The First Ascension Day

From an apostle’s-eye view

I don’t suppose any of you can imagine the turbulent sea of emotions welling up inside me as I, as the One Jesus Loved, watched Him go.

In a sense I felt numb, almost as if all that had happened over the last 40 days were a dream. What a tumultuous time. Here we were, enjoying the exhilaration of being part of Jesus’ ministry, watching Him as He healed and preached and brought such joy wherever He went, when all of a sudden we were plunged into a breathtaking pattern of events that left me emotionally bankrupt.

It all started at the Passover Supper, when He washed our feet and then led us into the Garden. The meal had made me sleepy. I had no idea of the import of the hour, though Jesus urged us to pray with Him. It was only when the soldiers came that I knew something terrible was afoot.

My first reaction was terror, and I ran.

From then on I don’t think I have ever felt such deep emotions rock my soul.

There was:

Shock, as Pilate stood Him before the crowd. I didn’t recognise Him, so torn was He, and bruised and swollen after the scourging.

Anger at the injustice of it all, and deep gut-wrenching agony watching Him gasping on the Cross.

Love — deep, deep love — as He looked at me from the Cross and entrusted His mother into my care.

A guttural cry from deep within as He breathed His last and I watched my beloved Saviour’s tortured body relax in death.

Confusion as Peter and I saw an empty tomb.

Incredulity and joy when He appeared to us as we sat huddled behind locked doors.

Freedom and lightness as He taught us for forty days.

All these emotions in the space of just over a month.

And now we watched Him rise above the earth and disappear from our sight. We’d seen Him walk on water. We’d seen him calm a storm. But to see Him taken up in the air took me completely by surprise. He was talking to us, telling us to be His witnesses when the Holy Spirit fell upon us, and then He just …. floated upwards till the clouds hid Him. It was the most unreal sensation as we gazed at the place where He disappeared.

Yet, there was a sense of expectancy, which I’d like you to share with me. The angels, who appeared to us when He had gone, assured us He would return as He had left.

I urge you to share that expectancy. As His disciples, we had an inkling there would be some time before He returned; there were so many prophecies still to be fulfilled, but you? You are watching them unfold before your eyes.

Just take the following for example:

• If ever there was a time that people were lovers of themselves, lovers of money and sold out on mere entertainment, it is in your time.

• There is a plague sweeping your world.

• There is economic hardship, the full impact of which is still to be felt,

• there is the threat of more autocratic governments — even world governance on issues such as abortion, gender fluidity and LBGT rights.

• I’m sure a couple of decades ago it was unthinkable that Western countries would be persecuting Christians, and yet it is happening in Britain and the United States. Even in South Africa it is happening.

Yes, Church, today is the day you celebrate Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Please do celebrate it. In spite of it’s being downgraded so that it is no longer a public holiday, it is such an important day. As Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He sent His Holy Spirit on all who believed. And how vital that is as we face the coming days.

But as you, in your mind’s eye, gaze upwards and picture Jesus rising, keep looking up with excited anticipation, not seeing Him go, but seeing His return. It cannot be far off.

Luke 21:28 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Isaiah 64:4 “Since ancient times, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.