Basic HTML Version
Lift Him up the Risen Saviour, March 27
Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that
slept.
1 Corinthians 15:20
.
The time had come for Christ to ascend to His Father’s throne. As a divine
conqueror He was about to return with the trophies of victory to the heavenly courts.
Before His death He had declared to His Father, “I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do” (
John 17:4
). After His resurrection He tarried on earth for a
season, that His disciples might become familiar with Him in His risen and glorified
body. Now He was ready for the leave-taking. He had authenticated the fact that
He was a living Saviour. His disciples need no longer associate Him with the tomb.
They could think of Him as glorified before the heavenly universe.
As the place of His ascension, Jesus chose the spot so often hallowed by His
presence while He dwelt among men.... Christ stood upon Olivet, with yearning
heart overlooking Jerusalem. The groves and glens of the mountain had been
consecrated by His prayers and tears. Its steeps had echoed the triumphant shouts
of the multitude that proclaimed Him king. On its sloping descent He had found
a home with Lazarus at Bethany. In the Garden of Gethsemane at its foot He had
prayed and agonized alone. From this mountain He was to ascend to heaven. Upon
its summit His feet will rest when He shall come again. Not as a man of sorrows,
but as a glorious and triumphant king He will stand upon Olivet, while Hebrew
hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas, and the voices of the redeemed as a
mighty host shall swell the acclamation, Crown Him Lord of all! ...
Upon reaching the Mount of Olives, Jesus led the way across the summit, to the
vicinity of Bethany. Here He paused, and the disciples gathered about Him. Beams
of light seemed to radiate from His countenance as He looked lovingly upon them.
He upbraided them not for their faults and failures; words of the deepest tenderness
were the last that fell upon their ears from the lips of their Lord.
With hands outstretched in blessing, and as if in assurance of His protecting
care, He slowly ascended from among them, drawn heavenward by a power stronger
than any earthly attraction. As He passed upward, the awestricken disciples looked
with straining eyes for the last glimpse of their ascending Lord. A cloud of glory
hid Him from their sight; and the words came back to them as the cloudy chariot of
angels received Him, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” At
the same time there floated down to them the sweetest and most joyous music from
the angel choir (
The Desire of Ages, 829-831
).
[101]
94