Lesson 253 - Senior
Memory Verse
"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
Cross References
I Jesus' Last Commands to the Disciples
1. The Gospel of St. Luke tells of Jesus' teachings and deeds until His ascension, [ACT:1:1-2]; [LUK:1:3]; [MAK:16:19].
2. Jesus showed Himself alive for 40 days, talking with the disciples concerning the Kingdom of God, [ACT:1:3]; [MAK:16:14]; [LUK:24:36]; [JHN:20:19].
3. He commanded the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, [ACT:1:4];[ACT:1:5]; [JHN:14:16].
4. The disciples asked about the kingdom of Israel, [ACT:1:6]; [MAT:24:3].
5. The disciples were told that the Father alone had the information they wanted, [ACT:1:7]; [1TS:5:1]; [MAK:13:32].
6. Power would be given and the disciples would be witnesses for Christ, [ACT:1:8]; [ACT:2:1-4]; [LUK:24:48]; [JHN:15:26-27].
II The Ascension of Jesus
1. Jesus was taken up into Heaven, [ACT:1:9].
2. Two angels gave the promise of Christ's return, [ACT:1:10-11]; [DAN:7:13]; [MAT:24:30]; [MAK:13:26]; [LUK:21:27]; [JHN:14:3]; [1TS:1:10]; [1TS:4:16].
III Choosing an Apostle
1. After returning from Mount Olivet the disciples continued in prayer and supplication, [ACT:1:12-14].
2. Matthias was chosen to take Judas' place, [ACT:1:15-26]; [PS:69:25]; [PS:109:8].
Notes
Luke, in his Gospel, gave us a detailed account of the miracles and teachings of Jesus from His birth to His ascension. Now, in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke takes up the ascension of Jesus and the work of the Apostles.
For forty days after the resurrection, Jesus had met with His disciples, had talked with them, and had eaten with them. He proved Himself to be alive after His cruel death on the cross and subsequent entombment. By His post-resurrection acts and words Jesus banished all doubts from the minds of the disciples as to His existence as their glorified, living, resurrected Lord and Saviour.
The resurrection from the dead is the grand central theme of the Gospel. So indelibly did Christ write it on the hearts of the disciples, through His many appearances to them, that all doubts were swept from their hearts and minds. The facts were before them. Their own eyes had beheld Him. They saw the prints of the nails in His hands, in His feet, and the mark of the spear in His side. He had conversed with them. They saw that He was the same Jesus who had fed the multitudes, raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, and opened the eyes of the blind. Now He was alive forevermore, the same wonder-working Jesus.
The Kingdom Question
After the resurrection the disciples seemed to grasp more readily the real truth of the Gospel. There still remained in their minds the thought of an earthly kingdom: of Israel's being restored to a place as an independent nation, and the possibility of their occupying places of responsibility in that kingdom.
The disciples ventured the question, "Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" But Jesus answered, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." He was pointing them to the real Kingdom, directing their minds from the earthly to the heavenly, from the kingdoms of this world to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Additional Preparation for Service
The Lord's last command to the disciples was for them to tarry in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father which was to come upon them. Jesus explained that He was going away, and the Comforter would come. He told them that they would be baptised with the Holy Ghost and fire not many days hence. He was leaving them, but they would have another Comforter -" One who would abide with them forever. If it was necessary for the disciples, in that important day, to tarry until they received the enduement of power promised by the Father, it certainly is necessary that we also tarry and seek until we receive the same power in our lives.
Some contend that this outpouring of the Holy Spirit was only for the early church. But the Scripture tells us: "The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Peter, when preaching his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, quoted Joel's statement that the Lord had said He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh [JOE:2:28]). Have you received the Comforter since you believed?
Witnesses for Christ
"Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Jesus confined His ministry mostly to the Jews, that the divine purpose concerning them might be fulfilled. But the Jews, as a nation, did not receive either Him or His message. He gave those who did receive Him a commission to go to all the world that everyone -" both Jew and Gentile -" might hear the glad Story.
When the seventy were sent out, Jesus said they were not to go in the way of the Gentiles, nor were they to enter into any city of the Samaritans. This was that the Israelites might have their opportunity to accept the Gospel and fulfil the God-ordained place to which they had been called. But now the disciples saw that their commission was enlarged. They were now to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.
The disciples did go to all the known world. They were faithful to their responsibility. Tradition tells us that most of them died as martyrs in lands far-distant from Jerusalem. What a testimony that gives us of the fervent desires and determination to completely fulfil Jesus' command! How much of a missionary spirit have you?
