And so, in studying this subject, these are the things about it that we have noticed, viz.: the time of the ascension—forty days after the resurrection; the place of the ascension—the Mount of Olives; the manner of the ascension—visible—calm and tranquil—blessed—and wonderful.
There are several lessons that may be learned from the ascension of our Saviour, but we can only speak of one. This is the lesson of obedience to the command of Christ.
Just before he went up to heaven, Jesus said to his disciples—“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” St. Mark xvi: 15. This is the last command he gave to his people. He kept it till now because he wished it to be especially remembered. When we lose a father, or mother, or a friend whom we love very much, we listen attentively to the words spoken by that friend as we gather round the dying bed. We may forget some things spoken by him in the days of his health and strength, but those last words that were spoken just before he died, we always remember. They seem very sacred to us, and we pay particular attention to them. And no doubt this was the reason why Jesus kept this command about the missionary work he wishes his people to engage in, till now. He had finished his work for them. He had died for them. He had done all that was necessary for them to be saved, and to be happy with him forever in heaven. He knew how much they ought to love him for all this. And he knew that those who really did love him would wish to show their love by doing what he had told them to do. And so he kept this—the most important of all his commands—to the last. He wished it to be connected with the thought of his leaving the world and going back to heaven. And as they gathered round him, to see him and hear him for the last time on earth, he spoke these words:—“Go, ye, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” He did not speak them for the apostles or the early Christians only. No; but he spoke them for you, and for me, and for all his people, till the end of time. He intended his church to be a missionary church. He intended that all the members of that church should feel an interest in the missionary work, and that they should do all they can to help it on. This command is very broad. It takes in “all the world,” and “every creature.” We have no right to make the field for this work narrower than Jesus made it. And, until the gospel has been preached in “all the world,” and until “every creature” has heard it, this command of Christ is binding upon all his loving people. If we do not have the missionary spirit which these words require us to have, that is, if we are not trying all we can to bring “every creature,” in “all the world,” to be the friend and servant of Jesus and to be saved by him, then, it is clear, either that we are not loving Jesus as we ought to love him; or else, we are not showing our love for him in the way in which he wishes us to show it. He says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” And this is his last and most solemn command for us to remember, and keep.
When he says—“Go ye into all the world and preach,” he does not mean that all his people must leave their homes and go out as ordained ministers. What he means is that whether we go out as missionaries, or not, we must have the missionary spirit, and must do all we can to help the missionaries in their work. We must try to get those around us to know, and love, and serve Jesus. And the important question for us all to consider here is—how can we do this? In answering this question, let me point out four ways in which this may be done.
We can be missionaries, and help to preach the gospel, by our example.
A little boy named Ernest had begun to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to be a Christian. One day he said to his aunt, “Now I want to grow up a big man, and then I will be a minister and preach to lots of people about Jesus.”
His aunt told him that he need not wait till he was a man before he began to preach. “Try now, every day, to learn your lessons well,” said his aunt; “to be kind, and gentle to all, and try by God’s help to overcome your bad temper, and so, by your example you may be preaching Jesus every day.”
“The Children’s Service.” A little girl went to a Children’s service one Sunday afternoon. On going home she told her mother about it. “What led you to go, Mary?” asked the mother.
“I went, mamma,” she said, “because I was invited to come by a kind boy that I met in the street yesterday. I saw him stop and stroke a donkey that was frightened by a cruel boy. Then he kindly picked up my ball that was rolling away and returned it to me. As he did this he handed me a paper about the children’s service, and invited me to come. I knew he was a good boy because he was so kind and had such a happy face. He said he was sure I would like the services; and I did like them. And I mean to go every time.”