(Comments by Joan Boney)
When Jesus came to this earth in the form of a man, the disciples thought Jesus would establish HIS kingdom on this earth and reestablish the kingdom of Israel.
The disciples of Jesus saw religion in fleshly ways until they received the Holy Spirit.
Then they had the Spirit of God to see spiritual things through the eyes of God by HIS Spirit.
Today many church people see Jesus and things of God. by their own fleshly minds. Thus they set up fleshly things thinking to worship God by that which they can see with their natural eyes. And they see Jesus as being in the form of a human rather than seeing the resurrected Jesus in the form of the Word of God that comes down to the individual children of God from heaven to lead them and guide them.
Jesus came to earth in the form of a human so he could suffer and die and thus pay for the sins of humans.
God raised Jesus from the dead and for 40 days Jesus appeared as a human as a testimony of having been raised by God from the dead. Jesus would just appear in a locked room to disciples or on the road to men travelling. Jesus would speak with them and then vanish from them. But Jesus remained on this earth appearing and vanishing for 40 days before HE was taken into heaven after the resurrection.
Then Jesus was taken into heaven.
Acts 1
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?7 And HE said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
(After we are born again, God gives us the Holy Spirit to live in us and by "that" Spirit we are witnesses to Jesus as we share those things God has done in our lives. We then have the power and are a witness. It is not even that we try to witness. We are a witness because Jesus is now in us.)
9 And when HE had spoken these things, while they beheld, HE was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
9 And when HE had spoken these things, while they beheld, HE was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Since that time, Jesus continues to appear in the form of The Word but HE will not appear again as a human for that would put Him in the position of having to suffer again as the flesh of man suffers.
Jesus suffered once for all and after that the judgment. HE will not suffer again for sins of man for that would crucify Christ afresh.
Now Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in heaven to intercede for the believers. (Romans 8)
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
(At the end, Jesus returns and awakens the dead in Christ with a shout. Then Jesus causes those who are still living to be changed into their spiritual bodies and to rise from this earth to meet Jesus and the others in the air. But they do not come back to this earth for this earth will be destroyed by fire. II Peter 3 They are taken to the "new" heaven and earth wherein dwelleth righteousness only. Rev. 21:1-5)
Before HE ascended into heaven, Jesus told HIS disciples:
Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
And that made all the difference! For after that they would be witnesses.
So they waited in Jerusalem until the Holy Ghost was given to them. Acts 2
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. (Acts 1:12)
***
Notice: We all will meet Jesus "in the air".
When Jesus returns with a shout, the dead in Christ rise first to meet Jesus in the air. Then those in Christ who are still alive on this earth are changed out of these physical bodies into their new spiritual bodies and they rise off this present earth and meet Jesus in the air.
I Thessalonians 4
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Jesus' kingdom is not of this world.
So if you as a child of God have your focus set on this present world you are focused the wrong way.
This world will be destroyed by God by fire.
II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
All who are raised and meet Christ in the air will be taken to the new heaven and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Revelation 21:1-5 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Neither do we who belong to Jesus fight concerning this present world for we will be removed by Jesus from this present world and it will be destroyed by God.
The apostle Peter tells us how we are to live until Jesus returns to remove us from this earth.
II Peter 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
*****