CrossKids Devo | Ascension
Activity – How RU Doing
Draw a line on a sheet of paper. Place a 1 on the left end of the line, a 10 on the right, and a 5 in the middle. As kids arrive, ask them to pencil in their initials on the line.
Say: If your day was so awful you wish you'd slept through it, place your initials by the 1. If it was a great day and you wish you could repeat, put your initials by the 10. Place your initials anywhere on the line that shows how you feel today.
Bible Time – Ascension – Luke 24:51, Mark 16:19-20, Acts 1:9-12 Verse Of The Day: Luke 24:51
Read: Mark 16:19-20, Acts 1:9-12
Story: The ascension of Jesus into heaven was a very important part of His ministry. If Jesus did not return to His father, He wouldn’t have sent the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus talked about how that we would be able to do more things than He could here on earth because His Holy Spirit would fill believers all over this world.
Then, through the power of His Spirit, we would become like His hands and feet spreading the good news of His love all over the world. In heaven, Jesus is our High Priest who intercedes for us to the Father (Hebrews 4:14- 16). The word intercede means that Jesus is a “go-between.” Through His sacrifice we can now have a relationship with God. Jesus paid the price for our sins so that we could have forgiveness. Jesus is also an advocate before the Father for us (1 John 1:9 –2:2) in forgiving us our sins. That means that He is someone who defends us before the Father. When Satan brings any accusation against us, Jesus is there to defend us because we have believed in Him. So Jesus is continuing to help us even though He is in heaven and not here with us. The ascension of Christ was very necessary for His plan.
As His disciples watched, Jesus ascended into heaven. What a sight that must have been! Two angels appeared and told the group that Jesus would return one day in the same way He left. The two angels gave the believers assurance that Jesus would return again someday. We don’t know when that day is, but we need to be ready and watching for Him! So even though Jesus is away from us right now we can look forward to His return one day.
Jesus wants to use you and me to tell others about Him. He is working with His people here on earth and helping them accomplish His plans (Mark 16:19-20). We all have at least one special gift that God has given to us to use for His glory. As you read and learn about God giving us His Holy Spirit to help us, we need to think of the importance of Jesus ascending into heaven. Although Jesus left us physically, He didn’t leave us completely. He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us and to help us in our time of need.
What is the ascension of Jesus and why is it so important?
Are you ready for His return?
Kid’s Bible Dictionary
Intercede: To go between; to act as a mediator.
Advocate: Speaking in favor of; defend.
Pray