EARLY CHURCH HISTORY 101 (Lesson 4)
The Bible records many miraculous historical events. One of the most miraculous, or downright mind-bending if you were there, was the Ascension of the Lord. Some say it defies belief. Believers say He defied gravity.
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INTRODUCTION LESSON 1 LESSON 2 LESSON 3
LESSON 4
ACTS 1:9-12
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. [1]
Luke reports the event in an understated matter-of-fact manner. The likelihood is strong that he wasn’t there so he must have received the information from those who were. Since he wrote The Acts of the Apostles about thirty years after the Ascension, it is most probable that many of the firsthand witnesses had already passed on. Nevertheless, I don’t believe Luke would have relied on secondhand information, no matter how credible. Who might have provided their testimony? There was a large group there, not only the eleven apostles. Some of them probably later traveled into the far reaches of the Greco-Roman world. The apostle Paul, whom Luke spent much time with, would certainly have known many who were there that day.
Regarding the Lord’s departure, it must have been hard on everybody. Maybe the thoroughly unique and otherworldly method He chose took some of the edge off. He knew He would still be with them, though in spiritual form. But His disciples likely felt that an unseen floor had dropped away. They spent almost every day of the last few years with Him. He taught them everything they knew. They would miss Him terribly. We have all had such heartfelt goodbye moments, sometimes involving those we would never see again.
As they stood there on the Mount of Olives between Bethany and Jerusalem peering up into the sky at the Lord’s strange private rapture, the disciples were enthralled with an event never possibly experienced before, lost in their goodbyes, and momentarily overcome with loss. How would they manage without Him?
Then the two angels suddenly showed up with more of the matter-of-fact narrative as if the Ascension were a mere ho hum event. “Why are you guys still standing there looking into the sky?” With that statement the angels announced yet another event, one stranger than the first.
He’s coming back.
© 2020 by RJ Dawson. All Rights Reserved.
[1] Unless otherwise noted all Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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Posted on January 30, 2024, in Teaching and tagged Acts of the Apostles, Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Biblical Prophecy, Early Church, Holy Spirit, John the Immerser, Kingdom of Heaven, Lord Jesus, Power To Be Anointed Witnesses, Real Christianity The Nature of the Church, The Great Awakening, The Remnant. Bookmark the permalink. 14 Comments.
Real Christianity 
Great post!!!
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Thank you Linda. Much appreciation. Blessings to you
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This reminds me of what my grandfather experienced before he passed away. I would like to share it here with you. Our grandparents took us in when I was just a baby. When I was older, my grandfather and I did everything together. Every Saturday morning I would get up early and go down stairs when it was still dark outside and he and I would get our fishing gear together and head out to the lake. I was 10 years old on this one particular day, a Saturday morning. I remember clearly sitting up in bed, preparing to go downstairs to start the day with him. But, as I sat there on the edge of the bed, there appeared a person, I remember white, I remember hands and unspoken words as this being gently laid me back into bed, to go back to sleep. I awoke later hearing crying coming from downstairs. As I later realized, it was my grandmother crying as our grandfather had passed away during the morning. He had gone out to a chair in the dining room, sat down and put his head in his hands and passed away peacefully. But, a couple years later, my grandfather’s sister told us what was happening before he passed away. Grandfather had confided in her, telling her that a man was appearing at night at the end of his bed. A man dressed in white and standing there with his arms crossed and they would just have a conversation about things. Until one night he stood at the end of the bed with his arms open. A few days later, grandfather passed away. On the morning where, now as I have heard the entire story, I believe his angel had stopped me from coming downstairs by putting me back to sleep. So as he could pass on and go with his angel. I have never forgotten that feeling and I can still remember the touch, it was so peaceful and comforting. I truly believe. 🙂
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I believe also, Sandra. Thank you immensely for sharing this beautiful story. You were so blessed to have such loving grandparents who took you in and raised you. They taught you so well. What a great bond you developed with your grandfather. The Lord provided for you. You must have so many wonderful memories of your times together. Ten years is a long time for a child but just a brief time otherwise. From what you have shared here I know your life has been very difficult at times but the good news is the Lord was always there guiding you and directing you and helping you. I am blessed that He has allowed us to be blogging friends. You are an inspiration. I am glad you and your husband are free to hit the road and enjoy your many travels which you share. You are a blessing to many.
