ascend - to rise, to be lifted up

1. Jesus did not come to the earth in a physical body like ours.     F
2. Jesus sent the apostles to teach the world about Him.         T
3. Jesus said, "He who believes shall be saved."       F   (Jesus said, He who believes and is baptized shall be saved.)
4. Jesus left through the sky.    T
5. An angel told the apostles that Jesus would never return.    F

Craft: Have colored paper in blue, green, and white available. Print and cut to separate the color graphics of Jesus. Have students use a blue paper as a background and cut out and apply a green bottom for grass on a short end of the paper. Then have them cut out and apply white clouds. Cut out a "tab" for each Jesus. Fold tabs on dotted line. Glue the short end to each Jesus on the back of the torso, so that the long end sticks up over his head. Cut a slit in each blue background in the center from about 2 inches from the top, down to about the center of the page (white dotted line on image at left).  Insert the long tab through the slit until the Jesus image lays flat against the blue page. Show students how Jesus can "ascend" from on the ground to the sky by pulling the long tab up!

Activity - Follow the Leader: Play a quick game of follow the leader, only have the leader act out Jesus' return. Have the "dead" laying down and rise first, then the "living" follow Jesus back to "heaven".

Object Lesson: Use a Jesus action figure and tie transparent fishing line to its arms. Lift it up to the ceiling to demonstrate Jesus' ascension into the clouds. (submitted by reader Cassie!) Review Questions (can be used with gameboard)

 linguistic questions

1. What does it mean to ascend? to go up, be lifted up
2. What is the "second coming"? when Jesus returns to raise us all
3. Name the apostles.

1. Act out the apostles watching Jesus ascend.
2. Draw a magnificent cloud in the sky.
3. Describe heaven.

1. How do you think the apostles felt as they watched Jesus ascend? (amazed, wondrous, impressed)
2. What will it be like to see Jesus return?
3. Do you look forward to or dread the end of time? Why?

1. How does knowing Christ will return affect how I act? (I try to do what is pleasing to Him, I have hope in the future)
2. Why was Jesus lifted up? Why was he different from other men? (he was eternally raised from the dead, never to die again. His ascension is proof of his spiritual nature, and proof that God was elevating him to a position of power and glory.)
3. If Christ's final command was to teach others about Him, what should we spend our time here doing?

1. Who saw Jesus ascend? (His disciples and angels.)
2. What did the angels say to the disciples? (That Jesus would return in a similar manner.)
3. Where did Jesus go? (to heaven, on the right hand of God)

1. In what way will our resurrection and ascension be like Christ's? (we will be in an incorruptible body, we will meet him in the sky)
2. If Jesus is in heaven ruling, what does he rule over? (all powers and authorities on earth and in heaven)
3. Is there any better source for how to be saved than Christ himself? Can we argue with his instructions for making disciples? (no)

• Mark 16:16 "The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned."