Acts 1 – Jesus’ Ascension

As a family, read Acts 1:6-11 together. Afterwards, share the following discussion.

What happened?

After Jesus rose again, He appeared to his followers several times over the course of forty days. He wanted them to know that He was actually alive. During that time, they asked Him if the time had come for Him to free Israel. As a nation, they had lived under the control of other empires for hundreds of years. They knew that Jesus was more powerful that any ruler on the face of the earth. After seeing Him rise from the dead, they knew He could do anything! So they thought that maybe He would defeat Israel’s enemies and set Himself up as the King of the whole earth. But Jesus told them not to worry about that right now. Instead, He wanted them to focus on a new mission.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His followers that their mission was to tell people about Him. They were to start in Jerusalem and then move outside the city to the surrounding areas. But they were not to stop there. Jesus told them to carry His message to the ends of the earth. Jesus knew that was a big job, so He promised to give them His very Spirit to live inside them. The Holy Spirit would give them the strength and courage to carry out their mission.

Then, while they were standing there watching, Jesus disappeared into the sky. He returned to Heaven to be with His Father. Suddenly, two angels appeared and said, “Why are you standing here? Jesus has gone to Heaven, but He will come back some day.” It was as if they were saying, “Don’t stand around staring up into the sky. You have a job to do. Someday Jesus is coming back, and the world needs to hear about Him. So don’t waste time. Get to work!”

Why is this important to us today?

As Jesus’ followers, we too have a mission. He returned to Heaven so that we could be His witnesses. If Jesus stayed on earth, He could be in only one place at a time. But, through his Spirit, Jesus is with every believer, and through us He can reveal Himself to the whole world. But each of us has to make the choice to share Him with our friends and neighbors. We can’t just stand around and idly wait for Him to return. We have a job to do!

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions:

1. How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus returned to Heaven?

2. How can your family take part in telling others about Christ in your city? In other parts of your country? In other parts of the world?

How can we better follow God this week?

It’s natural to tell others good news. When we get a new game or a new phone or get to go somewhere fun, we can’t wait to tell others about it. Well, there is no greater news than Jesus! He has forgiven us and is preparing a place for us in Heaven. He loves us, provides for us, comforts us, and guides us. He has given us everything we need, and we should share Him with others every chance we get. Pray that God will give your family courage to share Jesus with those around you. Who will you share His message with this week?