Luke 24:44-53 (NRSV)
Read Luke 24:44-53 on biblegateway.com
Verse 44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Verse 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, Verse 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, Verse 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Verse 48You are witnesses of these things. Verse 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
Verse 50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. Verse 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. Verse 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; Verse 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Devotion
The commissioning of the disciples in Luke’s telling of the Ascension story emphasizes his characteristic themes of forgiveness and salvation. When Jesus opens his ministry it is with this emphasis. When Peter is called to follow Jesus, he protests saying that he is a sinner. But Jesus says, “Be not afraid." Jesus cures the paralytic, and makes the point that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins. When he is accused of associating with sinners, he answers that he has come to invite sinners to conversion. Now at his ascension, as he leaves his disciples, he leaves them in the power of the same Spirit that supported him in his ministry. Jesus tells his disciples, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead…and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name…” (vs.47)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help us to remember with your latter day disciple, Luther, that “…where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation.” There is the Kingdom. Amen.