30 days with Jesus (day 30) - Jesus ascends to heaven - Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:36-53

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO COMPLAIN!!  Well, Spring Break is here for most of the schools in Texas.  Teachers and students are going YEA!!! Parents are going Oh, No!  LOL

  I do hope you have enjoyed the venture of 30 days with Jesus as much as I have.  There has been a lot of information, but still if one goes back to study you will find there is even more that could not be condensed into the study.

  If you are looking for buried treasure read your Bible.  I did not understand this saying for years, UNTIL, I started doing my own study, then as I became closer to God, the more was revealed to me.  Words I had read before suddenly leaped off the page at me.  Wow, what a revelation!  Love studying the Bible, it is good for the soul.

  Okay, let us look at Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:36-53 about Jesus ascending to heaven.  Matthew is concise in his words as you will see here: ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
¹⁷ And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Here you find the great commission, to teach all nations, baptizing them how? Yes, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.  Teaching them what Jesus commanded them and then a promise.

  The promise is Jesus is with us unto the end of the world.  Wowsers!!!

   Now when we come to Luke, the physician, who is quite detail oriented we find a more indepth account.  Here the disciples are gathered together and in the midst of them Jesus appears.  The disciples did not know if this was a ghost or their imagination and they were afraid.  Jesus asked why there were afraid and said look at my hands and my feet.  It is really me, touch me, give me something to eat.  Jesus goes on to say if he were a ghost they could not touch him nor could he eat.

  Now as you read this text it looks as if Jesus ate in verse 43 and then verse 44 follows up right away.  However, there were many days between these verses as they, Jesus and his followers, traveled to Galilee and back before he returned to heaven. 

  In Acts, Luke makes it clear that Jesus spent 40 days with his disciples between his resurrection and ascension. (Notice the number 40 appears again) In verse 44 Jesus says: These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

  They still were in a little fog as to what was going on when it says in verse 45 HE opened their eyes to understand the scriptures.  This is what the Holy Spirit does to us in our life today - opens our minds to understand the scripture!!!

  Get ready, for Jesus is about to ascend into heaven and leave the Holy Spirit here to comfort and guide us. Here is what HE says: Matthew 28: 46.......Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:    ⁴⁷ And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.    ⁴⁸ And ye are witnesses of these things.   ⁴⁹ And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

  But now get ready for another amazing event.  Jesus leads them (disciples) to Bethany and lifted HIS hand to heaven and blessed them.  While HE was blessing them HE left them and was taken up to heaven. 

  Now, the disciples, understanding were filled with exceeding joy and returned to Jerusalem. Jesus tells them to begin at Jerusalem, to wait there until they "be endued with power from on high" meaning the Holy Spirit.  Luke emphasizes that Jesus was not a phantom, but a real human being who healed people and fed them because he was concerned with their physical health as well as the state of their souls.

  As believers, we also should obey our LORD in every detail as we move through this short life, sharing the good news gospel of Jesus Christ.  If you want to live a perfect life - give complete devotion to Jesus Christ.  The closer you come in your relationship with Jesus the closer you come to being perfect.  We will all be perfect one day - that day is beyond this world. Thank you for reading this 30 days with Jesus. Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny