Between Resurrection And Ascension

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:36-53

 ³⁶ Now while they were talking about this, Jesus Himself took His stand among them and said to them, Peace (freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin) be to you!³⁷ But they were so startled and terrified that they thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸ And He said to them, ^*Why are you disturbed and troubled, and why do such doubts and questionings arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Feel and handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have. ⁴⁰ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.⁴¹ And while [since] they still could not believe it for sheer joy and marveled, He said to them, Have you anything here to eat? ⁴² They gave Him a piece of broiled fish,⁴³ And He took [it] and ate [it] before them.

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything which is written concerning Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.⁴⁵ Then He [thoroughly] opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures,⁴⁶ And said to them, Thus it is written that the Christ (the Messiah) should suffer and on the third day rise from (among) the dead,⁴⁷ And that repentance [with a view to and as the condition of] forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.

⁴⁹ And behold, I will send forth upon you what My Father has promised; but remain in the city [Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power from on high.⁵⁰ Then He conducted them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up His hands, He invoked a blessing on them.⁵¹ And it occurred that while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was taken up into heaven.⁵² And they, worshiping Him, went back to Jerusalem with great joy;⁵³ And they were continually in the temple celebrating with praises and blessing and extolling God. Amen     ^{From the Amplified Version of the Bible}

key Verse: You are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:48).

Meditation: Why did Jesus come back from death and stay On earth for 40 days before ascending to the Father?

Jesus tarried for 40 days to convince the disciples that He was really alive. His followers last glimpsed Jesus on the cross. They had heard  He was put into a tomb. They were skeptical of the two women's reports that the stone was rolled away and the tomb empty. Each disciple had to be certain Jesus was alive.

He appeared specifically to Thomas. As they each and all saw Jesus these dispirited followers became determined witnesses. The certainty of the resurrection transformed the tragedy of the cross triumphant gospel.

He prepared the disciples for the withdrawal of His physical visible presence. When Mary recognized Him, He said, “Don’t cling to me." He kept moving in and out of the visible and invisible worlds. He did not need the physical rest and food that His human body used before.  The disciples gradually understood that He was with them constantly even though they could not see Him.

Thought for the Day: Once we believe that Jesus lives in our lives can Witness with great joy.

* I have been using Blue to represent the words of God.  Red represents humanity.