Thursday Easter Week Seven -- May 29
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Meditation
Thursday, Easter Week Seven, celebrates The Ascension of Our Lord and the moment when the disciples begin to ‘understand.’ They have been struggling with the unexpected twists and turns of Jesus’ timeline. They hadn’t counted on his being crucified. They were devastated by his death and were startled by his resurrection. Hiding out in the upper room, they were uncertain to believe the women’s tale of Jesus being alive.
But Jesus appeared to them many times—sometimes in disguise like the Road to Emmaus. Sometime by surprise when he suddenly appeared in a locked room. But the Gospel lesson said he spent time teaching them what the Scriptures meant—how to explain his resurrection and the future. It said he caused their minds to ‘understand’ the Scriptures.
I have had times when my brain felt foggy and no matter how many times I read something, it didn’t make sense. Then suddenly, I would read it again and clarity would happen. I would understand. The disciples suddenly understood…sort of.
Jesus led them to Bethany—the hill of the Mount of Olives—and while he was teaching them, he was ‘separated’ from them or ‘taken up.’ It sounds like the Twilight Zone or a good science fiction episode. Jesus didn’t levitate, but was taken from them…and he left two angels to clarify the situation—perhaps to remind them to ‘close their mouths.’ I am sure I would have dropped my jar to see such a event.
The angels practically chide the disciples. “Why are you looking up? He’s with God. Not here. And this same event will happen in reverse. He will come again.”
Why would they act surprised? Jesus had been teaching the disciples rather intensively—trying to explain all the miraculous things that had been happening—especially since it was different from their expectations. God had a plan A. They might have thought of Plan B, C, D…Z, but God had a plan A. They had just begun to understand—Jesus opened their minds, when he threw them a curve ball. He had explained they would receive the Holy Spirit and insisted they must stay in Jerusalem to wait for it, for their ministry was to start from there.
It was always to the Jew first…and then expanding outward. Why might it have been important for them to start there? The events of Jesus death and resurrection were still fresh. It had happen only 40 days ago. The people, who heard their message of the Good News, would have more corroboration from eye witnesses. It would help the message get out.
He wanted them to preach the Good News, but he wanted them to have as much working for them as possible. When Pentecost came, there would be many who had seen for themselves and they would be able to take their eye witness accounts added to the interpretation by the disciples, and the message would magnify its impact.
Yesterday, we learned the promise of God that he would go before and guide the way and that no one needed to be afraid.
The disciples balanced precariously on the precipice of becoming the difference in the world that Jesus saw they would be. Jesus taught them how to understand things—but they were still taken off guard when he ascended, so God provided the angels to explain it further.
God always provides. God has a plan A. God will equip us—open our minds to understand. God will surprise us. The Epistle of I Peter corroborates that God will work with us to bring us to ‘get it’—to understanding. God is King, the Psalmist declares, and everything works towards his glory. Perspective. It comes down to how we perceive things.
God is in charge. God has a plan that includes us all. We all matter to the plan. It involves the Holy Spirit and spreading the Good News.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 93;Deuteronomy 31:1-13;John 16:16-24&version=NCV;ERV;GNT;KJV (multiple versions)
Thursday, Easter Week Seven – The Ascension of Our Lord
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 93
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Proverbs 3:5-12 King James Version (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Acts 1:1-11 King James Version (KJV)
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, help us to trust you and understand your plan for us in the scheme of things. We want to be good stewards of your grace. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Thursday, Easter Week Seven –The Ascension of Our Lord – startled the disciples again, even though they had been studying with Jesus’ teaching for 40 days. He worked with them and opened their minds so they would understand when they saw things. God promised the Holy Spirit would come. We have learned that God has stood by his promises. He led the Jews to the Promised Land…now the new promises can also be counted on.
