Single lesson

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11

Jesus blesses his disciples, is taken up into heaven, and prepares them to be his witnesses.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

After Jesus suffered, he showed his apostles that he was alive. For forty days he appeared to them with many proofs and spoke about the kingdom of God. He told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father's promised gift. They would soon be baptised in the Holy Spirit. When they were together, they asked if this was the time the kingdom would be restored to Israel. Jesus said that the Father had kept those times in his own authority. Instead, they were to wait for the…

Learning aim

Describe the central teaching of Jesus Ascends to Heaven, using two details from the reading. Jesus blesses his disciples, is taken up into heaven, and prepares them to be his witnesses.

Welcome: Jesus Ascends to Heaven

4 min

Introduce “Jesus Ascends to Heaven” and locate Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11. Jesus blesses his disciples, is taken up into heaven, and prepares them to be his witnesses. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.

Mark 16:19, Acts 1:3, Acts 1:11

Read and explain the passage

8 min

Jesus led them out as far as Bethany. He lifted his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. As they watched, a cloud took him out of their sight. Mark also says that the Lord Jesus was received into heaven and sat at the right hand of God.

The disciples worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. They were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Mark adds that they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them, confirming the word by the signs that followed.

Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Jesus Ascends to Heaven”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.

Acts 1:3, Acts 1:2, Acts 1:5, Luke 24:50, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:20, Luke 24:53, Luke 24:52

Discuss the details and their meaning

6 min

Use the three questions below. Begin with ““When they were together, they asked if this was the time the kingdom would be restored to Israel.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. Jesus blesses his disciples, is taken up into heaven, and prepares them to be his witnesses. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.

Acts 1:8, Acts 1:6, Acts 1:7, Luke 24:50, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, Mark 16:20, Luke 24:53, Luke 24:52

Make and respond: Story sequence booklet

9 min

Work on “Jesus Ascends to Heaven: Story sequence booklet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Jesus Ascends to Heaven” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.

Mark 16:19, Acts 1:3, Acts 1:11

Closing: return to Jesus Ascends to Heaven

3 min

Revisit Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Jesus Ascends to Heaven and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.

Mark 16:19, Acts 1:3, Acts 1:11

Questions to explore

“When they were together, they asked if this was the time the kingdom would be restored to Israel.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?

When they were together, they asked if this was the time the kingdom would be restored to Israel. Jesus said that the Father had kept those times in his own authority. Instead, they were to wait for the Holy Spirit's power and become his witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8, Acts 1:6, Acts 1:7

How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “Jesus led them out as far as Bethany.”?

Luke 24:50, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51

“The disciples worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” How does this ending connect with the beginning?

Mark 16:20, Luke 24:53, Luke 24:52

Make, think or respond

Jesus Ascends to Heaven: Story sequence booklet

What you’ll need

plain paper or card
pencils or pens
coloured pencils or crayons

Try it together

Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Beginning”, “What changes?”, “How it ends”.
Read Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11. Use “Jesus Ascends to Heaven” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
Retell the account using your three panels, checking the order against the passage.

The finished sheet keeps the details of Jesus Ascends to Heaven connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use Jesus Ascends to Heaven as the retelling prompt.
For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between Jesus Ascends to Heaven and the final part of the reading.

An optional closing prayer

“God, help us listen carefully as we read Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Mark 16

¹⁹ So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

²⁰ They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

Luke 24

⁵⁰ He led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

⁵¹ While he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.

⁵² They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

⁵³ and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Acts 1

¹ The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach,

² until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

³ To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about God’s Kingdom.

⁴ Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.

⁵ For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

⁶ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority.

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

⁹ When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.

¹⁰ While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

¹¹ who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.