After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. (Acts 1:9)
The disciples had to be shocked.
Jesus had just shared key information about becoming immersed in the Holy Spirit, about receiving power for ministry, and about being his witnesses. I doubt they wanted him to stop teaching. Keep going! We are loving it!
But suddenly, here was their hero, their Master, the one they worshipped and adored, “taken up into a cloud.” The Scripture doesn’t say how…was it with feet at right angles to his legs, and just moving straight up, sort of Mary Poppins-esque? Did he put his arms above his head like a swimmer entering the water? Did his robes flutter in the breeze? How high did he go—a cloud is a long way up. Or did the cloud come down low, sort of like a heavenly Uber car service, and then he ascended to it for that short distance, and then he was transported straight up and out of sight? Was he waving good-bye? Was he even looking at them?
We are missing those fine points and explanatory details on the actual transportation moments. But we do know that he finished what he needed to do during these 40 days. When that was over, and apparently with zero warning and no preamble like—“stand by fellas, something you’ve never seen before is going to leave you with your mouths hanging open”—he just went up into a cloud and was gone. End of chapter entitled 40 Days with My Guys After the Resurrection.
Were they thinking: he died and was resurrected…but now, he’s ascended; is this the end? Will we ever see him again? Is this a temporary absence or permanent change of location for him?
How will we know? Maybe more importantly, what do we do now?
Oh yeah…remember he said to go to Jerusalem and wait…I reckon we had better do that.
But hold on. First, I’m going to keep staring up in the sky. Maybe he’s gone for just a few minutes? Let me stay here for a while longer….you think he will come back here? Maybe? Hopefully? It won’t hurt to stay and watch, will it?
“Father, thank you for this miracle of ascension—reminding us that your transport of Jesus to be with you was also part of your overall and wonderful plan.”
Freddy Boswell 