Luke 24:36-53 (CEV)
36 While Jesus’ disciples were talking about what had happened, Jesus appeared and greeted them. 37 They were frightened and terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost.
38 But Jesus said, “Why are you so frightened? Why do you doubt? 39 Look at my hands and my feet and see who I am! Touch me and find out for yourselves. Ghosts don’t have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 After Jesus said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 The disciples were so glad and amazed that they could not believe it. Jesus then asked them, “Do you have something to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish. 43 He took it and ate it as they watched.
44 Jesus said to them, “While I was still with you, I told you that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Books of the Prophets, and in the Psalms had to happen.”
45 Then he helped them understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them:
The Scriptures say that the Messiah must suffer, then three days later he will rise from death. 47 They also say that all people of every nation must be told in my name to turn to God, in order to be forgiven. So beginning in Jerusalem, 48 you must tell everything that has happened. 49 I will send you the one my Father has promised, but you must stay in the city until you are given power from heaven.
50 Jesus led his disciples out to Bethany, where he raised his hands and blessed them. 51 As he was doing this, he left and was taken up to heaven. 52 After his disciples had worshiped him, they returned to Jerusalem and were very happy.53 They spent their time in the temple, praising God.
Find Out For Yourselves
We’ve come to the end of Luke, and with it the end of our time together. In twenty-four chapters in just over two hundred studies we have had the chance to steep ourselves deeply in the words and actions and teachings of Jesus.
Like those who followed Jesus around for three years, we have been on a journey that has taken us places we may never have expected to go.
But now, like the disciples in today’s final passage it is time to take the next steps – to find out for ourselves that Jesus is living and active and present with us in our day to day realities today.
Next Steps for Disciples
It’s time for us to start right where we are (wherever our ‘Jerusalem’ might be) and live out the story of Jesus for those around us to see.
It might even be time for us to ask for the power of the Spirit to grow in our lives as we start telling people about why we do what we do – about how Jesus has shown up in our own lives and why we find ourselves so committed to following him.
Or perhaps it is simply time for you to pause and worship – to sing praises or run with gladness or create beautiful works of art or write poetry or serve with joy or whatever worship looks like for you. To take the time to acknowledge and thank the Author of the Universe for caring enough about creation – and about each of us as members of creation – that we were given the opportunity to witness through the writings of Luke the moment when God became part of humanity, the moment when humanity went to live with God, and everything that happened in between.
Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Final Blessings
I pray that God would continue to lead and to guide you deeper in your knowledge of God and your love of Christ and your fellowship with the Holy Spirit; that you may continue to dig deep into how high and how wide and how long and how deep the love of God is, so that you may see life grow more and more abundantly in you and around you; and that you may know the truth of God’s infinite love for you and may experience what it is like to be set free.
Grace and peace;
Heather
Journal Questions:
- What will be your next step in finding out for yourself the height and width and breadth and depth of God’s love for you?
- What will be your next step in finding out for yourself what God has called you to do?
- What will be your next step in finding out for yourself how you were made to worship?