Are you glad Jesus did not stay here on earth? .... I am!
Some people have very different reasons than I have for not wanting to have the real living presence of Jesus here on earth with them. For example, some would not want Jesus’ presence because they would not feel free to enjoy their sinful pleasures! But that is certainly NOT my reason!
Jesus told His followers before He returned to Heaven, “It is to your advantage that I go away.” (John 16:7.) That why I am glad Jesus returned to Heaven. Maybe you are not enjoying that “advantage”, or maybe you are not sure what the “advantage” is! Let us hear about it.
It was several years after Jesus had returned to Heaven, when Paul, in his travels, “arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples, and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ So, Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they answered.” (verses 1-3.)
You see, these believers had only known John the Baptist’s message, that Jesus was coming to “take away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29.) And, to show that they were ready and willing to have Jesus as their Saviour when He would come. They had turned from their sins, and been baptized there and then. (verse 4.)
Paul was able to tell them all that had happened since John’s preaching. How Jesus had died for our sins, and rose again in order to be the Saviour of the world. (1stJohn 2:1-2. 4:14.) Then, instead of staying with His true followers as a Person, Jesus had done something even better! He returned to Heaven, and sent down His HOLY SPIRIT to be in, and with, everyone who believed in Jesus as the Saviour. (Acts 2:38. 5:31-32. Romans 8:9.)
“On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.” (verse 5.) Why were these Christians re-baptized? Their first baptism had been in the hope of Jesus coming soon to take away their sins. (verse 4.) But now, having faith in all the Lord Jesus had done for them, they wanted to be baptized IN HIS NAME, in honour of Him, and of all He meant to them. (Romans 6:1-5. Galatians 3:27-28.)
Some people in Ephesus “refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.” (verses 8-9.) They refused to believe that Jesus was the WAY. Nevertheless, Paul went on teaching the believers in a local lecture hall. The Gospel became widely known in Asia. (verse 10.)
Have you believed in Jesus as your Priest and Saviour? If you have, you will not have Jesus’ physical presence with you in this life, but you will have His Holy Spirit within your life! (John 1:10-13. Galatians 4:4-7.)
Have you declared your faith to others by being baptized as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? (Mark 16:15.)
Read Acts chapter 19, verses 1-10.
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