Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Acts 1:8-9 "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
RISING TO RULE
When Jesus told His disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," He was assuring them that as they went to make disciples of all nations, He would be in control of all things. If they should face moments of fear and doubt, they could rely on the fact that their times were in His hands.
This truth was reinforced further for them on the day Christ ascended into heaven. Jesus could have simply vanished from their sight in an instant, but that is not what happened. Instead, He took a slow, deliberate departure. There at the Mount of Olives, His followers were able to watch Him with their very eyes as He rose into the air and a cloud hid Him from their sight. By doing this, Jesus gave them a visible demonstration of the promise He had given them in Galilee. Since they had actually seen Him rising to the position of authority and power which belonged to Him, they could now go even to the ends of the earth with additional confidence that their Lord was ruling over all!
Through the eyes of faith, you too can watch Him rise, dear Christians. Go then with confidence yourselves. For behold:
The Head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now;
A royal diadem adorns
The mighty Victor's brow.
