The Promise of the Promise – April 28, 2024
Hosea 6:1-6, Luke 24:36-53
April 28, 2024
When I think about the disciples in this season of Easter, I often wonder what they thought was going to happen after the resurrection. I wonder if they thought Jesus’ ministry was just going to resume, and be like it was before, with them following him from town to town, listening to him speak.
As you know, I always say that we know the story. We know how it happened. We know Jesus would leave them again, and they would be the ones to continue his ministry – without him. (That is, without him physically!) They didn’t know that. But they were learning it in our reading for today! But still, I wonder how much the ascension was a shock to their thinking.
That’s part of our reading for today. “While he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up to heaven.” Remember that Luke is probably the author of the book of Acts, as well as this Gospel. And as the book of Acts begins, we find a more complete story of the Ascension. But here at the end of Luke’s Gospel, we have the short version – the “Readers’ Digest version” of that story. And it’s just part of this story of what was the last time they were all together.
I want us to think about that today. This was their last time together. And these are the last words Jesus said to his disciples. These are the last things he wanted to tell them. Because they didn’t know what was ahead of them. We do. And of course, Jesus did! And knowing that, what would we expect him to say as his last words? What important message do you think he would want to leave them with?
Well, the first thing – after establishing that it was really him, and not a ghost – was to continue the teaching he first began with the two travelers at the beginning of this chapter. Do you remember that? That took place on the road to Emmaus on Easter day. In that story Jesus told those two men what all of the scriptures said about the Messiah – while they still didn’t recognize him!
So, there’s a similar thing happening here in this story. Jesus said, “Everything written about me in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” And then Luke tells us that “he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” And he concluded by saying, “Thus it is written that the Christ must suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”
So, I’m thinking that maybe they got it then. Actually, I’m pretty sure they did get it then! Because he “opened their minds to understand it!” But I’m also sure that took a moment of supernatural intervention! And it was a pretty significant one! Because they had to get out of the mode of thinking in terms of Jesus being a “political deliverer.” Remember, they – and everyone else – had “hoped he was the one to redeem Israel.” That’s what the travelers on the road to Emmaus said. In other words, they wanted freedom from the Romans! And as I’ve said many times, those feelings very strong! That was a huge part of the whole backdrop of the story of Jesus!
So part of that “supernatural moment of understanding” was to change their way of thinking. But it was more than that. What he taught them about the Christ in the scriptures didn’t end there. In fact that sentence didn’t end there! He finished it, saying, “The Christ must suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and repentance and forgiveness of sins shall be preached in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” In other words, “just beginning in Jerusalem!”
Right there we’ve now gone back to the message of the Christmas angels, who old of “Good news of a great joy that shall be to all people.” I wonder if Jesus supernaturally opened their minds to understand that, too! That would have been another tough nut to crack! Because that was something else they had some strong feelings about! Remember how exclusive the Jewish people had become in their faith. They were the chosen ones! And everyone else was not! I’m sure the disciples were not comfortable with that “to all nations” jazz!
So there was a lot for Jesus to “open their minds to” that day! And I believe he did that! And I love how this ends with, “And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.” That’s how Luke’s Gospel ends. And I think it shows that they “got something” that day. I think their minds were opened to a lot that day.
As we think about their story, we know that they had a lot ahead of them! And they would face it all without Jesus being with them. So before he left them, he told them about the promise of God. And that’s what I want us to remember today, because these were his last words. “Behold, I send the promise of my father upon you.”
That was actually something he had already told them about just days before in the upper room. Do you remember? There he said, “I will send you another comforter – The Holy Spirit.” That was the original “promise of the promise.” Now he was giving them that promise again. And what did he say the Spirit would do? That night he said, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
Jesus had already taught them a lot. But that “promise of the Father,” the Holy Spirit, would teach them more. And he would help them to remember what Jesus had already taught them. And I believe that promise is for us, too. That’s why I’ve always said what I was told years ago, that we should never open the Bible without praying for the guidance of the Spirit. Because without that guidance, we can make the Bible say anything we want it to say! And over the years many people have!
Like the disciples that day, we can ask God to “open our minds to understand.” And if you think about it, that’s something that not always easy for us. We humans can get pretty set in our way of thinking, can’t we? We can become very proud of our stand on many things. And we can get fearful (And even defensive!) when our way of thinking about something is challenged.
So, it’s very important to pray, whenever we open the scriptures, not only that our minds be open to the Spirit’s leading, but also that we would have the strength we need to follow where the Spirit may be leading us. And that can be the hard part, can’t it?
Sometimes my prayer is, “God, please teach me how you want me to think” – about whatever it is. And that’s not an easy prayer, is it? Too often we rebel in our prayers, because what God is telling us is not what we want to hear. Instead of saying, “Thy will be done,” we find ourselves praying more along the lines of, “Let your will be” – such and such!
I’m sure the disciples had feelings just like that when they heard him say that
“repentance and forgiveness of sins shall be preached to all nations!” I’m sure they felt that way about a lot of Jesus’ teaching! I’m sure they thought, “I sure hope he softens on that ‘Love your enemies’ thing, or that ‘turn the other cheek’ thing.” And I wonder if we don’t sometimes downplay those more difficult sayings.
So these were Jesus’ last words. And as I said, I believe he opened the disciples’ minds to a lot of things. And I think he does the same with us. Because I believe “the promise of God” – the Holy Spirit – is for us, too. And I believe that the Spirit teaches us all things and brings to our remembrance all that Jesus said, too.
So, the question is, when we hear Jesus telling us things like he was telling these disciples that day, how will we react? Will we find it hard to follow? Or will we too “return rejoicing and blessing God?”
Prayer
Eternal God, help us be more in tune with your Spirit all the time. Help us to follow you in our understanding of things. Help us, as Paul said, “to have the mind that was in Christ Jesus.” Help us to be guided by your Spirit as he was, and to have the strength to follow. For this we pray in his name, Amen.