Luke 24:51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Where is Jesus the day after ascension? Well the text makes clear that he is in heaven. Shortest blog post ever, right? And yet the two men in white that appear says the following.
Acts 1:10-11 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?
And so, the messengers of God make clear that man is not supposed to simply stare into the sky to try to find Jesus. So what do the disciples do?
Luke 24:51-53 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
They went to were God always had been been before he appeared in the flesh. According to the promises of God, they returned to the temple to find Jesus and worship him. They did not just stare into the sky but gazed upon the altar.
And they did so until the Spirit fell on Pentecost, at which point the following words of Jesus were made clear:
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
John 4:21-23 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
And so where did they look for Jesus then?
Acts 2:42, 46-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Oh, yes the day after Ascension, Jesus is in heaven. But that is not to where they were to look for him. “Stop looking up into heaven,†the angels declared. Oh yes, the day after Ascension according to his nature, Jesus is everywhere. But the early church did not just worship creation or try to find Jesus in every particle of the earth. No, they found Jesus were he has promised to be.
They found him in the midst of those assembled in his name, worshipping him in spirit and truth, gathered around the Word and the Supper whether than was in the grandiosity of the temple or the simplicity of their homes.
If you are looking for Jesus after Ascension, you must know where to find him. He is still in the midst of those assembled in his name, worshipping him in spirit and truth, gathered around the Word and the Supper.
That is where Jesus is after Ascension by word and promise sure. Find him there. He is waiting there with all his gifts for you.
