Luke 24:50-53 The Ascension

Format for Your Devotions

Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.

Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.

Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.

Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.

Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?

Step 5: Apply this to your own life.

Step 6: Prayer

My Example Devotion: January 1, 2019 Luke 24:50-53

Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.

And 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.

(Understanding the Text) Bethany is southwest of Jerusalem.  It was Jesus’ Judean place of refuge where Mary and Martha lived, so He had been there frequently with His disciples during His life on earth.  Mostly I think he chose this place so that His followers could have a big enough place to gather, which was still private enough not to attract the notice of the Romans who might have interfered if it had taken place in Jerusalem.  This was a private farewell not a public announcement like Pentecost would be.  He gave them a final blessing by lifting His hands over them.  It does not tell us what He said, but as He spoke, He began to rise up into the sky. 

(Revelation of God) Why was this final parting necessary?  I think partly that it was because of their Jewish culture; they expected it.  Moses had done something similar before going away to die, so I think they emotionally needed this parting.  Also, by letting them watch Him rise into the sky rather than disappearing, Jesus was telling them that this was a final parting.  He would not be reappearing again and again as He had been doing.  They should not expect Him back until He came to take them with Him to His Father’s house.  Finally, I think it was necessary to reconfirm their belief in His deity.  He was not just a man.  He could do things that no other man had done.  He didn’t need a chariot of fire to come take Him into heaven.  He could simply go there on His own.

(Understanding the Text) How did they worship Him?  I will have to study that more.

They were joyful because they knew that they not only had the Father’s approval, but they had someone who loved them and wanted them to succeed in heaven.  They wanted to tell everyone about their good fortune, and they wanted to be near Jesus.  The place they knew about on earth where they had always been told was nearest to God was the temple, so they went there to worship all the time.  They did not yet understand that the temple had become just a building like any other. They also went there to witness to people.

Some Adventists worry about the time between when Jesus finishes His high priestly ministry and when He comes to earth, but here was another time between stages of the plan of salvation and it did not affect the believers’ standing with God.  Jesus was gone.  The temple was abandoned by God.  The Holy Spirit had not yet come, but the believers were in no danger of being lost.  They were fine.  Many Adventists tend to worry too much about the details and don’t simply trust God that He will take care of them.  That’s where we need to be.  We might not understand how it works, but we should know Who we have believed in and trust Him that He won’t let us fall.

(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that Jesus loves me and has never left me abandoned.  The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ Spirit, and He has stayed with me through all my failures.  He has never left me, and when I was finally ready to listen to Him, He spoke to me and comforted me.  I need to trust that Jesus wants my success and wants to work with me.  He is not distant up in heaven far away like I tend to picture Him.  Yes, He is there, but the Spirit is here.  In this way, Jesus is just as close to me at this moment as if He were physically present holding my hand.  I need to stop separating the Godhead and viewing them as distant.  They are here with me continually.  When One is present, all are present, and the Spirit is always present.  He will not withdraw from me unless I force Him out, and I want Him here.  I want to trust Him to be with me and guide me and strengthen me.  I pray for trust.

END OF LUKE