The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 21 May 2020 – TOPIC: THIS SAME JESUS
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DATE: THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020
(Ascension of Christ)
TOPIC: THIS SAME JESUS!
READ: ACTS 1:1-11(NKJV)
1. The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2. until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3. to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4. And being assembled together with [them,] He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” [He said,] “you have heard from Me;
5. “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7. And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9. Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11. who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This [same] Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
THE MESSAGE:
From our text, Jesus after His death and resurrection appeared to the Apostles. He gave them many convincing proofs that He was alive, appearing to them over a period of 40 days and telling them about God’s kingdom (verse 3). During one such occasion, He told them to remain at Jerusalem in order to receive the gift God had promised (verse 4). He also told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them. The power would be for them to witness, starting from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (verse 8). After speaking to them, Jesus ascended into Heaven in the full view of the apostles. It took the intervention of two angels to make them understand that the same Jesus who had defied the law of gravity would come back to earth in the same way (verse 11).
The passage for today makes it clear that the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ are historical facts. His ascension was a reality and His coming again is certain. My friend, this same Jesus is able to save, keep, guide, heal and help you in your life today. Only trust Him, obey Him and be ready.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to overcome the life of sin as I wait for the coming of the Lord. Amen.