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Luke 24:50-53
In this ending passage of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus leads His disciples to Bethany (Luke 24:50), which is on the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:29). He gave blessing to His disciples and then ascended into heaven. The ascension was a requirement of His new resurrected body because as He was risen from the dead into new life. This new life no longer is subject to death. Death is the curse for sin which Jesus has now defeated through His resurrection from the grave.
The ascension was necessary to provide the fulfillment for His words in John 4:23-24 as He talked about a time when God will be worshiped not so much as to say in physical places such as in Jerusalem, but in Spirit as to say from anywhere. True worship must now be done in spirit and in truth as God is Spirit and desires to be worshiped in spirit.
Jesus has now fulfilled the requirements of the Law which was given that in keeping the Law fulfilled the requirements for righteousness. Man was not able to keep the Law but was made aware of sin through the Law. Jesus came to fulfill for humanity (us) what humanity (we) could not accomplish on our own. The Apostle Paul explains this very well in Romans 3:10-26; 5:6-21.
The last two verses of the Gospel of Luke are Luke 24:52-53 which proclaims the joy and rejoicing that Jesus’ disciples experienced after His ascension. This is the proof of one’s eyes being opened to a new life in Christ Jesus and is further supported in Romans 5:11.
Jesus’ disciples seemed to be somewhat confused at His appearances from the time of His resurrection until the time of His ascension, but then, as He ascends to heaven in His newly resurrected body demonstrates the connection to the new body that He will give to all those who believe in Him (John 1:12-13). The fullness of salvation in Him is now made complete and true joy of this new life in Him is now able to be experienced (John 11:25-26; Philippians 4:4).
This is the fulfillment of the promised Savior.
This is the joy of life in Christ Jesus, who came to save the world from sin (John 3:16-17).
As Jesus ascended to heaven in His newly resurrected body, He was preparing to send His Holy Spirit to all who will believe in Him. Today, through God’s Holy Spirit, we are all able to experience a new life in Jesus if we will make a commitment to honestly and sincerely put our trust in Him. The joy found in a Christian’s heart is a joy like no other, and it can be experienced by you too, if you will put your trust in Him.
Dear Lord,
As we finish this study of the Gospel of Luke, I pray that You will touch each of our lives and fill our hearts with the joy that is found only through believing in Jesus; that He came to pay our penalty for sin and that He died so on the cross. And not only that Lord, but that through His resurrection, we too may be resurrected to a new life in Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.