The Ascension and the Wait
(Acts 1:1-26)
For forty days after His resurrection, Jesus keeps appearing to His disciples. He eats with them. He lets them touch His hands. He proves over and over that He is really, truly alive. And during those forty days, He teaches them about the kingdom of God. Then comes the moment that changes everything.
Jesus gathers them together and tells them not to leave Jerusalem yet. He says, "Wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." The disciples lean in. They ask, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus tells them the timing is not for them to know. But He gives them something better than a timetable. He gives them a mission: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
And then it happens. Right in front of their eyes, Jesus is lifted up. A cloud takes Him out of their sight. The disciples stand there on the Mount of Olives, necks craned upward, staring at the sky. They cannot move. Then two men in white clothes appear beside them and say, "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." The disciples blink. They understand. He is coming back. But first, they have work to do.
They walk back to Jerusalem and climb to an upper room. There are about one hundred and twenty believers there, including the eleven apostles and Mary, the mother of Jesus. They devote themselves completely to prayer. They are not worried. They are not confused. They are waiting on God's timing. During those days, Peter stands up and explains that Judas's place among the apostles must be filled by someone who witnessed the resurrection. They pray, cast lots, and Matthias is chosen. One hundred and twenty people, united in prayer, holding the greatest mission in history. The promise is coming. They wait.
A Curious Question
Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem before they did anything else. Waiting is hard, especially when you have exciting news to share. Why do you think Jesus wanted them to wait instead of going out to tell people about Him right away?
Old Testament Connection
Before Jesus left, He promised the Holy Spirit. That promise was not new. Think of a gift that was wrapped up and sitting under a tree for eight hundred years, waiting to be opened. The prophet Joel had written that God would pour out His Spirit on all people, not just kings and priests. The prophet Ezekiel said God would put His Spirit inside His people, like a new engine in an old car. For hundreds of years, God's Spirit visited certain leaders, then left. But now, Jesus was announcing the gift was finally about to be opened. The new covenant Jeremiah had promised, where God's law is written on hearts instead of stone, was one week away from becoming real.
Discussion Questions
- Jesus said the disciples would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. What do you think it means to be a witness for Jesus in the place where you live right now?
- The disciples stared up at the sky after Jesus left, and the angels had to redirect them. Have you ever been so focused on what you lost or what you wished were different that you forgot to look at what God was asking you to do next?
- The group of believers prayed together for ten days while they waited. Why do you think God wanted them to pray together rather than each praying alone?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
The disciples had a mission and a promise, but they had to wait on God's timing before they could move forward. This week, identify one thing you have been asking God for or waiting on. Write it down on a small piece of paper, fold it up, and keep it somewhere you will see it every morning. Each day, pray over it specifically and trust that God's timing for that thing is exactly right, just as it was for those one hundred and twenty believers in Jerusalem.
Memorize God's Word
Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Hand Motions:
- But you will receive power: Hold both fists at your sides, then raise them above your head as you open your hands wide.
- when the Holy Spirit comes on you: Flutter your fingers downward like falling rain, landing on your own shoulders.
- and you will be my witnesses: Point to yourself, then point outward away from your body.
- in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria: Make a small circle with one hand, then a slightly bigger circle, then an even bigger one.
- and to the ends of the earth: Stretch both arms out as wide as they can go.
Praying with Kids
Lord Jesus, thank You for going back to the Father and sending us the Holy Spirit. Thank You that You did not leave Your people alone. Help us to trust Your timing even when we are waiting for something we cannot see yet. Give us the courage to be Your witnesses right where we are, with the people around us every single day. And remind us that one day You will come back, just as You promised. In Your name, Amen.
Craft: My Mission Cloud
Children make a cloud mobile to remember that Jesus ascended in a cloud and will return the same way, leaving His people with a mission to carry out until He does.
Materials Checklist
Instructions
- Have each child paint a blue sky across their cardstock and let it dry for two minutes.
- Pull apart cotton balls and glue them into a large cloud shape near the top of the page.
- Below the cloud, write Acts 1:8 in large letters: "You will be my witnesses."
- Around the verse, write the names of three people the child wants to tell about Jesus this week.
- Punch a hole at the top, thread yarn through it, and tie a loop so the child can hang it at home.
Effective Teaching Techniques
The most vivid moment in this passage is the Ascension itself, and children's imaginations are ready for it. Before you begin the story, ask the class: "Have you ever watched someone leave, and you just stood there staring even after they were gone? What did that feel like?" Let two or three children respond. Then tell them that is exactly what the disciples did when Jesus left. That one question will make the angels' question, "Why do you stand looking into heaven?", land with real humor and warmth when you reach it.
For younger children, keep the focus on two simple truths: Jesus went up to heaven, and He is coming back. For older children, spend time on the geography of Acts 1:8. Draw a simple set of expanding circles on the board: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth. Ask them where they fit on that map today. The most likely difficult moment is when children ask why Jesus had to leave at all. Be ready with a direct, honest answer: Jesus said it was better for them that He go, because then the Spirit would come and live inside every believer, not just walk beside a few. That is actually a bigger gift than Jesus' physical presence in one location.