Tears are common when we have to say good-bye to someone that we care about. Maybe we would have rather had more time with our loved one. The truth is no matter the circumstances it can be a sad day when that person leaves. Before Jesus left and ascended into heaven, he warned his disciples that the time would be coming very quickly when he would no longer be around. Normally if someone tells you that you’re better off without them, they have reasons. “I’m a bad influence. I’ll just bring you down. I have bad habits that will rub off on you.” None of these apply to Jesus! Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are, but was with out sin (Heb 4:15). Even though Jesus has ascended into heaven, that doesn’t mean that he has left us. He promised at his ascension that he will be with us, until the very end of the age.
There are two very good reasons why Jesus left. 1) Jesus didn’t leave us to run away. He left us to rule the Universe. Jesus reigns in heaven for the good of his church. 2) Let’s just play out what life would be like if Jesus was still with us. He could feed whole stadiums with just a few loaves and fish. Imagine world hunger being wiped out! What could he do for the medical field? Curing diseases, staving off death! Couldn’t he do a better job than our mortal public servants. Jesus could possibly bring world peace with his divine wisdom. If these ideas sound good to you, then I’ve just showed in a few sentences why Jesus had to leave. There would be no room for the forgiveness of sins. The focus would never be on the next life. Eternity would get pushed to the curb and the disease of sin that Jesus cured and destroyed by his death on the cross would be forgotten.
Jesus had to leave, but dry those tears, because he would send us the Holy Spirit. Watch and see all that the Spirit does for the church!
Topic(s): PentecostBook(s): John
Tag(s): Holy Spirit, Son of God, Trinity
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg