Sunday’s Blessing – 05/17/2026 - 7th Sunday of Easter: The Prayer of Jesus (John 17) – Theme of Unity and Love, Preparing for Pentecost

Sunday’s Blessing – 05/17/2026 - 7th Sunday of Easter: The Prayer of Jesus (John 17) – Theme of Unity and Love, Preparing for Pentecost

This past Thursday, May 14, was Ascension Day. It’s when we remember that Jesus went to Heaven in bodily form to be seated at the right hand of the Father, and there make intercession for us continually. Once there, the plan was put in motion for the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to come to earth with a new mission: to indwell the Believers so they could experience the presence of God in a tangible way. The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, which is just one more week from today.

Jesus instructed His followers to return to the upper room when His disciples had celebrated Passover just before His crucifixion. They followed His instructions, not really knowing what to expect. But by now, they had learned to trust the words Jesus spoke to them. They had seen the scars from the crucifixion in the hands and feet and side of a real human walking around after they had watched Him die just days before. His message of unity and love rang more clearly in their ears. In one more week they would experience the fullness of what Jesus meant when He told them, “I will send another comforter, one just like me, who will live in you forever.”

How confusing those words must have sounded. But they could not have sounded any more strange than, “Tear this temple down and in three days it will be restored.” His resurrection helped that make sense. They had watched Him ascend into the clouds as Jesus bid them farewell, but giving them hope of Someone else to come and help them. After all of this, they did not ask the same questions. They simply obeyed.

Now for today’s blessing:

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:6-11 (ESV)