The early church · Acts 1
The Ascension
After his suffering, Jesus shows himself alive to his apostles over a period of forty days and speaks to them about the kingdom of God. He tells them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father: “John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” When they ask him about restoring the kingdom to Israel, he answers that the times belong to the Father, and then promises: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me … unto the uttermost part of the earth.” As they watch, he is taken up, and a cloud receives him out of their sight. Two men in white apparel tell them: “This same Jesus … shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” The disciples return from the Mount of Olives and continue together in prayer in the upper room. Then the lot falls on Matthias to replace Judas among the apostles.
What happens
- Forty days of appearances by the risen Lord Acts 1:3
- “Wait for the promise of the Father” Acts 1:4–5
- “Ye shall be witnesses unto me” Acts 1:8
- Jesus is taken up, and a cloud receives him out of their sight Acts 1:9
- “This same Jesus … shall so come in like manner” Acts 1:10–11
- United in prayer in the upper room Acts 1:12–14
Who is in this story
The lesson
Jesus reigns today in heaven and will return the same way he left. While we wait, the church does not stand gazing at the sky: it prays and, clothed with the Spirit’s power, bears witness to the ends of the earth.
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 Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Quick quiz on this story
For how many days does Jesus show himself alive to the apostles before his ascension?
After his suffering, he showed himself alive to them, “being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3
How far will the disciples be Jesus’ witnesses?
“Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
What do the two men in white apparel tell the disciples who are gazing into the sky?
“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 1:10–11
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