Theme: Great Blessings of God
Text: Luke 24:50-53
Introduction
The Gospel according to Luke ends with this beautiful great joyous occasion after receiving the great blessings from Jesus Christ. This can be titled as the Great Blessings of God or as Benediction of Jesus Christ.
Let us read the Text: Luke 24:50: gives the account that ‘Christ has lifted his hands and blessed them’. V. 51 continues to record that ‘while he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven’. V. 52 and v. 53 affirms that ‘the blessings of God made them worship Him and praise Him staying at the Temple’.
If God is in Heaven then Where is heaven? We are having a three-story Universe in our Bible as Heaven, Earth, and Hell. Heaven is above everything and beyond cognizant of mankind. Let us meditate the great blessings of God with the following three parts:
1. Benediction of Christ (Luke 24:50-51 a)
2. Ascension of Christ (Luke 24: 51 b)
3. Progression of the Church (Luke 24: 52-53)
Benediction of Christ (Luke 24:50-51 a)
Bethany:
We read in Luke 24:50 “when he led them to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted his hands and blessed them”. Christ's leadership is seen here that he led them near to Bethany to bless them and to be taken up. Jesus leads them out of the city of Jerusalem, down into the Kidron Valley, and up the Mount of Olives to a location near Bethany. According to Josephus (Historian), Bethany is 15 furlongs from Jerusalem, they have to pass through Beth-phage. But they returned less than a sabbath day’s journey (seven and a half furlong).
Benediction:
Benediction or giving blessings before departure was seen as priestly blessings, it is very important for all of us. The Old Testament has the number of occasions to reveal this act of blessings as Benediction by Priests, prophets, and kings. Genesis 14:18-19 says ‘he(Melchizedek) was the priest of God Most High so he blessed Abram’. Book of Leviticus says, "Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them" (Leviticus 9:22).
John MacArthur says it was the pledge of God for His eternal blessings, eternal life, eternal grace, and eternal goodness. John Gill quotes in his commentary certain explanations to understand this lifting up of hands during the benediction.
Targum says, the blessing of the priests was done by stretching out or spreading out their hands to include everyone in the blessings of God. Jewish writers say the priests lifted their hands, as high as their shoulders and above their heads except for the high priest. The High Priest shall not lift his hands above the plate of gold on his forehead, because the name Jehovah was written upon it. Nothing is greater than YHWH and no blessings above YHWH. ). So, it was not proper for him to lift his hands above that.
Then in Numbers 6:22-27(Read), the Law of benediction was laid as the perpetual command to bless God’s people by the priestly orders. Then it was referred by the priests very often to bless people from Zion (Psalm 118:26). Now Christ the True Melchizedek, True Eternal High Priest above all High Priests of Aaronic descendants in the World blessed them. The lesser person is blessed by the greater person (Hebrews 7:7). So, Christ, the highest person blesses. The name of God is like a debit card. You can draw any number of blessings in his name.
Therefore, benediction was always given by the highest priestly order, even in the NT age, we follow that same pattern. At home father gives the benediction, at church pastor gives the benediction, and at meeting places the eldest person pronounces the blessings. So, Jesus, the High priest to all High priests, lifted his hands to bless them. So Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3, we are blessed by Father through Christ.
Mathew Henry comments about the blessings: “He lifted his hands, and blessed them. He did not go away in displeasure, but in love, he left a blessing behind him. Fears are silenced, sorrows sweetened and allayed, and hopes kept up.” Pulpit Commentary elaborates this event that the hands of Jesus were lifted to increase ‘the space between the Risen and those he was blessing grew greater every moment’.
Barnes Notes explain this benediction very descriptively as, ‘While He commanded his benediction to rest upon them, also He assured them of His favor, and commended them to the protection and guidance of God, in the dangers, trials, and conflicts which they were to meet in a sinful and miserable world”. We can understand that it was an effectual authoritative blessing upon them (Matthew Poole). This benediction appertains to all believers.
Blessings:
The hands of Jesus were not Scary but with scars to bless us, heal us, and comfort us and console us. Blessings are natural, not reciprocal. Blessings are not dependent upon our prayers, our attitude, our approach but an outpour of Grace to all who are willing to recognize and receive. Blessings are normally seen and evaluated based on or in terms of position and possession, in terms of health and wealth, in terms of bank balances and proprietorship or ownership of lands and houses or apartments.
But more than it is a state of a peaceful mind, a state of satisfaction in what we have and given by God. Blessings and benediction are more than worldly. It is comprehensive of all that we mediated. Blessings were pronounced by God in Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:1, Genesis 12:2, and Luke 1:28. All the saints were blessed from this standpoint – Abraham was a rich man whereas Lazarus was a beggar but both were blessed by God. Solomon had plenty of Silver and Gold whereas Peter and John had none but both were satisfied. Benediction takes us to the Ascension of Christ. The greatest blessing is “The best of all is God is with us” as John Wesley declared at his death bed.
ASCENSION OF CHRIST (Luke 24: 51 b)
Yes, Dr. Luke wanted to finish his drawing of the picture of Jesus with this perfect dot. He introduced Christ as an obedient child (Luke 2:52), and an adult served God with given talents and powers using only for mission of God (Luke 4:1-11), he sacrificed himself for the cause of the Vision and Mission of God (Luke 23:26-56) and now moved to heaven.
