John 20:17 ~ Ascending to My Father and Your Father

 

John 20:17

John 20:17

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 

Luke 24:50-51

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into Heaven. 

Acts 1:11

And said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into Heaven.” 

The Ascension wasn't really my favorite part of God's Word. So - out there. And then my friend Dee gave me something to hold on to and completely changed my mind. And we will get there.

I've listened to so many people talk about the Ascension. Can we ignore this entirely unusual portion of Scripture??? No, probably not. Believing Jesus rose from the dead and is alive cause us to think about the impossible words and deeds of Jesus Christ, Only Son of God.  And

Elijah ascended! We all love to hear about Elisha witnessing the blessing of God's Double Spiritual Gifts. We want to be there - help, comfort, understand and be comforted when someone we love and respect passes on to God's Heavenly Kingdom.

The Ascension provides us time to think about Proverbs 8: 27 

God created the circles of the deep

How would Solomon know of this aerial delight?  It's not a native Israel beauty. Solomon never visited 

Alaska, Oceans meeting salt to brackish.

Consider... Israel is a Nation today...

after 2,000 years and you are alive to know Israel Lives.

Aerial Views...

Between 1955 and 1972,  airplane passenger numbers more than quadrupled. 

By 1972 almost half of all Americans had flown, 

although most passengers were still business travelers.

Half of Americans in 1972, had never flown on an airplane.

Never saw what Jesus saw...

Consider being, wonder, wonder, wonder

being Jesus in the Ascension

Instead... The people of Jesus' time on earth, could travel 20 or possibly 25 mph, or

knots on a sailboat.

Never would they see an aerial photo or view of Jerusalem.

Rise. Rise up. Rise above it my grandmother always said.

"Rise" is Personal, Truth and of God

Matthew 17:7
Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”

Matthew 9:5
For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?

Luke 17:19
And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

John 11:23
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”


Luke 7 we will all know.

13When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.” 

14 Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. “Young man,”

 He said, “I tell you, rise up!” 

15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak! 

Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.

Consider what Jesus would see in the Ascension.

To go from the cross

To the Ascension

Something we cannot really even imagine

Glimpse of Heaven to climb out of a storm,

and the airplane suddenly is free of the Storm

and Sunlight and blue for as far as the eye can see.

\\

\

About 1981, I was a student at Texas A&M and bright, shiny new.  An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal

nor tolerate those who do. I spent wonderful days smiling. Years.

My Sophomore year: Our Canterbury Priest encouraged me to take Egyptian History with a Professor friend. Who opened up the class by saying the Ascension was a myth because all Pharaohs ascended. He went on to say this is the slave culture of Jews to want to leap ahead of their slavery owners. Interesting, because Jeremiah Chapter 16 speaks of Jews saying they are from the south, but were never, ever slaves in Egypt. Nope. Nada. Jeremiah records the waywardness before the Babylonians would destroy and enslave Judea. Their attitude wanted history to change and to write their own history. Leaving God.  And I raised my hand because my Priest and this Professor were friends, been referred to the class, to ask how the cultural generations would pick this up again. And was lambasted up one side and down the next.

Next Wednesday at Canterbury College Station, our Happy Priest, smilingly, asked me how the class went. Not so good, and I gave our Priest the conversation --- HELD IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS.  End of Smiling Priest, who told me to give the class another go and things would go better. 

I said the deadline for drop add is approaching. I determined this would improve. Next class...Oh, fires of hell, it did not improve. And I ran for the drop add building. Outta that. But, perhaps, that is what made me remember so well about Pharaohs ascending. 

(I was told later, the Professor actually was a strong Christian and I should have stayed. Well.)

Fast forward, about 25 years, I was taking a Ray Vander Laan bible study on the Exodus. And suddenly Ray Vander Laan is telling us:

The Mishkan Tent of the Dwelling....

is the exact replica of the Pharaoh's tent

arranged as if he is traveling

or going to war.