The Ascension
After Jesus had given His commandment and promise to the disciples that they should tarry in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father which would come to them, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. We are not told the words of that final benediction, but it must have been very sacred to them. This was the final Amen to all He had taught and said. As He blessed them, His feet began to leave the earth and He began to ascend toward Heaven; and the disciples saw Him for the last time during their lives on earth.
The disciples saw Jesus go. They continued looking at Him until a cloud received Him out of their sight. Jesus did not vanish from their midst as he had done at the end of His other appearances following the resurrection. This time He was going to Heaven, not just vanishing to make a future appearance to them. It was necessary as a witness to all succeeding generations that they see Him go. Jesus' personal work on earth for the present was finished. He was leaving the disciples to carry on that work. They watched Him as far as their eyes could see Him -" and then they realised that their Master was gone.
But immediately another strange and miraculous thing happened. Two angels stood by them and spoke to them, saying, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." This same Jesus! The One they had communed with, eaten with and drunk with, would come back to earth again!
The sacred feet of our Saviour had trod the brow of the Mount of Olives for the last time until that glorious day comes, of which the Prophet Zechariah has told us, when those same glorified feet will again touch that mountain of sacred memory, and it will be split in two, half of it removing toward the north and half of it toward the south. (Read [ZEC:14:3-11].)
"From Mount Olivet our Saviour went to Heaven,
In a cloud of glory entered in the sky;
But an angel spoke these words of glorious comfort,
'In like manner He'll be coming, bye and bye.'"
What a glorious hope! What a blessed hope! This is the hope that burns brightly in the heart of every true Christian today and is the source of comfort in that Christian's heart [1TS:4:18]).
Strange Events
What strange and miraculous things the disciples of this lowly Nazarene had witnessed the past days! They had seen their Lord crucified. Their hands had placed His body in the tomb. On the third day they were startled to find an empty tomb. And again they were affrighted by His sudden appearance in their midst while the door was shut. Once Jesus stood on the seashore in the early morning after they had fished all night and caught nothing, calling to them to cast their net on the right side of the ship and find fish.
Now another strange sight had just been seen. The disciples had been with Jesus on the mount of Olives. He had talked with them about things concerning the Kingdom and also about the Holy Ghost who would come and give them power and lead them into all truth. Suddenly He had lifted His hands and blessed them, and then ascended into Heaven. They had watched Him ascend until a cloud had received Him out of their sight, and then had heard the message of the two angels whom they saw standing by. Spurred on by the brightly kindled hope they returned to Jerusalem to wait for the promised power.
Choosing Judas' Successor
The disciples went into an upper room in Jerusalem. It may have been the very place where they had recently eaten the Last Supper and where Jesus had washed their feet. The eleven Apostles, with Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brethren, and others -" a total of 120 who had loved and followed Jesus -" were there. Throughout the next ten days they continued in prayer and supplication.
Peter felt that someone should be chosen to take the place of Judas, who by transgression had fallen. Peter took his authority from the words of the prophets concerning Judas. Acting upon their best judgement at the time, the disciples appointed two candidates, Barsabas and Matthias; and after praying that the Lord would direct them in their choice so His will would be carried out, they cast lots. The lot fell upon Matthias.
The place that Judas had filled was empty and the disciples would naturally feel that it should be filled. Judas had carried the moneybag for the group, and that part of Judas' former position must necessarily be assumed by someone in order for the temporal needs of the group to be provided. But we can see the exact will of God as it was eventually carried out in the divine selection of Paul for the position of Apostle to fill the vacancy. That Paul became the twelfth Apostle is beyond doubt or dispute, for the Holy Spirit has given us many statements to that effect in the Epistles.
How wonderful it would be if the people of our nation would pray as did the Eleven and ask God to direct in the choice of national and state officials and statesmen! No combined powers of the world could then overthrow us, for we would be following the will of God. But we, as individuals, need to take notice that we pray and lean upon the Lord for guidance in the little details of our everyday life. If we do He will direct our paths, for "the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD" [PS:37:23]).
Questions
1. Where were Jesus and the disciples assembled for this last event?
2. What was the topic of the conversation at this time?
3. What question did the disciples ask? and what was the answer?
4. Describe Jesus' last blessing and His ascension.
5. Memorise the angel's message.
6. Where was the Gospel to be preached after the ascension?
7. Who was chosen at this time to be an Apostle in Judas' place? What was God's eventual choice for that vacancy?