Searching the Skies

April 27, 2025

Every year, we celebrate Jesus's resurrection and His triumph over sin, death, and the grave. But the story doesn’t end there. While the disciples expected their resurrected King to reign on an earthly throne, Jesus had a divine mission that exceeded their expectations. Join us for a transformative sermon series on Jesus's ascension to learn how He bridged the gap between heaven and earth.

Escucha el podcast

Passage

Acts 1:1-11

Principles

The Nature of ##Heaven##

The Significance of Jesus’ ##Ascension##

The Consequences for those ##He## ##Left## ##Behind##

Practices

Stop ##searching## for Jesus in all the ##wrong## ##places##.
##Pierce## the ##veil## between heaven and earth by joining God in His ##redemptive## ##mission##.
##Seek## and ##celebrate## where ##heaven## is bleeding into ##earth##.

Small Group Questions

Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couples or family devotion, or with a small group.

HANGOUT

What is the purpose of a “trailblazer” or a “scout”? Have you ever served in this role before or benefited from someone else who did? Who has been a spiritual trailblazer on your faith journey?

HEAR

Read Acts 1:1-5

What is the “former book” mentioned in Acts 1:1? What period of Jesus’ life does this “former book” cover? Read Luke 1:1-4. What does this introduction tell us about the Book of Acts?
Read Luke 24:50- 53. What do you observe regarding the conclusion of Luke and the beginning of Acts?
What instructions did Jesus give to the disciples in Acts 1:4-5? What were the disciples waiting for? Imagine being one of Jesus’ disciples as you hear these instructions. How would you feel? What thoughts might you have?

Read Acts 1:6-8

Based on verse 6, what was on the disciples’ minds? How did Jesus respond to their question?
How does verse 8 relate to the answer the disciples sought from Jesus? What is the relationship between Jesus restoring the Kingdom and the disciples witnessing to the ends of the earth?
Do Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in Acts 1 still relate to us today? If so, how? What does it mean to “witness”? Who have been some of the most effective witnesses of Jesus in your spiritual journey?

Read Acts 1:9-11

What happened to Jesus after He instructed the disciples to be His witnesses? How did the disciples respond to Jesus’ ascension? Why did they react in that way? What were they seeking?
What is implied by the question the men in white asked the disciples? What does their follow-up statement suggest?
What does the phrase “so heavenly-minded that we are no earthly good” mean? How might this apply to the disciples’ reaction to the ascension? What should we learn from the disciples’ reaction and the men in white’s response to them?

HUDDLE

Discuss the tension between waiting on the Lord and passively staring into heaven. Which of these more closely describes your relationship with Jesus today? Discuss it, invite accountability, and pray together.

Daily Reading

This week, we will read the Psalms of Ascent. These Psalms were originally sung as people ascended the Temple Mount. Christians interpret them as related to our spiritual journey toward our heavenly home and Jesus’ ascent into heaven. As you read, reflect on Jesus’ return to heaven and how He has made a way for you to follow Him there.

Day 1: Psalm 120 & 121
Day 2: Psalm 122 & 123
Day 3: Psalm 124 & 125
Day 4: Psalm 126 & 127
Day 5: Psalm 128 & 129
Day 6: Psalm 130 & 131
Day 7: Psalm 132, 133 & 134

Passage to Memorize: Acts 1:8

Think Deeper

How would you describe heaven to a child?
Have you ever seen evidence of heaven on earth?
What does it mean to be a “witness” for Jesus on earth?