Shiloh, Israel, the last site of the Mishkan Tent of His Dwelling. The Tent Moses spoke to the Lord from. The Tabernacle. We know where this was. Today.

WHY?

The Children of God knew that the God of Abraham and Isaac was for them.

But there was not a Scripture.  And they had no idea of His Name.

Slaves are oppressed, they know what information they can gather. And they knew Egypt was the greatest power on earth, so what man alive would be close to God Himself?

The Overwhelming Grace of Jesus as Grace upon Grace being God's Nature.

God would allow His Own Tent of Dwelling to be patterned after a mere pharaoh. Because the Children of Israel would understand the Power and Royalty of their Savior. This is a foreshadowing of God moving and dwelling with us in Jesus Christ.

We watched the travel conditions of the 600,000 men, not counting women and children, who were walking the desert.  Dee turned to me and said, this has made me sad, desperately sad for a week. I always thought I'd be one of the good guys and not create a fuss during the Exodus. But now, having seen the desert, I'd want to go home. And being comfortable wouldn't be bad. I feel Terrible. I would hate, hate, hate being in the Desert of the Exodus.

Dee makes a valid point for every day of our faith journey. "Why? GOD!"

We have faith because... God loved us first, best and always. And we understand His Love. His Grace, His Mercy and begin again in faith.

 

Why the Ascension? Why?

Dee explained to me the Ascension.  Jesus is Alive.

Jesus did not go off to Crete with the Dispersion. Jesus didn't boat to Glastonbury with Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, didn't head out in the blue waters to France with Lazarus. 

And until the Holy Spirit arrived, Jesus did not want His Beloved to feel deserted.

Jesus had Great Reason for the Ascension.

John 5:17

In his defense, Jesus said to them, 

“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

Abba, Father,

Dwell in me,

Live, move and have Your Being.

Fill and Dwell those I Love.

Help us in Your Grace upon Grace

to Seek You First

And in Jesus Christ, we will finish well.

The Highest Name is Jesus Christ,

we ask in Your Son's Name,

Amen.

 He has the 

Whole World 

in

His Hands.

He has you and me

brother

in 

His Hands.

He has the Fullness of the earth 

in His Hands.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay JESUS

Micah 4:4 ~ The LORD of Hosts has spoken

 

Jesus told us Angels would arrive if He merely asked.

 The Heavenly Host arrived at His earthly beginning - we can well imagine God could call this out.

Nahum knew the Power of God.

Nahum 1:9

Whatever they plot against the LORD 

He will bring to an end; 

trouble will not come a second time.

The Old Testament has a bold statement from God saying He can bring the end of conflict, to any conflict. It's difficult to find the exact verse because we live in a world with conflict resolution being a process. God the Almighty says He brings Peace. His Word. In Great Power of His Being the Lord.

Ephesians 1:22-23 

And He put all things under His feet 

and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 

which is His body

The fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, 

the world and those who dwell therein, 

for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 89:11

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them.

We could wonder, in Psalm 24, why He added founded on the seas and established upon the rivers. After the Light, God worked upon the waters. Psalm 24 suggests a process is involved. A waiting to seek and find. The Process of time involved in the Prodigal son. And yet 

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God 

all things work together for good, 

for those who are called according to His Purpose.

Matthew 9:36

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, 

He had compassion for them 

because they were troubled and helpless, 

like sheep without a shepherd

Jesus did not appear to have compassion on the woman from Syrophoenician, until she said she would be like a dog, sitting humbly to have the crumbs.  Her faith was also saying, she understands Jesus is the Shepherd of many. We are touched by the Lord and our hearts are warm, but we understand in mature faith, Jesus comes to save ... the world. If we have faith, our prayers are answered and the Lord's Prayer says Your Good Will be done on earth as in Heaven. We say answer us in Your Plan. The Lord is the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

And, as surely as Jesus walks on water, all things are Possible with God. The believers of the Lord, this is a reminder. 2/3rds of Believers will tell you how they know their heart's prayer was answered, with only the Lord able to complete the Good Work.

