Ascension of Jesus Christ
(both websites listed below were accessed Sept. 07, 2007)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RabulaGospelsFol13vAscension.jpg
Folio
13v of the Rabula Gospels (
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts;&version=31;
In J. Vernon
Acts 1:9 “The ascension is an important and significant miracle in the
Ministry of Jesus . . . .”
Acts 1 (NIV)
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to
teach
2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving
instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he
showed himself to these men and
gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a
period of
forty days and spoke about the
with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave
Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For
John baptized with[a] water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore
the kingdom to
7He said to them: "It is not for you to
know the times or dates the Father has set by his
own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you; and you
will be my witnesses in
earth."
9After he said this, he was taken up before
their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from
their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as
he was going, when suddenly two men
dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of
Galilee," they said, "why do you stand
here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into
heaven,
will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12Then they returned to
day's walk[b] from the city. 13When
they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where
they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and
Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus
and Simon the Zealot, and
Judas son of James. 14They all joined together
constantly in prayer, along with the
women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15In those days Peter stood up among the
believers[c] (a group numbering about a
hundred and twenty) 16and said, "Brothers, the
Scripture had to be fulfilled which the
Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who
served as
guide for those who arrested Jesus— 17he was one of our
number and shared in this
ministry."
18(With the reward he got for his wickedness,
Judas bought a field; there he fell
headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem
heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of
Blood.)
20"For," said Peter, "it is
written in the book of Psalms,
" 'May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,'[d] and,
" 'May another take his place of leadership.'[e] 21Therefore it is
necessary to choose one
of the men who have been with us the
whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among
us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when
Jesus was taken up from us. For
one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
23So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and
Matthias. 24Then they prayed, "Lord, you know
everyone's heart. Show us which of
these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic
ministry, which Judas left to go
where he belongs." 26Then they cast lots, and the
lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to
the eleven apostles.