We must trust and obey, allowing our minds to be open to the leading of God, so we are prepared for the work that God wants us to do.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
Thursday, Easter Week Seven, celebrates The Ascension of Our Lord and the moment when the disciples begin to ‘understand.’ They have been struggling with the unexpected twists and turns of Jesus’ timeline. They hadn’t counted on his being crucified. They were devastated by his death and were startled by his resurrection. Hiding out in the upper room, they were uncertain to believe the women’s tale of Jesus being alive.
But Jesus appeared to them many times—sometimes in disguise like the Road to Emmaus. Sometime by surprise when he suddenly appeared in a locked room. But the Gospel lesson said he spent time teaching them what the Scriptures meant—how to explain his resurrection and the future. It said he caused their minds to ‘understand’ the Scriptures.
I have had times when my brain felt foggy and no matter how many times I read something, it didn’t make sense. Then suddenly, I would read it again and clarity would happen. I would understand. The disciples suddenly understood…sort of.
Jesus led them to Bethany—the hill of the Mount of Olives—and while he was teaching them, he was ‘separated’ from them or ‘taken up.’ It sounds like the Twilight Zone or a good science fiction episode. Jesus didn’t levitate, but was taken from them…and he left two angels to clarify the situation—perhaps to remind them to ‘close their mouths.’ I am sure I would have dropped my jar to see such a event.
The angels practically chide the disciples. “Why are you looking up? He’s with God. Not here. And this same event will happen in reverse. He will come again.”
Why would they act surprised? Jesus had been teaching the disciples rather intensively—trying to explain all the miraculous things that had been happening—especially since it was different from their expectations. God had a plan A. They might have thought of Plan B, C, D…Z, but God had a plan A. They had just begun to understand—Jesus opened their minds, when he threw them a curve ball. He had explained they would receive the Holy Spirit and insisted they must stay in Jerusalem to wait for it, for their ministry was to start from there.
It was always to the Jew first…and then expanding outward. Why might it have been important for them to start there? The events of Jesus death and resurrection were still fresh. It had happen only 40 days ago. The people, who heard their message of the Good News, would have more corroboration from eye witnesses. It would help the message get out.
He wanted them to preach the Good News, but he wanted them to have as much working for them as possible. When Pentecost came, there would be many who had seen for themselves and they would be able to take their eye witness accounts added to the interpretation by the disciples, and the message would magnify its impact.
Yesterday, we learned the promise of God that he would go before and guide the way and that no one needed to be afraid.
The disciples balanced precariously on the precipice of becoming the difference in the world that Jesus saw they would be. Jesus taught them how to understand things—but they were still taken off guard when he ascended, so God provided the angels to explain it further.
God always provides. God has a plan A. God will equip us—open our minds to understand. God will surprise us. The Epistle of I Peter corroborates that God will work with us to bring us to ‘get it’—to understanding. God is King, the Psalmist declares, and everything works towards his glory. Perspective. It comes down to how we perceive things.
God is in charge. God has a plan that includes us all. We all matter to the plan. It involves the Holy Spirit and spreading the Good News.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Season of Easter Bible Readings
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 93;Deuteronomy 31:1-13;John 16:16-24&version=NCV;ERV;GNT;KJV (multiple versions)
Thursday, Easter Week Seven – The Ascension of Our Lord
Acts 1:1-11
Psalm 93
Ephesians 1:15-23
Luke 24:44-53
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating
Proverbs 3:5-12 King James Version (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Single Bible Study chapter to study
Acts 1:1-11 King James Version (KJV)
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
OBSERVE:
Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.
2.
3.
INTERPRETATION:
What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?
APPLY:
Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement
Almighty God, help us to trust you and understand your plan for us in the scheme of things. We want to be good stewards of your grace. In Jesus name, Amen
Conclusion
Thursday, Easter Week Seven –The Ascension of Our Lord – startled the disciples again, even though they had been studying with Jesus’ teaching for 40 days. He worked with them and opened their minds so they would understand when they saw things. God promised the Holy Spirit would come. We have learned that God has stood by his promises. He led the Jews to the Promised Land…now the new promises can also be counted on.
We must trust and obey, allowing our minds to be open to the leading of God, so we are prepared for the work that God wants us to do.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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