Friday, May 26, 2006
Luke 24:52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
JOY IN CHRIST'S ASCENSION
Usually when a dear friend leaves us, we feel sad. That was true of the disciples too. Jesus was leaving them. Yet joy overcame their sorrow. Luke tells us: "And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (Luke 24:52).
There were two reasons for this joy. One was for Christ's own sake. The other was for the sake of mankind. Both are found in Hebrews 12:2: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God."
When the disciples could no longer see Him, they knew that now He was at His Father's right hand ruling over all things for the sake of His Church. The disciples rejoiced over the joy Jesus had in returning to heaven.
That joy was not to be limited to those disciples assembled on Mount Olivet that day. It is also to be experienced by us. Looking toward Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we may greatly rejoice as did the disciples. Jesus has won salvation for us as well.
He will come again to take us to heaven on the Last Day. Of that day we are told: "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout . . . And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:16-17). That will be our ascension.
What is our joy in Christ's ascension? It should be joy over the certainty that we shall enter into heaven. In His ascension we see our own. Let us prepare ourselves for that great day, making use of the opportunities we have to hear and study God's Word so that we may be kept in faith.
