Day Three: Luke 24:50-53 “Then He led them out
as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. And while He was
blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. After worshiping
Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they were continually in
the temple complex praising God.”
GROWING UP, I never
got used to seeing my dad leave for an out-of-town business trip. Nearly every
time, he would leave early Monday morning and return late Friday evening.
Despite the fact that this was a regular occurrence during my childhood, I
never got used to saying goodbye can’t remember a single Monday morning where I
saw my father off and immediately felt normal and happy. Every single departure
was difficult.
Reflecting back on
these emotions makes Jesus’ departure from his disciples very interesting to
me. Jesus left them for good and they responded in a shocking manner: they were
filled with great joy. How could they see their Master leave for good and still
be filled with joy?
They were filled with
great joy because they finally realized the magnitude of Jesus’ life, death,
resurrection, and ascension. Upon witnessing Christ’s ascension, the disciples
were not only filled with great joy, but were firmly resolved to live on
mission for God.
There is something
about being wrapped up in a story bigger than yourself that brings joy. The
disciples knew there was going to be exciting days ahead after Jesus’ ascension.
They stood side-by-side with Jesus for three years, and only now did they
finally gain an understanding of Jesus’ full purpose here on earth. He didn’t
come to merely befriend the disciples or even to merely teach them the right
way to live. He came to offer Himself as a sacrifice so that the disciples may
have the opportunity to experience everlasting life.
Further, Christ
expected the disciples to take that message of salvation, full of worship and
great joy, to the ends of the earth. Those expectations have not subsided.
Christ still expects His disciples to take the message of the gospel to the
ends of the earth, with a sense of worship and great joy.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
▷▷Why are we often sad
when a loved one departs from us?
▷▷Why
were the disciples “filled with great joy” when Jesus departed from them?
▷▷How should the disciples response guide
our thinking and actions regarding Christ’s ascension?
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