Read Luke 24:50-53

JESUS ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN
Jesus’ physical presence left the disciples when He returned to heaven, but the Holy spirit soon came to comfort them and empower therm to spread the Good News of Salvation. Today, Jesus’ work of salvation was complete, and He is sitting at God’s right hand, where He has authority over heaven and earth.
As the disciples stood and watched, Jesus began rising into the air, and soon He disappeared into heaven. Seeing Jesus leave must have been frightening, but the disciples knew that Jesus would keep His promise to send the Holy Spirit to be with them. This same Jesus, who lived with the disciples, who died and was buried, and who rose from the dead, loves you and promises to be with you always. You can get to know Him better by studying the Bible, praying, and allowing the Holy Spirit to make you more like Jesus.
Luke’s gospel portrays Jesus as a perfect life lived according to God’s plan. As a child He was obedient to His parents and amazed the religious leaders in the Temple. As an adult, He served God and others through preaching and healing, and finally, as a condemned man, He suffered without complaint. This portrayal of Jesus was well suited for Luke’s Greek readers, who placed high value on being an example and improving oneself, and who often discussed the meaning of perfection.
As a believer living according to God’s plan, you, too, should obey your Lord in every detail as you seek to bring wholeness to people’s lives and souls. If others want to know how to live a perfect life you can point them to Jesus.

Read Luke 24:35-49

JESUS APPEARS TO HIS DISCIPLES
Jesus’ body wasn’t just a figment of the imagination or the appearance of a ghost. The disciples touched Him, and He ate food. On the other hand, His body wasn’t merely a restored human body. He was able to appear and disappear. Jesus’ resurrected body was immortal. This is the kind of body you will be given in the resurrection of the dead.
Many days may have elapsed between verses 43 and 44 because Jesus and His followers travelled to Galilee and back before He ascended into heaven. In the Book of Acts, chapter 1, Luke makes it clear that Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples between His resurrection and His ascension.
Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit still does this today when you study the Bible. Have you ever wondered how to understand a difficult Bible passage? Besides reading surrounding passages, asking other people, and consulting other reference works, pray that the Holy Spirit will open your mind to understand, giving you the needed insight to put God’s Word into action in your life.
Christ’s message of God’s love and forgiveness should go to all the world. You must never ignore the worldwide scope of God’s Good News. God wants all of the world to hear the Good News of Salvation.

Read Luke 24:13-34

JESUS APPEARS TO BELIEVERS
The news about Jesus’ crucifixion had spread throughout Jerusalem. Because this was Passover week, Jewish pilgrims visiting Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire now knew about His death,. This was not a small, insignificant event, affecting only the disciples. The whole nation was interested.
These followers from Emmaus were counting on Jesus to redeem Israel; to rescue Israel from its enemies. Most Jews believed that the Old Testament prophesies pointed to a political Messiah; they didn’t realize that the Messiah had come to redeem people from the slavery of sin. When Jesus died, therefore, they lost all hope. They didn’t understand Jesus’ death offered the greatest hope possible.
These followers knew that the tomb was empty but didn’t understand that Jesus had risen, and they were filled with sadness. Despite the women’s witness, which was verified by some of the disciples, and despite the Biblical prophesies about this very event, they still did not believe. Today, the resurrection still catches people by surprise. In spite of 2,000 of evidence and witnesses, many people refuse to believe. What more will it take? For these disciples it took the living Jesus in their midst. For many today, it takes the presence of live Christians.
Why did Jesus call these disciples foolish? Even though they well knew the Biblical prophesies, they failed to understand that Christ’s suffering was His path to glory. They could not understand why God did not intervene to save Jesus from the cross. They were so caught up in the world’s admiration of political power and military might that they were blind to God’s kingdom values: that the last will be first, and that life grows out of death. The world has not changed its values. The Suffering Servant is no more popular today than he was 2, 000 years ago. But you have not only the witness of the Old Testament prophets; you also have the witness of the New Testament Apostles and the history of the church testifying to Jesus’ victory over death. Will you confront the values of our culture and put your faith in Jesus? Or will you foolishly continue to ignore the good news?
Beginning with Moses and going through the Old Testament prophets, Jesus reintroduced these disciples to the Old Testament. Christ is the thread woven through all the Scriptures, the central theme that binds them together.
The two followers returning to Emmaus at first missed the significance of history’s greatest event because they were too focused on their disappointments and problems. In fact, they didn’t recognize Jesus when He was walking beside them. To compound the problem, they were walking in the wrong direction – away from the fellowship of believers in Jerusalem. You are likely to miss Jesus and withdraw from the strength found in other believers when you become preoccupied with your dashed dreams and hopes and frustrated plans. Only when you are looking for Jesus in your midst will you experience the power and help He can bring.

Read Luke 24:1-12

JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD
The women brought spices to the tomb as you would bring flowers as a sign of love and respect.
The two men in dazzling robes were angels. When angels appeared to people, they always looked like humans.
The two angels asked the women why they were looking in a tomb for someone that was alive. Often you run into people who are looking for God among the dead. They study the Bible as mere historical book and go to church as if going to a memorial service. But Jesus is not among the dead, He lives! He reigns in the hearts of Christians, and He is the head of the church. Do you look for Jesus among the living? Do you expect Him to be active in the world and in the church? Look for signs of His power and presence, for they are all around you.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the church is built; without it there would be no Christian church today. Jesus’ resurrection is unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems, concepts about paradise and the afterlife, and various holy scriptures. Only Christianity has a God that became human, literally died for His people, and was raised in power and glory to reign forever.
Why is the resurrection so important? 1)Because Christ was raised from the dead, you know that the kingdom of God has broken into earth’s history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God’s mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus’ Second Coming. 2) Because of the resurrection, you know that death has been conquered and you, too, will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ. 3) The resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world. 4) The resurrection gives meaning to the church’s sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. 5) The resurrection helps you find meaning even in great tragedy; hope for the future. 6) The resurrection assures you that Christ is alive and ruling His kingdom. 7) God’s power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to you so that you can live for Him in an evil world.
Christians can look very different from one another, and they can hold widely and varying beliefs about politics, life style, and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires all true Christians: Jesus Christ rose from the dead.