Ascension Day
By Tom Brown
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With Ascension as described in the Bible, he led the Apostles out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. While they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
The verses are from Luke, Acts and Mark in the KJV.
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Jesus had descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again, He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, as scripture and in accordance with the Apostle's creed. In Christian belief the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven was on the 40th day after his Resurrection. After appearing to the Apostles on various occasions Jesus was taken up in their presence and was then hidden from them by the cloud.
The meaning of the Ascension for Christians is derived from the belief in the glorification and exaltation of the Son of God following his death and Resurrection, as well as of his return to the Father. In other words, Christ “was lifted up into heaven so that he might make us partakers of his Godhead.”
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The feast of the Ascension ranks with Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost and it is kept in creedal Christian churches. The teaching is accepted in the Apostles' Creed, recognised as the universal official Christian declaration of faith and which is observed by all traditional churches and denominations. In the old days Ascension was a traditional public holiday.
Despite a time of sadness and loss as might be expected instead the whole observance through the ten days to Pentecost is of joy in the final triumph of the risen Lord.
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The advent, “coming” in the Christian church calendar is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. The Advent referred to the dual coming of Jesus - his incarnation in Bethlehem and his second coming as judge at the end of time. Advent has developed increasingly into the joyful anticipation of Jesus' birth and starts beginning of December.
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His physical body, the flesh was thus taken up to the heavens as witnessed by the apostles. The Holy Spirit of the Trinity descended and the great comforter was poured shortly after with Pentecost. The second coming is also as his physical body and with judgement the chosen and believers will be rewarded eternal life heaven and paradise.
From Creation and Eden and fall of man to sin, and Moses and the Ten Commandments, on Christmas day the Saviour was born of the Virgin Mary. With Easter Friday Jesus was crucified, he was thus a sacrifice and died as atonement and forgiveness of sin by faith. On the third day of Easter his body resurrected from the dead and ascended to Heaven after forty days.
Thus ended his physical presence on Earth starting with the immaculate conception and his birth by Mary. Christians believe there will be a second coming with the Lord returning as Jesus in the flesh as his physical body had departed. According to the prophets and the promises of scripture He shall return in the flesh as a physical glorified body and on the clouds as he had departed.
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Good to be reminded. I had
Good to be reminded. I had not thought about it being Ascension Day, ie 40 days after Easter Sunday this year. The dates vary with the lunar calendar, don't they.
May all call to him now for love, mercy and grace, and joyfully await his coming! Rhiannon
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