Day 735: Truly good news - Luke 24 vs 44 – 53

44 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.” 45-47 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.

48-49 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.” 50-51 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.  While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52-53 And they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. Luke 24:44-53 English Standard Version

Luke gives a short summary here of what Jesus' final words to His disciples were. I say summary because in the follow up book that Luke wrote he says: “In the first book, I dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying (eating) with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, ‘you heard from me.’” (Acts 1:1-4)

So Jesus was seen by His followers for nearly six weeks before He ascended back to the Father. The apostle Paul tells us that on one occasion during those days He appeared to more than 500 of them. (1 Corinthians 15:6) And apart from showing them that He was really back from the dead, Jesus also showed them again how His life was a fulfillment of what had been promised throughout the Old Testament. While the resurrection and return to the Father were the climax of the wonderful events Luke described in his account of the life of Jesus, what was the glorious purpose and outcome of all these things? (vs 45-47)

Repentance and forgiveness of sins was from then on to be proclaimed in His name to all nations. Could anything in the world be more 'good news' than that? This was the new covenant promised in Jeremiah, and other parts of the Old Testament, in which God said He will be merciful towards our iniquities, and remember our sins no more! That covenant was first spoken to Jewish people and so the disciples were told to begin their work at Jerusalem. But then it was to go to all nations.

What was the other vital part of Jesus' parting words to the disciples that Luke mentions in vs 48-49, as well as in Acts 1:1-4?

They were not to rush off in their own strength to tell the world about Jesus but to wait for the Holy Spirit who Jesus had promised the Father would send. That happened ten days later. So Luke ends his gospel with Jesus being 'carried up to heaven'. In the book of Acts, however, he adds that “as they were looking on, Jesus was lifted up and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.'” (Acts 1:9-11) There can be no greater joy than to be a man or woman who has repented of sin and believed on Jesus Christ for mercy and forgiveness. Such a person can look forward to His return and to eternal life in His presence. “O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”