I woke up this morning thinking I was again at that time when I have to drop this site and concentrate on practical matters, in part because I am simply no longer being very effective and my readership has dwindled. I had come to that conclusion a few weeks ago. But then the Lord told me in no uncertain terms about a week and a half ago that I must continue regardless of my present trying circumstances. He said the spiritual relationships are necessary, which means they are beneficial. So when I got up this morning I instead returned to form and raised my hands and praised Him and received much joy and peace.
Then you bless me with this amazing story. Thank you for continuing to read my work and appreciate it. Many blessings to y’all.
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Thank you very much, RJ. I can understand your struggles and wondering if what we do with blogging is reaching anyone or if we are even on the right path with what we do. Changes are sometimes inevitable. Even for me, with photography, I just keep plugging along because I enjoy it so much. But there are times when I take a break from it, and put the cameras away and the computers, that is when I reconnect with the silence, stepping back so as I can hear Him more clearly. My time to step away from the noise and focus on my journey, what He wants me to do next, if anything. Reading your post gives me clarity. Teaches me things I may have forgotten about. I have followed many bloggers over the years who have had to quit writing and who have passed away. They have all been a blessing and a part of so many people’s journeys. Thank you for being a part of mine. He does work in such a mysterious way. 😊
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Well, I have had considerable success in reaching a great many wonderful people over many years here, though there have been the inevitable ups and downs as it is with everyone. Part of that dynamic is due to the demands of vital practicality in which one must attend to what may be termed non-spiritual matters which cuts in to consistency and content level. Another part, however, involves the new truth I present which people must be open to, consider, adapt to, and hopefully accept, and part of that equation requires getting past the initial rejection reaction and looking into the new truth presented to verify it. Some do this. Most probably do not.
This means, of course, that there is a struggle involved in presenting truth. What I do here is an obvious form of direct witnessing and this will always involve a level of spiritual warfare. It becomes problematic, though, when the process involves the breaking of relationships in that some put their untested beliefs above relationship and forego dialogue. Even so, I have had many readers who simply agree to disagree and we remain friends.
When one is a cutting-edge innovator, researcher, prolific writer, and teacher working extremely hard over several decades to discover the full truth of the New Covenant and Biblical truth in general as well as being highly proficient and knowledgeable in many other areas of study, one hopes for willing students and hopefully assisting them in becoming aware of all I have discovered. The Lord instructs us to share what He teaches us so others can benefit also.
To that end, I have done the best I can with what I have to this point. In order to continue in the way I must to give the Lord my very best and excel, I will need greater resources. I am simply tired of operating on a limited scale and existing in constant survival mode. This is a labor of love and I will never stop, however. We are also very late in the game entering into what will become ever more an extremely challenging time that most are completely unaware of and I want to be here to help and serve others, especially my loyal readers and friends.
Thanks for your prayers and support, Sandra. Blessings
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I like “His own private rapture.” Ours will be instant, no slow ascension, but I believe it helped the disciples to actually see Him rise up into heaven.
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Yes. Seeing their Lord and Master again do the otherwise impossible by visibly ascending into heaven only added that much more to His otherwise impossible resurrection. Just as death could not hold Him neither could the physical laws of the earth, as least as they apply to everyone else. This must have also reminded them of the time He walked on water, possibly especially with the apostle Peter who the Lord renamed and whose name means “rock” (Petros). Peter also walked on the water but then began sinking like a rock when he took his eyes off the Lord and considered his natural surroundings which appeared as though they would overcome him. But the Lord came over and grabbed Peter in time which means He does the same for all of us while in the process of learning spiritual things. In all three of these instances the Lord taught that His disciples can also do as He did. All real Christians are therefore destined to rise from the dead and ascend to heaven. Some may even walk on water…
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If you have faith the size of a mustard seed. . . .
