OCR Document

After appearing twice to His disciples in Jerusalem, Jesus came to them again on the shores of the Lake of Galilee (John 21). At this time Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" Peter in deep humility and with growing sadness answered, "You know everything. You know that I love Y Oll."

Sometime after this, Jesus appeared to His disciples again on a mountain in Galilee. Seemingly with them were more than 500 followers of Jesus (I Cor. 15 :6).

As the risen Savior, the Lord of Lords and ruler of the universe, Jesus said, "'All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth." He added, '" am with you always till the end of the world."

Jesus made it clear that they and His followers after them had as their mission to witness to the world, to share the Gospel not only with those 'Nho were of the Jewish race. All people on the face of the earth were and are to be the object of the outreach of the church.

Those with whom the Gospel is shared and thus are led by the Holy Spirit to become followers of Jesus are to be baptized into the fellowship of the family of the triune God. They are to be taught the Word of God and its meaning in terms of faith and life so that they may grow in their expression of this faith. (Col. 3: 16; Eph. 2:10; I Peter 2:9)

THE ASCENSION

The disciples returned to Jerusalem as Jesus had instructed them. Jesus appeared and explained to them what the Old Testament had to say about the Messiah. He reminded them that they were witnesses of all that had happened. They were to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit would come to them. Then they were to carry out their mission of sharing the Gospel with the world.

Forty days after His resurrection, Jeslls came to the disciples again. As they walked with Him to the Mount of Olives, they asked if He now was going to set Israel free? The earthly, nationalistic hopes of the Jews are evident in the question of the disciples. They were asking when Jesus would set up His Kingdom :It Jerusalem as His capital and rule at least over Palestine. Some thought of such earthly rule of the Messiah as a world-wide dominion.

In Jesus' answer He did not speak of an earthly kingdom but of His spiritual kingdom, the church. Jesus had earlier said, "My kingdom is not of this world." He reminded the apostles that they were to carry His message throughout the world with the help of the Holy Spirit. Notice His answer, "You cannot know times and dates which have been fixed by the Father's sole authority. But you are to be given power when the Holy Spirit has come to you. You will be witnesses to me, not only in Jerusalem, not only throughout Judea, not only in Samaria, but to the very ends of the earth! (Acts 1 : 7 -8)

Note how Jesus describes where they were to share the Gospel message: Jerusalem. Judea, Sarnaria (the Jews looked down on the people of Samaria), and then throughout the world. The message of salvation was for all people regardless of their race or nationality.

Later events as recorded in Acts indicate that this was difficult for many of the early Christians to understand - See

Acts 10: I-II : I 8; 15. Christians fleeing Saul's persecution came to Antioch, the captial of the Roman province of Syria. Here in this great center of trade, government and religion, believers from Cyprus and Cyrene (on the coast of northern Africa) first shared the Gospel directly with non-Jews.

Somewhere on the Mount of Olives Jesus raised His hands in blessing and was taken from His disciples to return to His throne. of divine power and grace. Note how the angels spoke of Christ's return to earth - see Acts 1: llff.

Filled with joy, the disciples returned to Jerusalem to await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This occurred i 0 days later on Pentecost.

Photo creaits: Matson Photo Service