CLEOPAS' DIARY - DAY 48

[This series of Devotions are in the format of Historical Fiction. The main facts are accurate, but the Diary is fictional.]

Text: Acts 1:9-11 (CSB) – After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

Dear Diary: So much has taken place over the last 40 days. I will never forget that first day of the week when Jesus walked with my friend and I. Being some of the first ones that He appeared to, I count as a high honor. I feel so unworthy to have had that privilege. Today was another remarkable day.

Over these 40 days, he appeared to Peter and restored him to fellowship. He appeared to the remaining disciples twice in that first week in the Upper Room. The women, also. It has caused quite a stir in Jerusalem. Pilate was about to have the guards executed when, rumor has it, that the Jewish leaders stepped in and started some rumors that cleared them up. Said the disciples stole the body – if you could have seen us that morning cowering in that room – no way we could have taken the body. We thought He was dead. In fact, we had seen him killed. No doubts about that. But then – WOW!

A large crowd of us (some estimated it at over 500) had gathered to hear Him teach again. He challenged us to go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 CSB). And on that mountain in Galilee, he gave us the plan for doing this. He said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 CSB).

And then, while we were absorbing this message – He suddenly started to rise up into the sky – rising until He disappeared into the clouds. We weren’t sure if we could believe our eyes, when all of a sudden two men in white clothes (angels, I understand) told us that this very same Rabbi Jesus who ascended will one day come back in the same manner.

We quickly went back into Jerusalem expecting Him to come back any day. What a marvelous day. Now, we need to get about this Great Commission that He has left us with. But, what did He mean by receiving power from the Holy Spirit? I will need to think more about this.