I Wish I Had Been There!Sample

Jesus ascends to Heaven

"He must really be risen!" said one disciple, "He appeared to Peter."

"Are you sure?" said another.

"It's true! I swear it. He walked with us to Emmaus and explained from the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. All the while He was walking and talking with us, our hearts burned like fire!"

Suddenly, we all sensed a presence. And then there was Jesus standing among us! We all fell back and grabbed one another, thinking we were seeing a ghost.

"Why are you frightened?" He asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at My hands. Look at My feet. You can see that it’s really Me. Touch Me and make sure that I am not a ghost because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, He showed us His hands and feet with the holes from the nails.

Thomas bravely came forward and put his fingers in the holes. Most of us were in shock and disbelief but also filled with joy and wonder at the same time. Jesus seemed slightly amused and asked us if we had anything to eat. I had some broiled fish, which I gave to Him, and He ate it in front of us. That at least reassured us that He was not a ghost, but we were still perplexed by it all. Jesus was alive? How? What did it mean?

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then, He opened our minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things. And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

We were awe-struck. I imagine this is how our ancestors must have felt watching Moses come down the mountain with his face shining from the glory cloud.

"Follow Me," Jesus said, leading us to Bethany, the place where He was baptized by John and anointed by Mary. There, He lifted up His hands to heaven and blessed us.

As He was blessing us, the heavens parted, like they did at His baptism, and the warm light of heaven bathed us all. We fell to our knees in worship as He was taken up to heaven before our eyes.

We remained there transfixed, our faces upturned to heaven and tears running down our cheeks. Our hearts were so full of joy we could hardly breathe. Jesus was alive, and we had seen Him! Rejoice! Rejoice! All heaven and earth rejoice! Jesus has risen!