7. How Jesus’ Ascension Impacts Our Relationship with the Father

Chapter 7

How Jesus' Ascension Impacts Our Relationship with the Father

If we are to grow to maturity as adult sons and daughters in our Father’s family, we need to draw on Jesus as our ‘Advocate’ in heaven even as we walk by faith in the power of our other ‘Advocate’ here on earth—the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

These 9 meditations cover 36 new references to the Father (of the 276 in the New Testament)

(49) Receiving the Father's Promise means an Altered View of our World

If Jesus had already given his disciples power to preach and to heal; why did they still have to wait... for power from the Holy Spirit?

(50) Growing together as Adult Sons and Daughters by the Gifts of the Spirit

We have a Father who is always around, always on top of things, and who empowers each one with gifts from the ascended Jesus.

(51) Growing up in our Relationship with the Father

Jesus’ ascension takes a relationship with him to a whole new level: into a direct relationship with the Father by the Holy Spirit.

(52) Becoming like Jesus: Mature, Confident Sons and Daughters

After his ascension, Jesus continues to be our ‘Advocate toward the Father’, even though the Spirit has come as ‘another Advocate'.

(53) The Father’s Love, and Overcoming Compromise with the World

When our bodies, our eyes and our social relationships become the battleground in a cosmic struggle for the allegiance of our hearts.

(54) Enjoying Family Fellowship: with the Father, the Son and Each Other

If anyone sins, Jesus, our Advocate and Atoning Sacrifice helps us maintain family fellowship and avoid the dark path of ‘hating’.

(55) Avoiding Deception through Fellowship with Jesus and the Father

The dark path of deception usually makes some spiritual principle more important than Jesus’ relationship with the Father as our Advocate.

(56) Being Like Jesus, to Each Other, Brings Glory the Father

Having the same mind as Jesus means acting in humility towards other ethnic and language groups as well as towards other individuals.

(57) Why it is Advantageous for us that Jesus Went to the Father

Jesus had to ascend to the Father so that the Holy Spirit could come, not only to empower us but also to be a partner in witness.

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Bible translation reminders

The word 'YOU' in capitals in the Scripture passage indicates that the second person in the Greek text is plural. A group of people is being addressed. When you see a 'you' in lower case, you know that the Greek is singular, and a single individual is being addressed.

The translation being used is indicated with an abbreviation. PH and GH refer to my own translation for the Gospel 'harmony' and the 'harmony' of Paul's life and letters that I have produced. Whenever a scripture passage is taken from the already published Gospel harmony (GH)—The Good News of the Messiah by the Four Witnesses—the page number(s) will be listed in a footnote at the bottom of that meditation.

See Bible Translations Used if you want to know more about these publications, or if you don't recognize one of the other abbreviations used after the text reference .

Bible References in Italics

When chapter and verse numbers appear in italics in the Meditation portion of the lesson (in parentheses), it means that the text being identified can be found above, in the Scripture passage for that same Meditation.

Further Study

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Chapter 7 How Jesus' Ascension Impacts Our Relationship with the Father