Isaiah 26:19 ASV
And then Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about it in the New Testament...
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ASV
And finally, John witnessed it and wrote of it in the book of the Revelation of Christ as he saw the resurrection of the dead occurring:
“The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection.”
Revelation 20:5 ASV
But until that time we are not left barren here in our lives... the Holy Spirit resides with and in us. The apostles were blessed at the time of the Ascension, but it didn't end there! They joyously returned to Jerusalem to await in prayer for the comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, because they trusted in the promise of Jesus...
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.”
John 14:16-17 ASV
And as the apostles waited, they were continually in the temple where they prayed. Interestingly, they weren't praying for the comforter to come, but were "blessing God" because they trusted and had the absolute faith that the comforter was coming... all doubt had been removed, and their faith was nearing perfection.
So, will we know the Ascension as Jesus knew it? No! But, we will know a resurrection and an ascension. Will we know what it was like for Jesus to be carried into the presence of God and seated at His right hand? No! But we will enter into the presence of God with praise on our lips and joy unspeakable. These are things we can look forward to with great anticipation, and we can long for the day when we will experience them and humble ourselves before God.
In the meantime, we should praise the Father and His Son Jesus, and continuously be in the temple, praying to and receiving the blessings of God. Although the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we should ask ourselves this question... "Does He dwell in me?" If not, then we should listen to God’s Holy Word and have faith in the promise of his coming. Thus, we should go to church with great joy and praise God. Let our faiths in the coming of the comforter be unshakeable and our prayers be unceasing until he comes to us. We are meant to take great joy now because Pentecost is coming nigh!!!
“And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4 ASV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the death, burial, resurrection, and Ascension of your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you for allowing us to witness through the eyes of the apostles His joining with you in heaven, and thank you for the promise and arrival from heaven of your Holy Spirit. Holy Father, we thank you for sending your comforter because he is more than just an aid to our faith, he is an infusion of you and a bit of heaven into each one of us who receives him. You are great Father and we trust, and pray, that you will never leave us alone. In your presence we have stood with our savior Jesus. In Christ we have been saved, and through your Holy Spirit we are now joined with you in Spirit. Praised be your name, and may the hearts and faiths of those who are yet to know you be opened wide by your Word so that they will come to salvation in Jesus, and filled with your Spirit. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who was, and is, and is to come. Holy are you whose Word is truth, and whose love for us is perfect and made complete in Christ. Hear us this day as we pray, assisted by your Holy Spirit, in unwavering anticipation of the coming again of your Son Jesus who will bring us into your presence and judge us before you. Hear us as we ask you in prayer that our sins be lifted away from us, washed away by the blood of Jesus, and that you will chose not to remember them. Hear us as we pray and trust that you will see His image as you look at us and deem us worthy of eternity with you. This is our prayer and expectation Lord, and in them we give you all the honor and glory for ever, and forevermore.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah… Amen!
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.””
John 20:19-23 ESV
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 2:1-4 ESV
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26-27 ESV
Rich Forbes