Luke 24:36b-53
At the conclude of Matthew’s Gospel, the resurrected Jesus seems to his disciples and tells them to “go as a result and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19). In what is recognised as the “long ending” of Mark, the resurrected Jesus seems to his disciples and tells them to “go into all the globe and proclaim the superior news” (Mk 16:15).
The conclude of Luke’s Gospel doesn’t really feel considerably like The Finish at all, likely for the reason that it is not actually an “end” but a change that can take the disciples (and us, as Luke’s visitors) from Luke 24 into Acts 1. The creator of Luke and Acts is telling a single tale, and just as Jesus’s dying was not The Conclusion, neither is his resurrection. So probably it helps make feeling that though at the finishes of Matthew and Mark, the resurrected Christ tells his followers to “go,” in Luke, Jesus instructions his disciples to “stay.” Or at the very least to remain, for now.
Luke 24 echoes a lot of of the exact same features of Jesus’s resurrection appearances that the other Gospels focus on. Jesus delivers “peace” to the disciples, exhibits his wounds, eats with them, teaches them about the Scriptures, and tells them that they will go “to all nations” proclaiming his story and God’s forgiveness. But in Luke, one thing critical has to take place ahead of they can go. In Luke 24:49, Jesus reminds them that there is still a single extra guarantee that have to be fulfilled till that promise is held and they are “clothed with electric power from on large,” they have to keep.
Initially they stay by his facet out to Bethany, the place they acquire his blessing and witness his ascension to heaven. Then they remain worshiping him, in advance of they go again to Jerusalem where by they keep in the temple “continually… blessing God” (vv. 50-53).
This is a teaser for the continuation of this tale in the E book of Functions: right before they can go out, they have to keep put for now, until finally they receive the Holy Spirit. Even so excited they are, however nervous they are to get going and distribute the excellent information of resurrection, even so ready they consider they are to make disciples and train and baptize—they are not yet ready. They require to continue to be with each other. They need to continue to be in prayer. And they will need to keep warn as they hold out for their next chapter.
Discussion
- What do you assume about the way Luke’s Gospel finishes, in contrast to Matthew and Mark? These three “synoptic” gospels share several factors in typical, but Luke extends Jesus’s resurrected lifestyle to involve the early church in Acts. How does Luke 24 set the disciples up for this ongoing story?
- Why do you think the fulfillment of God’s promise of the Holy Spirit is so significant right before the disciples are all set to “go”? How do we experience the Spirit’s promise and electric power?
- How much does your church or denominational tradition aim on Jesus’s command to “go” and train, proclaim, make disciples, and baptize believers? How does your tradition exercise “staying” to start with, to be thoroughly all set to “go”?
- How might we be tempted to “go” when we must “stay” in Jesus’s existence, in prayer, and looking for God’s power? How may possibly we be tempted to “stay” because we never sense ready to “go”?
- How do we discern when to remain, and when to go?
Nikki Finkelstein-Blair is the direct editor of Connections. She is a graduate of Samford College and Central Baptist Theological Seminary. She and her spouse Scott and sons Sam and Levi reside in St Louis, Missouri. In the latest decades, Nikki has composed Smyth & Helwys curricula as very well as devotionals for d365.org and Baptist Females in Ministry. She weaves clergy stoles, knits pretty much something, and desires of earning her dreadful novel drafts into readable guides. She blogs about religion and creating issues at amovingyarn.com.
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