Text: Luke 24:44-53 (NASB) 44Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48"You are witnesses of these things. 49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." 50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.
Introduction: At the time of our text, the disciples had been on quite an emotional roller coaster ride. They had within the past few weeks witnessed their leader Jesus Christ open the blind eyes, and perform other miracles. They were then with Him when He went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray with a fervency and heaviness. They were there when the soldiers came to take Him away. They were watching in the distance as the angry crowd cried, “Crucify Him.” They were near as He was beaten, and eventually placed upon a cross to die. No doubt, they were dealing with mixed emotions and even somewhat confused by all the events that were taking place at such a hectic pace. Jesus had died, and was resurrected and now he revealed Himself to the disciples. Let us look at the emotional contrasts of the scripture.
Luke 24:38-41 (NASB) 38And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
Notice here that the disciples went from being distressed and disbelieving to having happiness and astonishment!
Luke 24:44-49 (NASB) 44Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48"You are witnesses of these things. 49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
Jesus opened their understanding to the scriptures concerning His purpose for coming. He had performed many miracles, and healed many sicknesses and diseases. However, that was not His purpose for coming. He said this about His true purpose for coming. Luke 24:46, 47 again says, (NASB) “46and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
His mission was to “seek and save” lost mankind. Luke 19:10 says, (NASB) “10"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” This is what the disciples saw him do during His 3 ½ years of ministry. However, His purpose was the fulfilling of the promise. Moreover, the promise was Pentecost! Jesus said in Luke 24:49, (NASB) “49"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."
I. Jesus blessed the disciples.
A. Luke 24:50 (NASB) 50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
B. The Greek word for blessed is eulogeo (yoo-log-eh’-o);
1. Praise to speak well of, i.e. (religiously) to bless (to thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper)
2. This blessing was important because it was here that Jesus imparted unto His disciples the instruction to go beyond the current blessing at Bethany, to the PROMISE that awaited them at Jerusalem!
3. It was here that Jesus ascended up into glory and not be seen again by the disciples.
4. It was also here at Bethany, that we are told by theologians that some built memorials and considered the spot that Jesus went away a very hallowed and sacred place.
5. However, the disciples understood the importance of leaving Bethany and going to Jerusalem!
a) At this point, the disciples realized that there was more for them than what preceded Bethany.
b) There was more for humanity than the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ.
c) There was more for mankind than the incredible life that Jesus lived.
d) There was even more for humanity than Christ death, burial, and resurrection!
e) THERE WAS MORE FOR HUMANITY THAN JESUS’ ASCENSION!
f) There was more for the disciples than a blessing at Bethany.
6. Therefore, the disciples made the journey from The Blessing of Bethany, To the Promise of Pentecost.
II. The Journey to the Promise of Pentecost.
A. Luke 24:52, 53 (NASB) 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.
B. Acts 1:1-14 (AMP) 1IN THE former account [which I prepared], O Theophilus, I made [a continuous report] dealing with all the things which Jesus began to do and to teach 2Until the day when He ascended, after He through the Holy Spirit had instructed and commanded the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen. 3To them also He showed Himself alive after His passion (His suffering in the garden and on the cross) by [a series of] many convincing demonstrations [unquestionable evidences and infallible proofs], appearing to them during forty days and talking [to them] about the things of the kingdom of God. 4And while being in their company and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, of which [He said] you have heard Me speak. 5For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit. 6So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is this the time when You will reestablish the kingdom and restore it to Israel? 7He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power. 8But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. 9And when He had said this, even as they were looking [at Him], He was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight. 10And while they were gazing intently into heaven as He went, behold, two men [dressed] in white robes suddenly stood beside them, 11Who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, Who was caught away and lifted up from among you into heaven, will return in [just] the same way in which you saw Him go into heaven. 12Then [the disciples] went back to Jerusalem from the hill called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, [only] a Sabbath day’s journey (three-quarters of a mile) away. 13And when they had entered [the city], they mounted [the stairs] to the upper room where they were [indefinitely] staying--Peter and John and James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas [son] of James. 14All of these with their minds in full agreement devoted themselves steadfastly to prayer, [waiting together] with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
C. Acts 2:1-4 (KJV) 1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
D. Today, too many good churchgoers are doing nothing more than dwelling at Bethany.
1. God is moving and blessing in nearly every denomination around the world!
2. Too many people are satisfied and content with a Bethany blessing!
E. Too many followers of Jesus live off PAST EXPERIENCES!
1. Many stop following Jesus at a certain point in their lives and simply live off past blessings!
2. Some people are satisfied with their current spiritual status and have no desire to draw nearer to God.
F. They are dwelling at Bethany.
G. I ask this question today,
1. “Are you satisfied with your current status with the Lord?”
2. “Do you believe that there is more for you?”
3. The truth is that God has more for everyone!
H. Why not move from your “Bethany blessing” to your own personal PENTECOST?
