Lord's Ascension (1952)

[Music] after the burial of Jesus the chief priests had asked Pontius Pilate that the tomb be sealed and a guard of soldiers placed outside but needed the seal no the soldiers had any power over Jesus and on the third day the stone was rolled aside by an angel of the Lord and Jesus as he had foretold arose from the dead then burst to Mary Magdalene [Music] for I am not yet ascended to the path but go to my brethren say unto them I am ascending to my father and your father to my god and your God in the meantime the two women who had gone to the tomb early that morning with Mary Magdalene were walking back to the city to report what the angel had told them mark all here do not be afraid go until my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me in the afternoon of that first Easter Sunday two men one of them named Cleopas were walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus as they walked they talked to the events of the past few days and as they spoke together Jesus himself drew near and joined them but their eyes were kept from recognizing him what is it that you are discussing are you the only visitor to Jerusalem that does not know what has happened there during these days what things as they continued on their journey clip is told of what had happened in Jerusalem and how Jesus of Nazareth had been delivered by the chief priests and rulers and crucified how they had hoped that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel he told Jesus of the women finding the empty tomb and of the angel telling them that Jesus had risen o foolish men and slow of heart to believe all of the prophets of spoken was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things in order to enter into his glory and beginning with Moses and all the prophets Jesus explained to them from the Scriptures the things concerning himself so they came near the village to which they were going and Jesus made his bow he would go farther but they asked him to come and stay with them fortress toward evening in the day was far spent so Jesus went to stay with him and when he was at the evening meal with him he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them and suddenly their eyes were opened now they recognized him [Music] and then he vanished out of their sight then Cleophus news companion remembered how their hearts had burned within them when Jesus had talked to them on the way to Emmaus that same hour they left the house and returned to Jerusalem to tell their experience to the disciples in Jerusalem Cleophas and his companion found the disciples and told how Jesus had joined them on the road to Emmaus and how they had finally recognized him in turn they learned that Jesus had also appeared to Peter and as they talked [Music] please be with you [Music] why are you troubled and why do questions arise in your heart see my head to my feet but it is I myself handle me of see for a spirit has not flesh and bones that you see that I have [Music] [Music] as the father has sent me even so I send you receive the Holy Spirit whosoever sins you forgive they are forgiven unto them whosoever sins you retain they are retained later the disciples were again assembled together and this time Thomas was with them but I tell you it is true Thomas the Lord came to us here in this room he showed us the wounds yes and before that I saw him with my own eyes and he also walked with Cleophus and another on the road to Emmaus and broke bread with them mary magdalena too saw him at the tomb and the other two women who had gone with her also met the lord when they were coming back to tell us of the resurrection and the master told them to bring us word that we would see him in galilee but it is true thomas the lord has risen except i shall see in his hand that print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe and so it was that eight days after the Lord's last appearance the disciples were again assembled in the room and Thomas was with them [Music] peace be with you [Music] put your finger here and see my hand and put out your hand and place it in my side do not be faithless but believing because you have believed because you have seen me blessed are those who have not seen and yet be be the third time that Jesus appeared to some of his disciples was early one morning on the coast of the Sea of Galilee he had told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat having done so they had caught a great number of fish now they were finishing their breakfast and Jesus having something to say to Peter took him aside [Music] Simon son of John do you love me more than these yes Lord you know that I love you feed my lambs Simon son of John do you love me yes Lord you know that I love you tend my sheep Simon son of John do you love me Lord you know everything you know that I love you feed my sheep [Music] sometime later Jesus met with a large group of his followers on a mountainside in Galilee here he outlined for them in words that could not be misunderstood the work they were to follow all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world then on the mount of olives outside the city of jerusalem 40 days after he had risen from the dead Jesus met with his disciples again they had often come to the spot to rest and pray during the time of his ministry now he was about to give them new instructions wait here in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father which you have heard from me for John baptized with water but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel it is not for you to know the times or seasons which the father has fixed by his own authority but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the end of the earth [Music] and after Jesus had led his disciples until they were over against Bethany this was to be the scene of his last departure from them so then the Lord Jesus after he had spoken unto them was received up into heaven men of Galilee why do you stand looking into heaven this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world [Music] [Laughter]