Matthew 28:16-20 KJV
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mark 16:19-20 KJV
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Luke 24:48-53 KJV
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The struggle within sharing the Gospel perhaps comes with the rising of our Lord, but also the fact he ascended into heaven. This is nothing new, but as the Gospel messages were laid out for different groups of people to hear, certain things were not discussed perhaps because of their ability to receive it. Maybe less stoning, persecution, or long lasting of life in order to spread the word of God. In other words what the majority could handle of a group of people that what they heard concerning the truth about Jesus the Son of God. It still probably true in churches newly built, when the Gospel being preached by God's Spirit. If We go to the continual scripture study today and look at Acts 7 only and see the sermon of Stephen a disciple of Christ we learn he preached the full message of scripture from Old to New Testament and because of this the Sanhendrin capture Stephen and put him on trial like they did Jesus. When he begins to preach to them, he gets to the point of telling them about God's throne being in heaven and God's footstool being earth. There is uprising among who, what group of people the Jewish religious leaders(Sanhedrin court), because he was before them preaching blaspheme in their opinion. The control of the religious court is what got Stephen in trouble.

What was it really about that got Stephen in trouble is accusation of the Sanhedrin court killing or persecution of Christ, and the fact Christ rose again seated at the right hand of the Father. The fact that Stephen in his sermon in the first part of Acts 7 which is not copied, shows the dialogue of the Old Testament of the ancient leaders and men of faith. Stephen showing not only his knowledge of scripture but his knowledge that went beyond Old Testament scrolls, meaning what known in the Christian world concerning Christ death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

The Gospels in the above part of the lesson, speaks of Christ departure from his disciples. Acts 1 expands on this information. Matthew the only book that recorded for the Jews, and the other three Gospels were recorded for the Gentiles. John Gospel does not carry the ascension beyond information recorded in John 20 of the need of Jesus to go to the Father. Nor is the knowledge of the Holy Spirit baptism given beyond the receiving of God's Spirit in the upper room. Matthew records none of it in his account. Mark's account was strong enough to declare that Jesus was sitting now at the right hand of the Father. Luke records the event of Jesus being carried up into heaven. They were to wait in Jerusalem to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 7 is maybe the easiest way to show how the fear of death for preaching the Gospel was in many areas. Yet the talk of Christ death and resurrection was within the Gospel before the cross. If we placed things in order of how it probably actually occurred from the cross, grave, resurrection and ascension the picture is more clear. Even Acts 1 records some of the ascension and the upper room, even into Acts 2 of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Why the focus on the ascension, if it not mention through out the Gospels why a doctrine on it. It essential for our knowledge of our own eternal life. We being not God, but Christ power to raise us up as he did those before and after his death. Most people receiving the teaching of Jesus simply, but it the cross that causes division. Some believe they reach their maker they are judged with a weight of balance of good on one side and the evil of one's work on the other side. Some believe in the works of Christ but upon examining his death can not understand how he could die for all man's sin. That is where faith comes in, because it spoken of even in the Old Testament that Messiah would die for the sins of the world. Remember Christ was forgiving sin for the cross bringin the need for the cross into question until we understand that man's laws do not separate us from the love of God.

It is that one point that people have issues with and causes division between religious groups, including the Jewish and even Muslim people. Yet the truth is many have willing gone to their own cross as Stephen would but his punishment would come by the kangeroo court of the Sanhedrin by means of stoning. Do Christian still face this cross? One would not think so, but in reality it very true. As I said many can receive the teachings of Jesus up to the cross, the cross is the divider between believers and non believers, the resurrection even more and the raising of the dead from the grave not excluding Christ own resurrection and trip through the graveyard and the waking of the dead, to his ascension. To John recorded of seeing Christ in heaven while in prison on Island, as a testimony of events to come. Book's name being Revelations.

Here is your decision what do you believe, and can receive with faith and without doubt? Many deceivers out there including the ones that say they found Christ body. Would you be willing to die for your faith as you receive it as being truth? Maybe more what would you share and not share because of people ability to receive the truth. Alot of people willing to hand out food. Over ten years ago a Senator daughter went to Afganistan to hand out food, and she was a known Christian in a muslim world and face the potential of persecution. She was taken captive because someone told on her. There were young men just barely over five years ago that took the Gospel into North Korea, but sneaking in.

Some people still willing to risk their life for the Gospel, but the problem with this many people are willing to risk their life more for much less of a story. What makes the cross that important is it effects our eternity. This is where the world gets mad, because Christians in general believe there is only one way into heaven and that through Christ Jesus. When we say Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy, also the word of God because scripture says so, then there is less division, not really, but it the agreement if God's word holds power then the fear of God's word is present. God's word was saving lives even at the time of Cain, Noah's ark and so forth. Cain was warned and Cain choose to disobey it just like Adam and Eve choose not to listen to the word of God and got expelled from the garden. God's word declared a Savior was coming and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. One gets to Isaiah and hear the lamb will be lead to the slaughter, and with the understanding the Messiah was the Lamb of God was lead to his death on a cross and with the knowledge of Ezekiel can these dead bones live, the graves were empty after Christ rose from the grave, and the graves were open upon his dying. His ascension coming with the knowledge that Christ would sit on the right hand of the Father. The antichrist is alive that believes not that Christ came in the flesh, they only receive the word of God and the physical manifestation of faith, or Emmanuel coming in the flesh as God with us. The error that Immanuel not being God could not be Emmanuel in the flesh. However I will tell you Christ the annoint, the Messiah(the messenger of God) is in the flesh. God's word would have to be totally destroyed for man to be saved, and yet God made a condition of faith from the beginning and living holy being a command out of love for God. No one lives so holy in their humanity. We all sin all fall short of the glory of God. Yet faith has value to God.

When we beleive Ezekiel 37 can these bones live the answer being God knows, the world knows Matthew knew it. The ascension three Gospels recorded it plus Acts, an expansion of Lukes record. People like Stephen willing to die sharing the message. The Apostle(12 disciples of Jesus) were willing among many others. It all boils down to faith and faith being past down, or handdown, with the knowledge of God's word spoken by his Spirit to the heart of man upon belief, before even belief occurs in the form of conviction. God has to be alive to speak to man's heart. Is our conviction of who Christ is built on the word of God?

Dear Heavenly Father, may you convict our hearts with your word to know Christ came in the flesh, and came speaking truth about who He was and who he is. That even your word saves us when Christ came in the flesh for all man kinds sin. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Acts 7:48-60 KJV
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.