LUKE LESSON 59

    We will recap just a moment on the last lesson. Jesus had walked
with two of His disciples who did not recognize Him. He expounded all
the prophesies about His life from Scripture. He went in and ate with
them, and as he served them Communion, their eyes were opened and they
realized who He was. He now has disappeared out of their sight and
they are left just the two. Now we will pick up in Chapter 24:32.

    Luke 24:32 "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn
within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to
us the scriptures?"

    This is the way His word should effect us. It should make our
heart leap within us.

    Luke 24:33 "And they rose up the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were
with them,"  Luke 24:34 "Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath
appeared to Simon."

    This must be a terribly excited group. the word is out, He is
risen. Simon Peter was highly respected. They would believe him.

    Luke 24:35 "And they told what things [were done] in the way, and
how he was known of them in breaking of bread."

    This "breaking of bread" was what we would call taking communion,
It is partaking of His body and blood symbolically. It is remembering
the great sacrifice He made. The two add their story to what Peter had
related.

    Luke 24:36  "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the
midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you."

    Just as Jesus spoke peace to them. He brings peace to the ones who
truly love Him and follow Him today. Now He does not bother to open a
door and walk in, He just appears. His body has changed to a heavenly
body.

    Luke 24:37 "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed
that they had seen a spirit."

    Fear of the Lord is wise, but not terror. They need to activate
their faith. Perhaps the reason for all of this fear is because He has
changed a little in physical appearance.

    Luke 24:38 "And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do
thoughts arise in your hearts?"  Luke 24:39 "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."

    Jesus had already spoken peace to them, maybe they thought He
would be angry because they had fled in fear. After this night, they
would never again fear death. They know now by the scars in His hands
and feet that this is Jesus, They know that death of the body will not
be the end of them, either. They know now that for the body to die is
to live for all of eternity. Death will no longer be a dread to them.

    Luke 24:40 "And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them [his]
hands and [his] feet." Luke 24:41 "And while they yet believed not for
joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?"

    Now Jesus is about to show them the second evidence that He is not
just a Spirit, but has a body, as well. He ask do you have any meat?

    Luke 24:42 "And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an
honeycomb." Luke 24:43 "And he took [it], and did eat before them."

    Now there is no question. He has a real body with scarred hands
and feet, and He eats just like everyone else.

    Luke 24:44 "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."

    Jesus came not to do away with the law, but to fulfill it. He
reminds them here that the prophesies in all the books of the Old
Testament about Messiah have been fulfilled in Him.

    Luke 24:45 "Then opened he their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures,"

    Until your understanding of the Scriptures is opened by Jesus, you
can read it all you want to and not know what it is saying. The
understanding of Scriptures is a gift from God. It comes about by the
Holy Spirit teaching you.

    Luke 24:46 "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it
behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:"

    God said this, and His word is TRUE. This was God's plan from the
beginning. Jesus won our salvation on the cross. His resurrection from
the dead gives us the blessed hope that we, too, will rise. In
I Thessalonians, chapter 4, we can read about this resurrection
beginning with verse 13. We are not like those who have no hope. Our
hope is in Jesus Christ the Righteous.

    Luke 24:47 "And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

    Repentance means a lot. To repent is to turn your back on the life
you have been living and to walk in newness of life. Put your sins
under the blood of Jesus, and they are gone; done away with, This
offer is not to just a few. but to whosoever will in all nations.

    Luke 24:48 "And ye are witnesses of these things."

    Jesus says, now you have seen. Go and tell everyone who will
listen to you.

    Luke 24:49  "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."

    This power they needed was the power of the Holy Ghost. This power
was given to them so that they could be effective witnesses to the
entire world. It is worth waiting for, if you don't have it. go and
tarry till you get it. This will transform these disciples into bold
minsters. No more would they run, even in the face of death. They have
the earnest of the promise now. The gates of hell cannot prevail
against them.

    Luke 24:50  "And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he
lifted up his hands, and blessed them."

    Jesus had been walking on the earth 40 days since His resurrection
from  the dead when He came here to Bethany. The lifting of hands is
in praise. His blessings have extended all the way to us.

    Luke 24:51 "And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was
parted from them, and carried up into heaven."

    You can read a little more detailed report on this in the first
chapter of Acts. this is when the cloud receives Jesus up into heaven.

    Luke 24:52 "And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy:" Luke 24:53 "And were continually in the temple,
praising and blessing God. Amen."

    There would never be any difficulty anymore on their part in
worshipping Jesus. Now none of the routine things of earth are
important anymore. The only thing important to them is being
constantly in prayer, praising God. This should be the most important
part of our life, as well. Prayer and fellowship with God should be
first place in our lives.

    Thank you for taking the time for me to share with you the things
the Lord revealed to me about the book of Luke.

                        Your friend in Christ.










                           Luke 59 Questions

1.  How had they felt when Jesus was expounding the Scripture to them?
2.  How should His word effect us?
3.  Where did they go to tell about what happened?
4.  When they got back, who besides the women, had seen Jesus?
5.  How had Jesus been revealed to them?
6.  Who appeared in the room with them?
7.  What are two words describing what effect this had on them?
8.  What did they think they had seen?
9.  What did Jesus say to them?
10. What did Jesus show them to let them know that He had a body?
11. What did Jesus ask them if they had?
12. Why did He eat with them?
13. What 3 places in the Old Testament did Jesus say told about Him?
14. In verse 45. how did Jesus help them?
15. Why did all this happen to Jesus?
16. What two things should be preached?
17. Where should it be preached?
18. What one word did Jesus call them in verse 48?
19. What did Jesus tell them to tarry for?
20. When He led them to Bethany, what did He do?
21. While He was blessing them, what happened to Him?
22. In verse 52, we are told they did what?
23. What were they doing continually in the temple?