042306

Living Beyond Myself
You Have a Mission
Luke 24, Acts 1
April 23, 2006


Luke 24:45-49 (Monday)
“Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning a Jerusalem You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
1) I recently had a conversation with someone about how they, or someone they knew, were constantly feeling frustrated because they could not understand the Bible. This seemed to greatly upset my friend because over and over again she would try to open her or her friend’s mind to understand the scriptures. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. I shared with her how as a young teenager, I, too, had read through the entire Bible, but just didn’t get it, at least not all of it. It wasn’t until after I asked Jesus Christ into my heart that I understood! One day I sat down and read Isaiah 53 and my eyes were immediately opened to the realization that the Person Isaiah was describing was none other than my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Beloved, this is no coincidence! Unless and until you realize that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God--God who put on flesh and became sinless man—died on the cross, in your place and for your sins; then you have no hope of understanding God’s Word—the Holy Bible. In taking this step of faith, how are our minds illuminated to Truth?s
2) Oh, how I wish I could have been one of the apostles! I often wonder if they had an instantaneous and complete revelation of the Word of God. Oh, we have hints here and there that they, too, struggled, but do you suppose it was different for them? Why or why not?
3) I think the hardest part of receiving anything of great worth is in the waiting for it! What if the disciples decided not to hang around?
4) What do you think kept them in the city?
5) What was (is) this promised power?
6) Are we any less witnesses than the apostles? Since we haven’t actually laid eyes on Jesus, how can we give a true account of what He did for mankind?
Luke 24:50-53 (Tuesday)
“When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped H im and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” (NIV)
1) Curious place, Bethany. Bethany was a small village, east of the Jordan on the slope of the Mount of Olives. It sat approximately 2 miles from the city of Jerusalem. Most of us remember this as the very city where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11!) It was also at Bethany that John baptized sinners in preparation of the coming of the Lord (John 1:19-28), and it was probably at Bethany where Jesus submitted Himself to John’s baptism. Bethany has the honor of being Jesus’ last stop on His three and one half year journey toward the cross (Matthew 21:17!) While in Bethany, Jesus visited the home of Simon the Leper where a woman (Lazarus’ sister, Mary) anointed Him with very expensive oil from her alabaster jar (Matthew 26:6-13 and John 12:1-8!) Jesus acknowledged that she did so in preparation of His burial. Now, we see this same Jesus, having been raised unto eternal life, returning to His heavenly Father near that very town! Glory!
2) As risen Lord, I hope you noticed that the final physical and tangible exchange between Jesus and his disciples was Him blessing His disciples, and, in turn, the disciples responding with an heartfelt act of worship—praise! Can you have one without the other?
3) I would have loved to been a fly on the wall, listening to all of the comments made by the Jewish leaders while all the talk, worship and praise of Jesus Christ was going on! They believed killing Him would silence Him and His followers. How very far from the truth that thought turned out to be!
4) Compare John 20, especially verse 19, with the above scripture. What happened to those men and women?
Acts 1:1-3 (Wednesday)
“In my former book, Theophilius, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the aspostles He had chosen. After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and Gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (NIV)
1) A little help here on Monday’s question #2! Being taught by the Master Teacher! The One the entire Bible speaks of! Who better to reveal the Messiah through the scriptures than Jesus the Christ!
2) I don’t know what additional proofs someone would need after seeing Jesus alive again, knowing He died on that cross, but Jesus graciously satisfied all their lingering doubts! (Remember, Jesus did allow Thomas to see His scars and place his hand into His pierced side (John 20:24-31) and we know He actually served breakfast and ate with the disciples (John 21:2-14!) Do you have doubts? Think Jesus would be offended.? I pray this scripture encourages you! Jesus never minded anyone’s honest questioning! Instead, He turned them into opportunities for someone’s faith to grow! Has He ever done this for you? Please share!
3) Forty days has much significance in scripture. Can you think of any other important events that occurred over a 40 day period?
Acts 1:4-8 (Thursday)
“On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (NIV)
1) Okay, I have to inject a little of the Old Testament here! We have often spoken of the Tabernacle and later the Temple, the sacrifices and the blood. Under the Law, or Old Covenant, the remission and cleansing from one’s sins, even the cleansing of the temple itself, its furniture, walls, and utensils all required three important elements: the shedding or sprinkling of blood, fire and water! We talk a lot about Old Covenant pictures or foreshadows of God’s future works under the New Covenant in Christ Jesus. How are all three of these necessary elements of cleansing met in Jesus Christ?
2) Jesus did not rebuke them for asking—they now understood the scriptures, but do you think the apostles would have been effective witnesses—going into all the world as Jesus commanded, if they were focused only on Israel once again becoming the mighty nation?
3) What if all we did today was go up to some mountain and just sit and wait for Christ’s return? How effective would we be?
4) Don’t misunderstand! Jesus is returning and be sure—He is all about restoration! Look around you! Look at yourself! What are some areas that satan destroyed or stolen from you that our God has graciously restored? Oh, praise Him! That’s one reason the Father sent the Holy Spirit. So, through His power, we could begin to rebuild and restore our broken lives! After all, how can we help others if we are still broken?
Acts 1:9-14 (Friday)
“After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, Jame sand Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” (NIV)
1) In other words, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good!” Let’s be about our Father’s business!
2) The Mount of Olives holds rich spiritual meaning! It is believed to be Mount Gerizim, the mount of blessing in Deuteronomy 11:29-32; 27:10-26.; 28:1-14 and Joshua 8:33-35. This is the mount upon which Jesus taught the multitudes the blessings of the beatitudes and it is upon this same mount that Jesus will one day place His feet (Zechariah 14:4!) On that day, the mount will split wide open! Glory!
3) I hope you noticed that women are no longer considered a separate class or society to these very traditional Jewish men. No, hand in hand, they all joined together in prayer! Indeed, class, backgrounds, race are no longer a barrier in Christ Jesus! We are all accepted in the beloved! Jesus indeed moves mountains!
4) Will be! Not, if you feel like it, or maybe you will. You will be His witnesses! What does that mean to you and how do you go about being a “witness?”
5) I love the following quote from this week’s study helps:
“Witnessing is not something that we do for the Lord; it is something that He does through us, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit. There is a great difference between a “sales talk” and a Spirit-empowered witness. “People do not come to Christ at the end of an argument,” said Vance Havner. “Simon Peter came to Jesus because Andrew went after him with a testimony.” We go forth in the authority of His name, in the power of His spirit, heralding His Gospel of His grace.”