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I have a simple question I guess. I kind of know the answer but yet I have struggled with it for years. I saw a sign the other day when we were driving that stated. My Lord is Jesus Christ. Now, I know our Father and Jesus are one in the same, maybe in a way we don’t really understand until we stand before Him one day. But, in my mind. My Lord, my God is our Father. There is a part of me that feels if I pray only to Jesus that I am not giving honor to our Father who created all things. I would not be here if not for Him first. I almost feels as though I would hurt our Fathers feelings if I did not speak to Him directly, which I do all the time. I say thank you and honor be to Him our Father all the time. Jesus is important, no question, but He did not create, right? He came to save us, but He did not create us. Hmmm, this one has stumped me for many years. 🙂
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Thank you Sandra. Excellent question. Actually, there are several New Testament passages revealing our Lord Jesus as the Creator. Perhaps the most well-known are the following:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. [John 1:1-3]
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. [John 1:14]
Here is another from Paul’s letter to the Colossians:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. [Colossians 1:15-18]
On the one hand, it may appear difficult to understand that the Lord Jesus is God. Much of this, however, is due to faulty Christian teaching and standardized doctrines regarding His true identity which has made the subject confusing. The New Testament, however, contains no such confusing doctrines and left to itself as the pure written Word of God reveals clearly the Lord’s identity.
To that end, I have written much material over the years including articles for this website which I started in May of 2011. In the autumn of that year I wrote a 10-Part series entitled “The Name of God: The Name Above Every Name.” This would be a great introductory series for you to read. Afterwards I can direct you to further material. Here is the link for Part 1 (You can follow the embedded links for Part 2, etc.):
Thank you Sandra. I look forward to hearing from you and further interaction regarding any questions you may have. Blessings to you
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Thank you RJ, I will definitely read those articles. The sentence, He is the image of the invisible God, struck a feeling in me. I never thought of it that way. So by praying to Jesus, I am still talking directly to the one we cannot lay our eyes on. Which is a concept that I think our human brains can’t totally comprehend, something beyond my simple mind, that He is a being so powerful and so unlike us, that I cannot look at Him. Your comment opened a new door in my heart I had not known about. I remember many, many years ago, a church that I started to go to, told me I could only speak to our Father through them, through the church. In my heart I knew that was not right. I left that church. Thank you again RJ.
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Thanks Sandra. I am blessed by your response. Perhaps the easiest way to think about the Lord’s true identity is that the one God became a Man. I think most Christians understand this on the surface but further details remain somewhat unclear. To assist in resolving this lack of clarity, there is a foundational passage in the Book of Isaiah, a man who was a highly anointed prophet and who lived over seven centuries before the Lord’s arrival in the first century AD, that gives us an excellent understanding of the subject:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:6]
In this prophetic passage, Isaiah says the coming Messiah, our Lord Jesus, would not only be a son (the Son of God) but would also be the Mighty God Himself (there is only one God) and the Eternal Father. So yes, “by praying to Jesus, I am still talking directly to the one we cannot lay our eyes on.” This is exactly true. By addressing the Lord Jesus one is directly addressing the Father.
Of course, we in our time cannot lay our eyes on the Lord Jesus at present though those in the first century AD could. It was undoubtedly difficult for His followers to understand fully that though God is a Spirit they were also beholding God “in flesh.” In time, however, they received the revelation. Please know that the revelation of the Lord’s true identity is something personal that occurs spiritually to each individual directly from God. You were right to move on.
I look forward to more interaction with you on this, Sandra. Thank you for beginning your reading of the series. I believe it will be a blessing to you which will also be a great blessing to me. Until next time…
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Thank you again RJ. I look forward to reading your research on this subject. I have never heard it explained this way. It is like a weight has been lifted to know someone understood my question, and He sent you to answer this that has been troubling my mind. 😊
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