"until the day when He was taken up"

Our Risen Lord Jesus stayed on the earth for forty days following His resurrection.

The first chapter in the book of Acts gives an account of what transpired during those days.

Acts 1:3 "To these (the apostles whom he had chosen), He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God."

After the resurrection , the followers of Jesus were very subdued. One doesn't get over what they had seen and witnessed and been a part of easily. They were scared of what might happen to them and a little shaken by the physical presence of the one who had been murdered before their eyes.

The verse above says that Jesus continued speaking to them about the "kingdom of God" and giving them "convincing proofs" that He was indeed the risen Son of God.

Obviously these followers who where physically with Jesus during His ministry and after His resurrection were just like us......weak of faith and hard to convince. They needed this time to be prepared for what their role would be after Jesus finally left them and went back to heaven.

"Jesus gathered them together and commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised."

Jesus loved these souls.......he was continuing to comfort them and prepare them for what lay ahead. His ministry on the earth was over in the physical since, but these chosen ones were to carry on in His name and God had promised to send His power (the Holy Spirit) for their work.

The apostles showed their ignorance of God's plan again by asking Jesus at this time...."Lord, is it the time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"

They thought Jesus was back to stay and that His kingdom would now be established on earth..........they all thought this was why He had come in the first place.

This is Jesus' reply to these His beloved friends......

"It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Look guys......this is God's plan through and through. You are merely instruments in His hands. You wait and the Father will send you the power from Himself to carry out the missions He has for you to do.......

"And after He said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight."

Acts 1: 2-9