Luke Part 3 Week 31

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:38-40 

³⁸ “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? ³⁹ Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” ⁴⁰ As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. 

When Jesus suddenly stood in the midst of those to whom His two followers were telling about Him, they were startled and frightened. This passage records what He asked them and what He said. They thought they were seeing a ghost, but He told them to look at Him carefully and invited them to touch Him to see He was not a ghost. He showed them the marks of His crucifixion. 

REFLECT 

Imagine standing with the group and Jesus asking you to touch Him to see He was not a ghost. 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in discussing how important it is to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. When your mind is confused in thinking about God and eternity, read 1 Corinthians 15:1-9 that tells about the death, burial, resurrection, and eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:41-43 

⁴¹ Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he ate it as they watched. 

The group was so astonished apparently they just stared at Jesus. But they were also “filled with joy and wonder.” He broke the silence by asking if they had anything to eat. “They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.” Many have questions about what the resurrection body will look like and what it will be able to do. These followers saw a live example.  

REFLECT 

Does this passage help answer some of your questions about what resurrected bodies will look like and what they are able to do? 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading 1 John 3:1-3. This passage will help answer some questions about what believers will be like when they meet Jesus. Comfort concerning believing loved ones who have passed away and answers about living believers meeting Him face to face is told about in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:44-46 

⁴⁴ Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.” 

As Jesus spoke to the group He referred to the threefold division of the Old Testament in His time: “the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms.” He assured the listeners that all the promises about Him had to be fulfilled. He particularly drew attention from the Scriptures predicting that the “Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.”  

REFLECT 

Notice what Jesus did for His listeners: “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” This is a good model for believers to follow in asking the Lord when they open the Scriptures to read.  

RESPOND 

As the study of Luke is close to being concluded, you and a friend could share with each other what you have learned from Luke’s gospel. Telling about what you have learned will help imprint them more deeply on your mind. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:47-49 

⁴⁷ “It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of all these things. ⁴⁹And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” 

Luke, the physician, wrote both the gospel named after him and also the book of Acts. These two books that he authored under the inspiration of God are considered to be similar to volume 1 and volume 2. You will notice this as you read the end of Luke 24 and the beginning in Acts 1. In both books it is recorded that Jesus instructed His followers to remain in Jerusalem until they received power from on high.   

REFLECT 

Have you thought previously about the combination of Luke and Acts? 

RESPOND 

The book of Acts tells of the questions the apostles had and what Jesus’ response was as He referred to the coming of the Holy Spirit on them (see Acts 1:6-8). Acts 1:8 is considered by some to be the divine outline of the book of Acts.  

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:50-53 

⁵⁰ Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. ⁵² So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. ⁵³ And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God. 

As the gospel of Luke ends it describes Jesus blessing His followers and being taken up into heaven. This has been referred to as His “ascension.” Notice the reaction of His followers at this time: “They worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.” They had so much joy they continually spent time in the temple praising God. 

REFLECT 

As you read the Bible and learn about Jesus does it cause you great joy and the desire to praise God? 

RESPOND 

What Luke recorded about Jesus ascending into heaven is also mentioned in Acts 1:9-12, where it is told He ascended from the Mount of Olives. He will someday return to the same spot from which He left the earth (see Zechariah 14:1-5).