Transcript:

Hi.  I’m Wes White and welcome to another program of Bible Q&A.

We have a question from someone who asks, “Are you saying that Jesus ascended to His Father in heaven AFTER being resurrected… and then returned to earth… and then ascended to heaven again?”

That’s right.  In John 20:17 Jesus says to Mary, “Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.”  Then, we see in verse 19 that Jesus appeared that same day around evening in a locked room where the disciples were assembled.  So, between the time that Jesus appeared to Mary and the time later that same evening, He had ascended up to His Heavenly Father and returned.  And there’s more.  Eight days later He appeared to the disciples again in another locked room and this time Thomas was present.  And Thomas actually puts his finger into Jesus’ wounded hand and His side.  And it doesn’t end there.  Because Jesus was with the disciples for another 40 days.  After all this… then…He ascended again to the Father.  We find this in Acts 1:3-11.  It’s in heaven where Jesus resides right now and awaits to do His second coming. 

One final point on this:  2,000 years ago the Jews were awaiting the appearance of the Messiah.  They were expecting a warrior who would fight to free them from Roman domination.  They were expecting a lion …and instead they got a lamb.  Today, it’s the opposite.  The world now anxiously awaits His second coming.  This time, they’re expecting a lamb, but they’re going to get a lion who will return to fight the battle of Armageddon and will ultimately rule the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We’ll see you again on Bible Q&A.  In the meantime, please keep reading your Bible.  And please keep asking questions.