<SPAN name="ch14"></SPAN>
<h3>The Ascension: Back Home Again Until----</h3>
<h4>Tarry Ye--Go Ye.</h4>
<p>One day the disciples and followers of Jesus had met in Jerusalem, when
Jesus Himself came again in their midst and talked with them quite a bit.
He said particularly that they were not to leave Jerusalem, but wait
there. In a few days the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and they were
to wait until He came. Then He asked them to go with Him for a walk. And
they walk together along those old Jerusalem streets, out the gate and off
past Gethsemane toward the top of Olives over against Bethany. On the way
they ask Him if it was His plan to set up the kingdom then. He turns their
thought away from Palestine toward the world, away from times and seasons
toward telling a race about Himself.</p>
<p>And now they are standing together on the Mount of Olives. There is Peter,
the new man of rock, and John and James, the sons of thunder, and little
Scotch Andrew, and the man in whom is no guile, and the others. But one's
eyes quickly go by these to the Man in the center of the group. These men
stand gazing on that face, listening for His words. There is a
consciousness that the goodbye word is about to be spoken. Yonder they can
see the bit of a depression and the tops of some old trees. That is
Gethsemane. And over beyond that is the city wall and the little knoll
near by outside. That is Calvary. With memories such as these suggest they
listen with eyes as well as ears. "Ye shall receive power," the Master is
saying, "and ye shall be <i>My witnesses</i> here in Jerusalem and in all
Judea, your brothers, and in Samaria, the nearby people you don't like,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth, everybody else." They are held
by the words and by that face. Then He lifts up His hands in blessing upon
them. And as they gaze they notice He is rising, His feet are off the
earth, then higher and higher. Then a shining glory cloud sweeps down out
of the blue, and now they see Him no more.</p>
<h4>Coming Again.</h4>
<p>They continue gazing, held spellbound by the sight, thinking maybe they
may get another look. Then two men in white apparel are in their midst and
speak to them: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into the
heavens? This Jesus who was received up into heaven shall so come in like
manner as ye beheld Him going into heaven." That word at once sends them
back to the waiting-place of which the Master had spoken. From that time
they never lost the upward glance, but they were ever absorbed in obeying
the Master's command.</p>
<p>Jesus' ascension was a continuation of the resurrection movement. The
resurrection was the beginning of the ascension. Having finished the task
involved in dying, Jesus responded to the natural upward movement of His
life. On His way up from the tomb to His Father's home and throne, He
tarried awhile on the earth for the sake of these disciples and leaders,
then yielded again to the upward movement. The two men in white apparel
give the key to the ascension. Jesus will remain above until the next
great step in the kingdom plan. Then He will return to carry out in full
the Father's great love-plan for man and for the earth.</p>
<p>His last act with these men was conducting them to the Mount of Olives.
That is ever to be the point of outlook for His follower. Yonder in full
view is Gethsemane and Calvary. Following the line of His eyes and
pointing finger, as the last word is spoken, leads us ever to the man
nearest by, to the uttermost parts of the earth, and to all between.
Following His disappearing figure keeps us ever looking upward to Himself
and forward to His return.</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />