Jesus said to His disciples, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24 v.49)

Dear Friends,

Two special dates of the Christian calendar are linked together by Jesus. He had been with them at times during the forty days after His resurrection, helping them to believe what was soon to happen. He would leave them and then ten days later the Holy Spirit would come upon them. According to Luke, the latter part of His time on earth was spent in Bethany, the home town of His dear friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

It was not a time of sadness as we might have expected but a time of understanding and joy. So that when the moment came for the disciples to see Him go they did not weep, they worshipped Him and with great joy they went to Jerusalem to wait, for as the saying goes ‘the best was yet to come.’

We must share in that worship and joy, even though we don’t have a service on Thursday May 14th – Ascension Day – as we herald the coming of the Holy Spirit to give us power at Pentecost just as He gave power to the disciples.

He showed them how to spread the Gospel and how to live the life of true believers in Jesus Christ. Acts 2 v.42 says: “They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to breaking of bread and to prayer,” and that must be the basis of our lives before others will believe as we do.

May the Lord bless us all as we carry out, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the commission He gave us (Matthew 28 v.18-20)

Marion