Friday, May 30, 2014
Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
TAKE IN THE SIGHT
The one time I visited the Grand Canyon I was sick. The Grand Canyon offers some of the most spectacular views on earth, but, because I wasn't feeling well, I didn't really appreciate them like I would have under different circumstances.
But what about the spectacular sights of our salvation? Where do we travel to find them? We start at a humble manger bed, where we see at Christmas the miracle of a virgin birth, God taking on our human flesh and blood. As we continue our journey, we walk a road of sorrows up a hill called Calvary, where we see on Good Friday a love beyond imagination. Here God, in the person of Jesus, suffers hell to atone for the sin of a world in rebellion against its Creator. Finally, no visit to salvation's scenic views could ever be complete unless we stop off at Christ's tomb, where at Easter we see the breathtaking sight of death swept away and heaven's door opened for all. Indeed, whoever believes in the risen Jesus has eternal life!
We love the beauty of these familiar sights. But perhaps there is one sight in salvation's scenic tour we don't appreciate like we could. It's a sight far more awesome than the Grand Canyon. It's the ascension of our Savior to His Father's right hand, forty days after His resurrection.
Why is it worth stopping to take in this sight of Jesus' going up, up, up, until a cloud hides Him from the view of His disciples? If there were a sign posted by the ascension sight, what would it say? Wouldn't it say, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED? Jesus leaves not with a partial or a nearly finished sacrifice for sin, but a completed one. His work to save sinners requires no finishing touches by me or you. The ascended Savior has taken care of everything right down to the smallest detail. Every last sin is washed away by His blood. Death has been fully conquered. Satan has been defeated once and forever. What a sight! Let's not miss it! Hey, and this is a sight we can especially appreciate when we're sick. When we see that our hearts and lives are sick with daily sin, Jesus' Ascension is just the place to go!
