the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Psalms 47:5. When he ascended up on high, he lead captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. Ephesians 4:8-10. He has made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6.
The ascension of Jesus filled heaven and earth with great joy. It is the triumph over all enemies; for He is, as the Head of mankind, ascended up far above all heavens. And where the Head is, there must also the members be. He will draw them all to Himself. The Head has conquered and broken through; then it is impossible that the members should be left behind. He has taken captive the prison in which sin and the devil held us captive (Psalms 68:18), that is to say, all that placed man in chains, checked his course and held him back, has been conquered by Jesus and taken captive by His sufferings and death. He has taken him captive who held us all in captivity. He has taken the keeper of the prison captive and has thrown him into prison. And if the warden of the prison is in prison, then the captives are free. He has, however, not only freed us from chains and from prison, not only procured for us the forgiveness of sins, but He has also distributed gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that we might not again be taken captive, but conquer the world, Satan, and the evil desires that are ever ready to recapture us. He has procured and bestowed power and wings that we might soar up to Him and be transported from the visible kingdom to His invisible kingdom, to heaven.
Draw us to Thee, Lord Jesus,
And we will hasten on;
For strong desire doth seize us
To go where Thou art gone.
Draw us to Thee; nor leave us
Till all our faith is trod,
Then in Thy arms receive us,
And bear us home to God.