Jesus appeared to Apostles in Galilee forty days ago. Now Jesus brought them to Bethany to indicate important spiritual meanings and interpretations to this village and its mountainside (Acts 1:12,3). He spent most of his time in prayer in this place towards the end of his life on earth. Prayer lifts us to a new realm of life.
Prayer plays a vital role in our spiritual upliftment and advancement. The only thing in the Bible remotely close is the ascension of Elijah in a whirlwind and a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11). But there was no chariot or whirlwind for Jesus. Enoch was not seen because he was taken up (Genesis 5:24). But, Jesus was seen by everyone while he was taken up.
Ascension of Christ teaches us that we do not belong to this world. Christ came to this world with a purpose, he understood that and fulfilled it. Then, he was taken up to heaven. How long we live on earth is immaterial but how we live and for whom we live matters a lot. We have a short life, but more opportunities are given to us. Redeem the time, redeem the people. Look up and make use of all occasions and vocations for the glorification of Christ.
Several New Testament passages mention the ascension from their understanding. However, two exegetical traditions came into existence on the ascension of Christ; Secret and open ascensions. one, as per John's immediate ascension, and the second, according to the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles ascension took place after forty days (Meyer’s NT Commentary). John report that Jesus said to Mary, 'Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned ("ascended"- secret ascension) to the Father' (John 20:17). Jesus told Mary Magdalen not to touch him right after the resurrection whereas he allowed Thomas to touch him and try him. So the secret ascension was completed between after meeting Mary and before meeting Thomas. John refers to these events as glorification in his gospel at several discourses of Christ (John 7:39 12:16, 12:23, 13:31-32, 17:5). Luke narrates this ascension at very early "As the time approached for him to be taken up" (Luke 9:51).
Paul quotes from Psalm to explain the ascension of Christ “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men” (Romans 10:6, Ephesians 4:8-10, Psalm 68:18). And he mentions it through his epistles of Philippians and Timothy, “Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place (Philippians 2:9-10). He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16).
The author of Hebrews says “We have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, now appears for us in God's presence (Hebrews 4:14, 9:24). Peter who was a personal witness of this ascension says, “He has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand -- with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him" (1 Peter 3:22, Psalm 110:1).
Read: Daniel 7:13-14 “Son of Man, coming with Clouds of Heaven, to Ancient of Days, he was given authority, glory, and sovereign power over all peoples, all nations, and men of every language worshipped him”. Now let us compare the events of ascension recorded in the Gospels of Mark, Luke, and Acts of the Apostles with the night vision of Prophet Daniel.
1. Jesus ascending from earth to heaven (Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:9-11).
2. Jesus entering the heavenly throne room as the exalted Son of God and receiving all authority, where "from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of God" ( Luke 22:69, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51).
3. Jesus returning in a cloud at his Second Coming "with power and great glory" (Luke 21:27) (Adopted from Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Jesus Walk Luke’s Gospel). Jesus went up by his power and the same he would return.
Ascension affirms the return of Christ. It convinces us to believe that one day we will be transformed and transported to heaven like him by clouds. We will fly through the clouds. Our last inter-sphere flight will take us to Christ. We are familiar with domestic flights, international flights, aerospace flights. Yet there is another flight for all those who believe in Christ is the inter-celestial flight, direct last flight to heaven. Ascension of Christ leads to the great joy of worship and ministry.
PROGRESSION OF CHURCH (Luke 24: 52-53)
Church can’t be static. It’s a movement. A fast-growing and attracting movement in the early years. The geographical expansion of the Gospel was so great and had a vast effect on humanity. Nations after nations were conquered by simple, humble missionaries. Prayerful committed sacrificial life of the disciples brought a revolution on those days in Asia Minor, Africa, and western countries. Every generation has seen the progress of the Gospel through powerful preaching and signs of preachers. God affirmed his words through them.
Dr. Kermit Long says, “With all our education, our fine buildings, our image of the church, we are doing less to win people to Christ than our unschooled forefathers did. We’re no longer fishers of men, but keepers of the aquarium, and we spend most of our time swiping fish from each other’s bowl.”
Alexander MacLaren comments in his “Expositions of Holy Scripture”, on this passage as ‘the Triumphant End’ of Gospel of Luke. The valedictory function, the farewell to Christ did not bring any sadness to disciples rather they had great joy. They understood that Christ is seated on the Right hand of the Father, He is the Omnipotent of God (Mark 16:19).
Ascension is the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. The descending of the Holy Spirit, the New Power is going to thrive them with new perspectives for greater results of conversions. The Church is going to see marvelous things done through their own hands and by their lives.
Ascension of Christ became the second foundation to build the Church on Peter and Apostles, it brought world-wide and age-long energy to establish churches. They went everywhere preaching the word, performing the signs, the Lord was with them (Mark 16:20). The ascended Christ is present everywhere, the Omnipresent of God is understood very accurately with experience. The ascension assured the presence of God in the absence of the body of Christ.
‘They prostrated before him fully satisfied of his divinity and glory and they paid due to divine honors; though henceforth he will be invisible to their naked eyes. They will continue this pattern of worship throughout their lifetime and the Church will continue till His second coming. He will be their great object of prayers, praises, and obedience’(Benson). Pure worship is not diminished. Grows and grows day by day.
Conclusion:
Let us live with the state of blessedness, Let us run with perseverance looking unto Jesus who is seated on the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 12:1-2). Let us continue our worship by telling others the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness available in Jesus Christ at free of cost.
