Ascension and Growth
From the few insights we have from Scripture, the Forty Days that Jesus spent with the disciples from Resurrection to Ascension, were quiet, intimate and healing. I can only imagine that the prospect of Jesus' impending departure must have been quite daunting for the disciples.
But the Ascension is a key factor in their spiritual journey.
They, like Jesus in His incarnation, had to to learn to walk by faith.
They had to learn to exchange experiencing the physical experience of Christ's presence for the experience of Triune God's presence through faith, prayer, worship and fellowship. They needed to learn how to live their earthly lives deeply aware of another dimension: They had to learn to live with one foot in temporality and the other in eternity.
The Ascension reminds us of both realities. Jesus lived in our earthly reality, but His transition into eternity opens the way for you and I to recognise that we also have an eternal destination. This world is not our home.
But living by faith is not easy...
And so Jesus gives us a promise: We will not have to do this by ourselves.
We will receive help from the Holy Spirit and He will give us power. The Greek word for power is "dunamis" from which we get "dynamite" and "dynamo." I like the second implication because it conjures up memories of the dynamo light I had on my bike as a kid... When I was moving the wheel spun the dynamo and I had light for my path.
We will receive help from the Holy Spirit and He will give us power. The Greek word for power is "dunamis" from which we get "dynamite" and "dynamo." I like the second implication because it conjures up memories of the dynamo light I had on my bike as a kid... When I was moving the wheel spun the dynamo and I had light for my path.
The Ascension means Jesus has opened the "way" for me to spend eternity with Him. (Remember that early Christians were called "People of the Way"...) The dynamo power of His Spirit, working in me and you, will transform our efforts and "generate" light that will help us on the way and our lives can shine (be a witness).
| But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts1:8) |
