Read Acts 1:1-14

The Ascension was part of the work of Christ as our Saviour. It was not the end of it. The Gospel narrative is described by Luke as “all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.” It is interesting to think of words and deeds of Jesus as beginnings. He did not cease to live and work when He went away from earth. He only returned to heaven, where He continued His active interest in behalf of this world. The atonement was made on the cross, but the real work of saving men goes on all these common days. Men are not saved merely by Christ’s death on Calvary; each one is saved by a personal relation with Christ, and by the work of Christ, which goes on in his life from the day he settles the great question until he enters heaven. Thus the work of Christ is going on; He only began it in His years on the earth. The coming of the Spirit was really the return of Christ to this world to continue His ministry. His work is carried on, too, by His people in this world. We are the body of Christ and we are to be Christ to others; Christ would live in us and work through us.

The most wonderful miracle the world ever saw was the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead. The truth of the resurrection is the very corner stone of our Christian faith. Everything depends upon it. If it could be disproved, the whole system of Christianity would be swept away. A Christ who died and did not rise again could never be the Helper and Saviour we need. If the body of Jesus still lies amid the dust of Jerusalem, how can He help us in our struggles, our toils and our duties? If death was too strong for Him, how can we hope that He can conquer death for us? In those forty days during which Christ remained on the earth He appeared again and again to His disciples in different manifestations of His love, and gave them proofs, which left not a shadow of doubt in any heart.

Used with permission by: The JR Miller Archive
Article Source: devotional-hours.jr-miller.com/vol-8/1-christs-ascension.html

Hayden Andrews