Ascension, the greatest day for all Christians

by Gwen Herat

From Galille to Jerusalam, Jesus is the promised Saviour and called the Spirit of the Lord, filled with utmost concern for all mankind that he made the supreme sacrifice, dying on the cross for us, sinners and all mankind only to rise again and sit on the right hand side of his Father.

And this is Ascension, the ascent of Christ on the fortieth day after his resurrection after appearing to his chosen ones and on this day he fullfiled his Father's promise which is more important and significant to all Christians.

As we joyfully celebrate his Ascension, our thoughts reel back to how he performed the will of God; Jesus brought before Pilate, condemned for his ministry of compassion for the poor and his believers that irked those who did not believe His Word, accused him calling and jeering him as the Messiah the King. Pilate grilled him.

'Are you the King of the Jews? "Jesus answered him softly;

So, you say' Pilate's conscience stirred and worried him. He said to them,

I have no reason to condemn him' Pilate found him innocent.

But the wicked and the pagans insisted He be put to death due to His teachings through Judea to Galille, and to Jerusalem. When Pilate came to know that Jesus was from the region where Herod ruled, he was sent before him. Herod too like Pilate found Jesus innocent, he wanted to set Jesus free but the mob was violent and insisted He be crucified. Once condemned against Herod's wishes, he was led to a place called the skull and crucified with two other criminals. Jesus turned to the women who were crying for him and said.

"Women of Jerusalam, don't weep for me but for yourselves and your children. For the days will come when people will say how lucky are the women who never had children'.

As Jesus continued to bear His agony upon the cross, His concern was his beloved people. In particular, his heart moved for the women who braved the wrath of Herod to follow Him; be at the cross and wail. Sadly they watched the soldiers harass Him, ripping off his garments to divide them among them by throwing dice. They jeered and watched his agony and said;

'He saved others, let Him save himself if He is the Messaih whom God has chosen' They made fun of him; offered Him cheap wine and challenged Him;

'Save yourself if you are the King of the Jews' and crowned Him with harsh thorns and wrote the words, 'This is the King of the Jews'.

Jesus bore agony but his compassionate heart moved for all; even for his enemies who crucified him. He felt pity as he looked down on them from the cross.

The death of Jesus leading to Ascension

When the sun stopped shinning at 12 noon and darkness covered the country until three in the noon, when the curtains hanging in the Temple were torn apart, Jesus cried out in a loud voice;

'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit'. Saying so, He died.

The supreme sacrifice was made.

People who watched this spectacle could not bear it any longer and ran home beating their breasts in sorrow. An Army officer watching Jesus breathing his last, praised God saying:-

'Certainly He was a good man'

A man called Joseph who was a Council member and against the decision to crucify Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for his body. Joseph who was from Arimathea, a town in Judea, took the body of Jesus and wrapped in white lines and placed Our Saviour in a tomb that had been dug out of rock. It was on a Friday and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had followed Jesus from Galillee went with Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus' body was placed. Then they went back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body. On the Sabbath they rested as the Law commanded.

Early Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb carrying the spices and found the stone rolled away from the entrance to the tomb and they did not find the body of Jesus. They remembered what Jesus said when he was in Galillee.

'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified and three days later rise to life'.

The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary, the mother of James. When they informed the Apostles about the risen Christ, they refused to believe them, thinking they were talking nonsense but Peter got up and ran to the tomb and saw the linen wrappings but nothing else. He went back home amazed at what he had seen. The same day two of Jesus' followers were going to Emmaus about 12 kilometres from Jerusalem talking about all the strange things that had taken place. They never knew that Jesus was following them and they failed to realise it was Him. Jesus said to them 'What are you talking about as you walk along?

They stood still with faces full of sorrow and the one named Cleopas asked him; 'Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these past few days.

'What things', Jesus asked.

'The things that happened to Jesus to Nazareth;

They explained every thing to Jesus but they still did not recognise him.

Then they went back to Jerusalem where they found the 11 disciples gathered together with others saying; 'The Lord is risen Indeed. He has appeared to Simon' Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdelene who loved and cherished Jesus very much.

She had sat crying looking for Jesus when she heard a voice say, 'I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has been raised, just as he said.' Mary Maddalene who had loved and dedicated her life to Jesus after she was cleansed of her sins, followed him to the moment he breathed His last.