Taken Away
Acts 1:9-11
"The bible records eleven different appearances of Jesus after He was raised from the dead. In this text we read of our Lord's eleventh appearance in which, with that little band of eleven Apostles, He walked from Jerusalem across the Kidron then up the slope to the brow of Mt. Olivet.
While the stood there Jesus gave instructions and encouragement, lifted His nail scarred hands and the scripture says, "While they beheld, He was lifted up... taken away!"
He was lifted up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. That does not mean that He disappeared into a cloud like a ship slips into the fog. It means to literally "take from underneath". Like the chariot of God, He was lifted up from underneath and a cloud received Him out of their sight... away from their natural sight.
When that happened, they stood there amazed... transfixed... looking up into heaven. And as they stood there in wonder... in rapture, the bible says, "Behold two men stood by them in white apparel" who said, "Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?"
When that happened, they stood there amazed... transfixed... looking up into heaven. And as they stood there in wonder... in rapture, the bible says, "Behold two men stood by them in white apparel" who said, "Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?"
Sometimes our hearts lead us into actions that are difficult to explain... like going to the grave to weep! Does it do any good? Does it change the circumstances? No, but it is just something dictated by the heart. Those apostles, standing there in transfixed amazement were asked "Why?" by the angels.
We have some "whys" of our own.
Why was our Lord taken away? He is seen no more with our eyes in the congregation of the "called out".
His voice is heard no more among the saints.
His place is empty at the table.
Why was He taken away?
In Luke 24:29, on the road to Emmaus, the two disciples said to our Lord, "Come and abide with us." They begged Him to stay.
We are like that with Him. We would constrain Him to stay with us!
Why?
Because if He were with us in the flesh, we could overcome a thousand frustrations... endure like a breeze, life's hurts and pain. There would be none, in fact!
We could dissolve a million difficulties, if the Lord were here. Everything would be settled and better, maybe even perfect and we could throw faith out the door.
We are all convinced that His presence would be worth that of 10,000 apostles.
If He were here we could bring Him all our sick.
We could lay our dead at His feet and they'd live again.
He would confront and defeat our enemies...if only He were here!!
As we read the bible, we find there are dear answers to the question as to why the Lord was taken away into heaven.
John 16:6,7 says, "But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
Why is it best for us that our Lord go away? There are at least five reasons:
First: Our Lord's ascension was in the plan and purpose of God. (We always seem to struggle with that.)
Listen... we are His sheep here below. We are not to suppose that a tragedy has overtaken us, that our Lord has forsaken us. He is there in Heaven as alive, as loving, as caring and as committed to us as He ever was!
Cynics, dispisers and Scoffers have always avowed, "Your Christianity has spun out! There is no King nor Kingdom! Your Lord was taken away and you know not where they have taken Him! You will never see Him again. There is no power and His miracle-working hands are folded in some forgotten grave! This is the end of The Way and the defeat of His message!"
But I tell you.... That is not so! Our Lord has only changed His place of vision and supervision. He has left this earth to go on high, to be seated on the right hand of the Almighty. All authority and power in heaven and on earth has been given Him... He said so!
From His heavenly vantage and strategic point of glory, He surveys the whole field of battle and directs His Kingdom's work on earth!
There is not a better way. He has not forsaken us! He is there, for our sakes, to guide and direct us in His great battle plan and its execution.
Someday He's coming again, in a moment, in the twinkling of and eye, at one unknown hour... the great Leader, our General of the marshaled forces of God, on earth will appear!
Second: Why did He leave? In order that our hearts, prayers, vision and hope might be lifted upward... heavenward,...Godward,...
Christward!
Colossians 3:2 says, "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For our conversation is in heaven' from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 3:20 says that that is where our real citizenship is.
Our Lord is in heaven and the intent of God is that our hearts, affections, prayers, dreams and our every prospect might be Godward!
To all of us who have found a Savior in Him, there is always that pull toward God... that lifting of face, heart, hand and hope toward Him. There is an upwardness to the Christian faith.
There was once a wild Mallard who was raised by a domestic duck. Each year as he floated on his pond, paddling around with his family, he'd hear the call of the other wild mallards as they flew over him. They seemed to be calling him to come with them. He'd look at his mother, then he'd look at the formation above him. His heart was divided. Then finally one fateful day, he could stay no longer. His feet began to paddle, his wings began to tremble, then flap, then spread and he began to lift... up...up... up into the air, until finally he joined in with the formation, as his heart answered the call. He had joined the throng and flow upward, out of the sight of the earth bound. ("Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Him." St. Augustine)
Many people, like domestic ducks, are content here. Their investments, treasures and purposes are here. Their happiness depends on this little pond. All they look forward to is here, for they are not the children of God.
But I tell you, the child of God hears the call of Heaven! His heart, hands, and hopes are all lifted upward. All of God's people are gathered, being gathered and will be gathered to Heaven.
