18th April - Ascension

Luke 24:36-53

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And 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.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for[b] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension

50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Reflections by Liz Kim

The turning point in my relationship with God, and arguably the turning point in my life, began when I seriously began to question the purpose of my existence in my late teens. I remember being filled with questions like ‘are we all just living because we’ve been born?’, ‘what end are we striving towards if we all die eventually?’. At the time, these questions weighed on me with a feeling of meaninglessness, but in hindsight, they were the seeds of grace that led me to discover that the true purpose of my life was, and still is, “to glorify God and enjoy him forever”. From that point on, the journey of discovering the depths of my sin and the grace that’s paid for my salvation through the blood of Christ has been a repetitively humbling and freeing process. 

The journey hasn’t always been easy or smooth-sailing, at times there are moments of doubt and unbelief. However, each time, just like the words of Christ in this passage, God doesn’t meet me with chastisement but with gentleness and patience he assures me that my salvation is not contingent on my own ability to muster up faith but that it’s the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead that will surely carry me to behold His face one day. 

“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. gTouch me, and see.” (Luke 24:39)

What jumps out at you from this reading?

Even after Jesus is raised from the dead and to the moment of his ascension, Jesus’s priority and heart is bent towards assuring his disbelieving and disheartened disciples that he is not far gone (24:49) and reveals himself to be the Christ that has fulfilled the prophecies and paid for the forgiveness of sins through his death (24:44-47). Till his last moment on Earth, Jesus blesses them (24:50-51). The heart of Christ is so clearly gentle, patient and sacrificially loving from beginning to end. 

What questions does this reading raise for you?

Now that we are called to be witnesses (v48) to this end, how can I live out my daily life rooted in the same joy that the disciples felt knowing that the resurrection of Christ has now rendered everything he has said to be true? How can I share this news and joy with others? 

What do you think the writer is urging his readers to believe or do?

Believe that Jesus is indeed the awaited Messiah, the Son of God, who has paid the price for our sins once and for all and spread the Good News. 

What in this reading would you talk about with a friend and why?

Our Lord and Saviour is so kind and gracious in the most counter-intuitive way, we are so privileged to know him as our friend, brother and King.