Luke 24:33-53 KJV
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

(Three days ago Rev Charles Stanley died for those that did not know. He preached his final message on Psalms 23. No I did not know this when the following day I wrote my message on Psalms 23. If you get time to listen to his sermons you find a life and legacy of a man of faith who endured even his own struggles in life as well as victory. He spoke scripture and spoke the truth of the Gospels telling the stories of Jesus. I mention him because he was well known and liked in the Christian world. He was 90 years old and He went to bed thinking about heaven and woke in heaven according to their fb page information or it may of been their obit on the intouch Ministry webpage. The Pope has past as well the one that retired. Both leaving a legacy about Jesus.

What will your legacy be when you depart this earth? Will it be you told about Jesus or is your legacy only about who you are as person. The legacy as a believer in Christ we want to spread the word Jesus leaves and we departed at his calling to go heavenward. )

Christ made sure his disciples knew he was alive, even down to eating with them. He consumed boiled fish and honeycomb. He also took time to have them examine his hands and feet, that he was not spirit but flesh and bones. He however was in His incorruptible body before them. He made sure they understand that these things had to be fullfilled because had the prophets write it down, and record concerning the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. That certain things because of this must be preached. Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name(Jesus) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem and going forth from there. The disciples were witnesses of these things. He was led up to Bethany and lifted his hands and he blessed them and depart from them. They went rejoice from his departure. They continued in the Temple, praising and blessing God. This is all before the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples. Before the infilling of the Holy Spirit occurs.

Jesus did not arise just to show himself to be known to be alive but to allow his disciples to see his departure. I can only imagine with no helicopters, flying machines of any sort in his day this was spectular event in the eyes of the disciples. It would of been an awesome sight. Jesus had to leave for the Holy Spirit the Comforter to come, For the word of God to be able to go forth into the world. It all had to start in Jerusalem to be a witness to the leaders of the temple.

We may stuggle with his reality, but the disciples no longer did. We may struggle with the resurrection but the disciples seen him die. The soldiers and the religious leaders were a witness of these events and yet those who could not witness because of their service in the temple witness the earthquake and the vail being torn in half. I do not doubt that there was commotion as disciples for days told the story of Christ departure. I can not help but think for forty days that Jesus had been with the disciples in Galilee and Christ's departure outside of Jerusalem did not cause a stir to those that knew Jesus is alive. How the words would of echo Jesus is alive, indeed. Has they spoke it would anger some of the leaders for they believed not. Yet they did nothing to stop them from praising God in the temple. After all Barabbas was alive as well.

The image of God being praised by the disciples in the temple is at this point they still felt connect to the worship of God in the temple, nothing had changed that, yet. The day Pentecost would begin to change the course of future of the temple along with the lie of Jesus being dead by the religious leaders who paid the soldiers to say it.

What had changed would begin to shape the faith of the New believers and Old believers response to each other. Yet they will always be connect through the Old Testament. A division of sorts because of lack of understanding. Yet on this side of Pentecost we see praising God in the temple by the disciples. I think the religious leaders thought the commotion would die away when no one followed because Jesus had died on the cross, but the resurrection and the Holy Spirit would ignite a fire that even the antichrist can not extinguish in the hearts of all true believers. Disciples would point out the sin of the Jewish people and some repented and others would not. This comes on the day of Pentecost.

What has united Christian and Jews for centuries is the same thing that still does today faith in the Old Tesament, thought they accept not Christ testimony of who he is. This is important because for Old Testament believers like the Ethiopian Eunuch all one had to do was show who Isaiah the Prophet was speaking of, and He received Christ as Savior and Lord. Yet often the Jews often say not all prophesy was fullfilled, Yet as believers in Christ beleive God has blinded them for a time. Can they be grafted in of course and Jews sometimes get saved. Yet it takes a long time for them sometimes because of the study of scripture they go through to understand why Christians call Jesus the Messiah. Some Christian only preach the New Testament and do not teach Old or the books to follow the Gospels. Not speaking of the church as it was built and grew nor tell of the persecution of the church, leaving out Revalations all together. I will always teach Old through the New Testament of my faith. It is possible I will make a mistake along the way and hopefully it gets correct at some point either by some showing me Or soleyly only God's Spirit, but always by God's Spirit.

Luke ends the story like Matthew and Mark with only the Great commision, but it includes Christ departure. Acts is the only book aslo writen down and recorded by Theophilus as the book of Luke was. Both books important to understanding Christ departed for Heaven being lifted up. Important because we know the rapture of the church we know we will be lifted up in like manner to meet Jesus in the air. Important to testimony of Christ. Important to the believer to know are not Christ but our hope rest in his return. Rest in the spiritual departure into heaven upon our death if the rapture has not happened. That are sins are forgiven. Many believers are already home, and yet many wait not for death but for hIs coming. We long for his coming to show the world Jesus not only live but he returns for his people that are still alive as promised while he walked this earth.

As a little girl I sat on the bumper of the car and looked up into heaven seeing the cloud formation and wonder if Jesus was coming. Yet my own father said to me we have work to get done, no time to look at those clouds. I still love gazing at the clouds but there work to be done to ensure all that desire to live eternity with God and Chrsit will be saved. To spread the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father help us to be part of the solution of sharing Christ. To let it be said of our legacy that Jesus was important to that person because Jesus lives not just in their heart but on earth then in heaven. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Acts 1:9-11 KJV
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.