They follow Jesus to Bethany

Luke 24:45-53

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. 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.”          

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.“ (Luke 24:45-53 ESV)

These disciples who were in that room had Jesus doing what the Holy Spirit will do, and does do, for any who will wait and listen.  And they had a choice as we do, to wait and stay still and watch and listen for the Helper to guide us to understand what God has for us today, not tomorrow, or next year, but today!   And both the Scriptures and history tell us they waited and were clothed with power from on high.

And they followed Jesus as far as Bethany, but later they followed Jesus to places all over the world as many of you are still doing, but on that day Jesus was going only to Bethany.  And Dr. Luke shares that Jesus blessed them, “and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.”  It was not a time of sadness but of joy, it was a time of worship for they had been with, not a crucified dead Jesus, but a risen Savior who had conquered sin, death, and the grave, and was returning to His place of being worshiped at the right hand of the Father.

With all we have been blessed with; great teachers, Bibles, Bible studies on line and at the local churches, but be careful to not exchange the Holy Bible for what only the Holy Spirit can do if we are willing to obey, listen, and do as we are lead?

T. W. Hunt was an amazing man who watch and waited for the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he was the most humble man I’ve ever known, and yet often he shared with me, “Bob I’m a wicked man.”   T.W. Hunt was a man of prayer and he modeled Jesus, in that he would get up early while most of us slept and spend time with the Father in the Scriptures and in prayer.  He was a man who enjoyed sharing about what a great and mighty God we serve and did this in many ways, one was by writing books, such as the “Mind of Christ.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice