Was reminded by various parties that today is Ascension day.
Ascension marks the day Jesus was taken up to the heavens, and whose return we await at this very moment.
A lot of very significant things happened in between the Resurrection and the Ascension. The Gospel of Luke records these things in Luke 24. A list of some of the things shall be listed here:
1) The disciples doubted the resurrection:
"Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened." (Luke 24:10-12)
2) The disciples eyes were opened to the Scriptures. For the first time, they understood that the whole Old Testament was referring to Jesus Christ:
"And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24-27)
"They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
3) Jesus shows them his hands and feet, pierced by nails to show that his death on the Cross was real
And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:38-40)
4) The disciples receive the mission to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
5) Finally Jesus Ascends
While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)
Why are these passages so important?
1) We will never be able to understand Scripture unless Christ opens up the Scripture to us, just as He did to the disciples. If we are struggling to read the Bible, we need to pray that He will reveal to us the Scriptures just as He did to them.
2) Jesus death, resurrection and ascension are all REAL events. Never let anyone proclaim otherwise. If we find ourselves doubting this, we need to pray for Him to reveal the REALITY of these things to us. Like the disciples, they too once doubted. But they were shown the evidence of it.
3) We will never be able to participate in the mission of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins unless (1) and (2) happens in our lives. (1) must happen so that we understand the Scriptures, (2) must happen so that we understand the REALITY of the Resurrection and the Ascension. Think about it: Why were the disciples so bold in participating in such dangerous missions for the sake of Christ?
Because they knew and understood. And they just saw a dead man raised to life and taken up to the heavens. Life is not the same anymore.
Ascension marks the day Jesus was taken up to the heavens, and whose return we await at this very moment.
A lot of very significant things happened in between the Resurrection and the Ascension. The Gospel of Luke records these things in Luke 24. A list of some of the things shall be listed here:
1) The disciples doubted the resurrection:
"Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened." (Luke 24:10-12)
2) The disciples eyes were opened to the Scriptures. For the first time, they understood that the whole Old Testament was referring to Jesus Christ:
"And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24-27)
"They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
3) Jesus shows them his hands and feet, pierced by nails to show that his death on the Cross was real
And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (Luke 24:38-40)
4) The disciples receive the mission to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
5) Finally Jesus Ascends
While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. (Luke 24:51)
Why are these passages so important?
1) We will never be able to understand Scripture unless Christ opens up the Scripture to us, just as He did to the disciples. If we are struggling to read the Bible, we need to pray that He will reveal to us the Scriptures just as He did to them.
2) Jesus death, resurrection and ascension are all REAL events. Never let anyone proclaim otherwise. If we find ourselves doubting this, we need to pray for Him to reveal the REALITY of these things to us. Like the disciples, they too once doubted. But they were shown the evidence of it.
3) We will never be able to participate in the mission of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins unless (1) and (2) happens in our lives. (1) must happen so that we understand the Scriptures, (2) must happen so that we understand the REALITY of the Resurrection and the Ascension. Think about it: Why were the disciples so bold in participating in such dangerous missions for the sake of Christ?
Because they knew and understood. And they just saw a dead man raised to life and taken up to the heavens. Life is not the same anymore.
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