Jesus' Resurrection and appearance to His followers removed all doubt that He was truly the Messiah they had long-awaited! He only stayed around 40 days before ascending to His Father, always apparently appearing to believers -- not to Pilate (the governor of Judea who sentenced Jesus) -- not to Herod (the Roman ruler of Palestine) -- not to Emperor Tiberius -- but only to those who already believed in Him.
The period between the Resurrection and the Ascension was just an interlude....
From Philip Yancy's book "The Jesus I Never Knew" --
"If Easter Sunday was the most exciting day of the disciples' lives, for Jesus it was probably the Day of Ascension.
He, the Creator, who had descended so far and given up so much, was now heading home.
Like a soldier returning across the ocean from a long and bloody war... Like an astronaut, shedding his spacesuit to gulp the familiar atmosphere of earth... Home at last!
Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper reveals what He was feeling: 'I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.'
Before the world began!
Like an old man reminiscing -- no, like an ageless God reminiscing -- Jesus let His mind wonder back to a time before the Milky Way and Andromeda.
On an earthly night dark with fear and menace, Jesus was making preparation to return home, to assume again the glory He had set aside."
His best, most exciting day!
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