New Saying
Luke 24:19-24 MSG
Luke 24:26-31 (Jesus spoke with the men)
Luke 24:32 ESV
Luke 24:33-34 MSG
Luke 24:50-51 MSG
Matthew 28:20 ESV
Acts 2:1-4 ESV
I gotta bounce (leave).
The saying, I gotta bounce has a ring of urgency to it. It’s stronger than, saying, “well it’s time for me to leave.”
It’s almost a command.
The Gospel of Luke gives a great summation of the events three days after Jesus was crucified.
Luke 24:19-24,“They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene: He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”
God sent an Angel with the message telling them that Jesus was alive and some disciples went looking for Jesus.
Then in Luke 24:26-31 we learn that Jesus spoke plainly telling them exactly how His crucifixion fulfilled the words of the prophets. They finally understood it WAS Jesus they were speaking with. They knew that Jesus had appeared to them!
In Luke 24:32 it says, “Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”
In Luke 24:33-34 we read, “They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!”
And then, Jesus then appeared to all of them.
I’m sure that once Jesus was back with them they were filled with joy…so much joy.
They probably thought Jesus was really staying with them.
They probably really really wanted Jesus to stay with them.
But God had another plan.
In Luke 24:50-51 we are told, “He then led them out of the city over to Bethany. Raising his hands he blessed them, and while blessing them, made his exit, being carried up to heaven.”
Then Jesus bounced.
Jesus HAD to bounce.
He had to bounce because that was part of the plan.
Heaven was and is Jesus’ eternal home.
Even though Jesus returned to ‘eternal’ home, we are not alone. Matthew 28:20 tells us that Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Until then, God had a plan…
We know from Acts 2:1-4 God had a plan. “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Even today, the Spirit of God is in us and with us! We are never alone.
Spiritual Practice: Not Alone
Embrace God IN You. Know that You are not alone.
In God, Deborah
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