If you live long enough, all your family and friends, will be gone and if they know the Lord, to Heaven. If the Lord were here and all whom we love were there, that would be such a sadness!
But the Lord is in heaven. He is waiting there and gradually our loved ones are crossing over to be with Him there.
Someday our time will come... and He will be there to receive us and our parents and children will be there with Him, and isn't that a better idea?
Third: Why was He taken away? So that we might learn to live by faith, not by sight. The Christian faith economy is one of spiritual substance and content. If the Lord were here, perpetually incarnate, there would be a moratorium on faith. People would struggle from one side of the earth to the other, to get to were He was.
We would come to Him to stare and hope for His attention. We'd bring Him our problems, seek advice, bring our sick, dying, dead. We'd watch and be amazed.... dazzled as He took care of people and fed the millions.
God has so designed the Christian faith in a way that its substance or essence is invisible. Things that are seen are temporal. Unseen things are eternal. Things that are temporal pass and fade away... "The flower fades, the grass withers..." The very heavens and earth shall pass away.
2 Corinthians 4:18 says, "While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
The realities of God are invisible and spiritual... they are eternal, not temporal. That's why we Christians are forever looking up!
Our expectations are in Heaven...
our alter is in heaven...
our Great High Priest is in heaven!
We have in Him an eternal faith, a spiritual faith, which is not seen with the naked eye, but is hidden away from our natural eyes that we might see with the eyes of faith!
Hebrews 11 says of Moses, "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible!"
It's a poor faith that insists on thrusting it's fingers into the nail scars!
Fourth: Why did our Lord ascend into glory? Because there, He is our faithful High Priest, our Mighty Mediator, our Omnipotent Intercessor and Savior.
He is our Representative in heaven, there to secure for us an eternal salvation and everlasting inheritance...we who have been and are being saved!
In 1 Timothy 3:16 Paul tells Timothy that Christ was, "Seen of angels". They had watched Him in eternity present when He was born. They continued their vigil throughout His ministry. They saw Him crucified; they saw Him dead, they saw Him buried. They rolled away the stone when He rose from the dead. They watched as He ascended into heaven and they welcomed Him back to glory.
Would you like to read about His reception? Read Revelation 5. If you want to know how it was when He entered into Heaven read Ephesians 4:8. "It is Jesus now who entered into Heaven and is there on the Father's right hand."
Our Brother who lived our lives, walked our earth, saw our failings, loves us through them, suffered our sorrows, died our death, wept our tears... this Brother is in Heaven at the right hand of God!
Hebrews 7:25 says, "Touched with the feelings of our infirmities, wherefore He is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by Him... seeing He liveth to make intercession for them."
All others would be unqualified... unable, but Jesus will not fail!
Our life here is hid in Him. Our life hear after is hid in Him. If a garden tomb and winding sheet shall be our lot, the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead shall raise me! 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves!"
Fifth: Why was He taken away?...so the Comforter could come. Look at John 16:7. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient (good for you) that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
He is our "one along side". Do you have a question? Ask Him! Do you need strength! Ask Him! Do you need grace, peace, assurance? Ask Him! He is our friend, The Holy Spirit is listening, ready to respond to every Godly desire we will ever have... and all the while Jesus is in Heaven preparing for you and me a mansion!
Oh wait!...That's reason number six!
In 1 Timothy 3:16 Paul tells Timothy that Christ was, "Seen of angels". They had watched Him in eternity present when He was born. They continued their vigil throughout His ministry. They saw Him crucified; they saw Him dead, they saw Him buried. They rolled away the stone when He rose from the dead. They watched as He ascended into heaven and they welcomed Him back to glory.
Would you like to read about His reception? Read Revelation 5. If you want to know how it was when He entered into Heaven read Ephesians 4:8. "It is Jesus now who entered into Heaven and is there on the Father's right hand."
Our Brother who lived our lives, walked our earth, saw our failings, loves us through them, suffered our sorrows, died our death, wept our tears... this Brother is in Heaven at the right hand of God!
Hebrews 7:25 says, "Touched with the feelings of our infirmities, wherefore He is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by Him... seeing He liveth to make intercession for them."
All others would be unqualified... unable, but Jesus will not fail!
Our life here is hid in Him. Our life hear after is hid in Him. If a garden tomb and winding sheet shall be our lot, the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead shall raise me! 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves!"
Fifth: Why was He taken away?...so the Comforter could come. Look at John 16:7. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient (good for you) that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."
He is our "one along side". Do you have a question? Ask Him! Do you need strength! Ask Him! Do you need grace, peace, assurance? Ask Him! He is our friend, The Holy Spirit is listening, ready to respond to every Godly desire we will ever have... and all the while Jesus is in Heaven preparing for you and me a mansion!
Oh wait!...That's reason number six!
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