From Bethany To Pentecost

Text: Luke 24:44-53 (NASB) 44Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48"You are witnesses of these things. 49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." 50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.

Introduction: At the time of our text, the disciples had been on quite an emotional roller coaster ride. They had within the past few weeks witnessed their leader Jesus Christ open the blind eyes, and perform other miracles. They were then with Him when He went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray with a fervency and heaviness. They were there when the soldiers came to take Him away. They were watching in the distance as the angry crowd cried, “Crucify Him.” They were near as He was beaten, and eventually placed upon a cross to die. No doubt, they were dealing with mixed emotions and even somewhat confused by all the events that were taking place at such a hectic pace. Jesus had died, and was resurrected and now he revealed Himself to the disciples. Let us look at the emotional contrasts of the scripture.

Luke 24:38-41 (NASB) 38And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"

Notice here that the disciples went from being distressed and disbelieving to having happiness and astonishment!

Luke 24:44-49 (NASB) 44Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48"You are witnesses of these things. 49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

Jesus opened their understanding to the scriptures concerning His purpose for coming. He had performed many miracles, and healed many sicknesses and diseases. However, that was not His purpose for coming. He said this about His true purpose for coming. Luke 24:46, 47 again says, (NASB) “46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

His mission was to “seek and save” lost mankind. Luke 19:10 says, (NASB) “10"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” This is what the disciples saw him do during His 3 ½ years of ministry. However, His purpose was the fulfilling of the promise. Moreover, the promise was Pentecost! Jesus said in Luke 24:49, (NASB) “49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

I. Jesus blessed the disciples.

A. Luke 24:50 (NASB) 50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

B. The Greek word for blessed is eulogeo (yoo-log-eh’-o);

1. Praise to speak well of, i.e. (religiously) to bless (to thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper)