“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” This leaving is different from all of the other appearances. In those appearances Jesus was suddenly there and then, He was suddenly gone. This time, as Jesus was blessing the disciples, He ascended into the clouds as the disciples were watching Him. There is a reason for this difference for there had to be a cutoff time for the sending of the Holy Spirit. It would not have worked for Jesus’ appearances to just get further and further apart. With Jesus ascending before their eyes into heaven they knew He had gone to prepare a place for all who believe in Him.
“Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” The disciples worshiped Jesus for they realized He is God in the flesh. In the first chapter of Acts, where it describes the ascension of Jesus, while the disciples were staring into the sky watching for a last glimpse of Jesus, two angels spoke to them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. Knowing Jesus would return the disciples had great joy. The disciples returned to Jerusalem just as Jesus had to do and wait for power from on high.
“And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” The disciple’s hearts were filled with joy. They were at the temple, most likely in one of the rooms which had been built. It would have been a place where they could have gathered together waiting for the promise to be fulfilled which Jesus gave them. Those ten days would have been spent in praying and praising God for all He had done through Jesus. One day Jesus will return! Will you be ready to be received into heaven?
THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THIS FOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE OF WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY!!!