Youth Group Devotionals

In John 16, Jesus tells the disciples that He must go so the Helper can come. The “Helper” is the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity. Jesus’ “going” points to His ascension, making way for the Spirit to come as our advocate. But this isn’t just about God helping us from a distance.When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. That means we’re not alone in following Jesus. The Spirit is actively working within us, guiding us, convicting us, reminding us of truth, and shaping us to become more like Him. It’s not just about trying harder; it’s about learning to walk daily with the Spirit who is already present in us.So, when Jesus says it’s better that He goes, it’s because we gain something even greater, not just God with us, but God in us, wherever we go.

Jesus is now ruling with God. The ascension means Jesus didn’t just disappear, He stepped back into His rightful place, reigning alongside the Father in heaven. That’s why the early Christians didn’t just call Him “Messiah” (the promised Savior), but also “Lord.” That word Lord isn’t casual, it’s a title of authority, power, and even divinity.What’s amazing is that Jesus didn’t stop being human when He ascended. He is still fully God and fully man, and now He is being worshiped right alongside Yahweh. Personally, this is something I only realized recently. For the first Christians who were Jews that believed God was only one being (defined as strict monotheistic) this was a huge deal. They believed in one God, and yet they were boldly saying that Jesus deserves the same honor, worship, and obedience as God Himself.So, the ascension isn’t just about where Jesus went, it’s about who He is. He’s not just a teacher from the past or even just a Savior who died and rose again. He is the reigning King right now.

At the end of the 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus led His disciples out of Jerusalem to Bethany on the Mount of Olives, the same place where He had been betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. While He was there, He lifted His hands and blessed them, and then He was taken up into heaven. This wasn’t just a dramatic moment, it was real, visible proof to the disciples (now to be called apostles) that Jesus truly is exalted and reigning in power. But what’s surprising is how they responded. They didn’t leave sad or confused, they worshiped Him and went back to Jerusalem full of joy. The ascension marks the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but not the end of His work. It begins a new phase, where He reigns in heaven and continues to care for His people. Over the next few days, we’ll look at what His ascension sets into motion.

Today, just take some time to read these verses and think about all the people we’ve been talking about in the last ten devotionals. After Jesus rose from the dead, He didn’t just appear to one or two people, He showed up and talked with hundreds over 40 days.As you go through life, you’re going to hear people say the resurrection is crazy or not real. But you’ve seen for yourself in Scripture that a lot of people hung out with Jesus after He came back to life. At some point, it gets hard to believe all of them were making it up, especially when many of them were willing to die for what they saw and experienced with Him.Some notes on today:Cephas: This is Peter the disciple of Jesus, it means “rock” in Aramaic which is the nickname Jesus gave him (Matthew 16:18).“some have fallen asleep”: These are people who first believed but seem to have fallen away from the faith.“one born at the wrong time”: This is Saul who became the Apostle Paul, Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

To be commissioned means that you are given a specific role or task and the authority to carry it out. Artists are commissioned to create specific works of art. Military officers are commissioned to lead, care for others, and take responsibility for what’s been entrusted to them.In the same way, Jesus commissions the eleven disciples at the end of the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Before He sends them out, He tells them that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Then He gives them what we now call the Great Commission: to go into all the world, make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them to follow everything He has commanded.An interesting note in Mark’s account, this happens right after Jesus calls them out for their doubt. So, they weren’t perfect, confident, or completely prepared, but Jesus still chose them and sent them anyway.And He doesn’t just send them out on their own. He promises that He will be with them always.We see the impact of this throughout the rest of the New Testament as the disciples spread out in every direction, telling people about Jesus and building the foundation of the church that we participate in today. That same mission didn’t stop with them; it’s something we’re invited into today. Remember Matthew 6:10, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”