Ascension Of Christ Series

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.