Micah 4:4

Everyone shall sit 

every man under his vine 

and under his fig tree,

 and no one shall make them afraid, 

for the mouth of the LORD of Hosts 

has spoken.

John 8:2 

Early the next morning He was back again at the Temple. 

The crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them.

Mark 4:1 

Once again, Jesus 

began to teach beside the sea,

 and such a large crowd gathered

He got into a boat and sat in it out on the boat in the sea 

and sat down; 

and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land

 

Matthew 5:1 

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. 

His disciples came to him.

John 6:10

 

Now there was plenty of grass in that place, Jesus said, 

"Have the people sit down."

 And they sat down, about five thousand were there.

Mark 16:19 

 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them...

He was taken up into Heaven 

and He sat at the right hand of God, 

taken up into heaven 

and sat down in the place of honor.

Psalm 147:14

14 He makes peace in your borders; 

He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat. 

15 He sends forth His command to the earth; 

His word runs very swiftly.

Leviticus 26:6 

I will grant peace in the land, 

and you will lie down 

and no one will make you afraid. 

I will remove wild beasts from the land, 

and the sword will not pass through your country.

Consider this Gospel:

Matthew 22

23 The same day Sadducees came to him,
who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question,

24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong because you know neither

The Scriptures and the Power of God.

30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: 

32‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?

 He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

33 And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. 

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, 

they gathered together.

This passage is one of great importance and a favorite of mine:

The Word of God manifest applauds the Living Scriptural Word of God. We all might hope Jesus shook the earth as He said, "The Scriptures and the Power of God."

God gave us Jesus. Jesus gave us Salvation. 
The Word of God made manifest could have peace anytime He wanted Peace.

Jesus sets the witnesses for Resurrection in the son rising alive for the Widow of Nain and Jesus' Blessing.

Jesus sets the Blessing in understanding - God didn't have to have Jesus spar with Words. God's Word stood Alive and Active as Today.

Jesus is God's Word as Power.

Jesus is without fear.

The people saw Jesus and Jesus daily loadeth them with benefits.
Living Water reaching us two millenniums later.

The Word of God - the Disciples find  Jesus can end the storm and the wind
and we discover that believing in His Word we are part of this.

The Promises of God are sure.

Abba, Father

When Jesus prays with us, we have the results of His Love. 

We ask this Blessing.

When we ask You, You are present. 

And the meal is more nourishing than the food for the people living in Love.

When we consider the summer - we recall days of our childhood and life where summer would never end. The day lasted a long time, then we have an idea of Heaven's days. We have a glimpse of Heaven. And our hearts remember Joy of memories You have given us of Abundant Life. These remembrances are Joy.

Cover our Loved ones with this Joy. Jesus tells us He had such Joy in this life.

Let the people You have given us know these blessings of Yours.

Help the Nation trusting in You to have the gratitude in them of God - guiding us.

Bless our employments, dreams, efforts and striving. 

In the Strength of God, we will go farther than we ask or imagine.

Bless the Bible and Jesus believing Churches to radiate the Love God has - and all are blessed.

Bless all the Nations trusting in You to have more Holy Spirit and more Heaven on earth. 

We build when we believe and trust - our words and deeds build us all.

Bless us in our hopes - that as we please You daily - our will rejoices in Your Will. 

Our Father's Gracious Will for our heart, hearth, family, health with Joy and Love.

Please dwell in us and those we pray for.

Dwell in those we Love.

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well in Jesus Christ.

A Grateful Heart to the Lord God Almighty, Father.

Please Bless us 

renew us to rest and to be productive. 

For security. 

All our hopes of Healing

and Recovery are in Jesus Christ.

Amen and Amen and Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay JESUS