Peter was not proud now as he used to be. And Peter would pray to God to keep him from sin.
LESSON XLIX.
THE ASCENSION.
Matthew, xxviii. 16 to end. Luke, xxiv. 46 to end. Acts, i. 4-14.
Jesus used to come and see his disciples after he was made alive again; but he did not live always with them, as he once had done.
He told them he was soon going up to his Father. When I am gone, you must tell people about me. You must tell the people who crucified me, that I will forgive them if they are sorry. The Holy Spirit will come down from heaven, for my Father has promised to send him down soon: Wait at Jerusalem till he come. I will always be with you, though you do not see me. Some day I shall come back again.
The disciples asked Jesus when he would come back; but Jesus would not tell them when.
One day Jesus and his disciples walked together to the top of a hill. Jesus began to pray with his disciples, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was doing this he was taken up to heaven, and a cloud hid him at last from the eyes of his disciples. They still looked up, and saw the cloud go higher and higher till they could see it no more. But still they went on looking. Then they heard some persons speaking to them; they looked to see who it was, and they saw two angels standing by them. The angels were dressed in white shining clothes. They said, Why do you look so long at the sky? Jesus will come some day again. So the disciples went back to Jerusalem, to wait for the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps you think they were very unhappy, now Jesus was gone? No, they were not. They knew he was gone to get a place in heaven ready for them, and that they should live with him forever; and this made them glad.
Blessed Lord, I see thee praying,