Christ's Ascension

Acts 1:1-11, Hebrews 7:25,  John 16:7, John 14:2, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 24:29-31

Christ showed himself to his followers over the forty days between his resurrection and ascension.  Forty, is a number that appears several times in scripture.  It's meaning is a time of testing, judgment, purpose, and blessing.  What are the 'Blessings of the Ascension' that we receive.

Four Blessings:

• Jesus' return to the glory at the right hand of God now means that Christ's fills the whole universe.  Scripture also tells us that he is interceding for us.  Hebrews 7:25

• Jesus told the disciples that he must leave so that the Holy Spirit  can come.  As a result of the holy spirit's presence in every believer we can say that Jesus is now present in all believers hearts by His spirit.  John 16:7
  The ascension means Pentecost is come.

• Believers have the promise of Heaven.  In John 14:2 we are told that his return to the father will result in Him preparing a place for you in his Father's house.

• Finally, because Jesus ascended to heaven we are promised that He will return in like manner.  We learn of this with some details in I Thessalonians 4:13-18.  It seems as though believers through out history have thought that they would be living when Christ returns.  It is similar to the expression of living in the 'last days' or the 'end times'.  The 'last days' refers to that whole period of time between the ascension and the second coming.  It now makes sense that believers from the early church on expect Christ to return in their lifetime.