Dearest e-votees-
Easter was celebrated on April 12 this year. If you count out 40 days (including the partial days as we do counting Easter Sunday as the third day after Good Friday) then tomorrow (Thursday) would be 40 days after Easter--the day of Ascension.
This week we will look at one of the appointed texts for Ascension day.
Peace,
Karl
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Then [Jesus] 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.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And 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.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Easter was celebrated on April 12 this year. If you count out 40 days (including the partial days as we do counting Easter Sunday as the third day after Good Friday) then tomorrow (Thursday) would be 40 days after Easter--the day of Ascension.
This week we will look at one of the appointed texts for Ascension day.
Peace,
Karl
----------------------
Then [Jesus] 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.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And 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.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Jesus says that everything written about him in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled. It is fairly common to see phrases like "the law and the prophets" in scripture. The inclusion of the psalms with this formulation is unique to this passage in Luke.
The law of Moses
God has expectations for God's people. There are ways they are to carry themselves in the world. There are things to be done and things to be left undone. The law provides protection and guidance in a world that can be very harsh and destructive. Jesus makes the claim that the expectations on him in the law as the messiah have been fulfilled.
The prophets
God has visions and dreams and corrective words for God's people. God does not leave us alone to fumble through the world but provides guides and teachers and sages and rabbis to utter as carried along by the Holy Spirit. The prophets provide breath and life and inspiration in a world that can be very dead and dry. Jesus makes the claim that the inspirations in the prophets leading up to him coming as messiah have been fulfilled.
the psalms
God has a deep relationship and intense feelings for God's people. When we struggle and when we rejoice we voice prayers and we sing prayers. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called the psalter (the book of psalms) the prayer book of the Bible. Jesus drew from psalms on the cross as he prayed and as he died. The psalms provide words and feelings in a world that can tell us all too often to suck it up and keep our pains and joys to ourselves. Jesus makes the claim that the exultations and lamentations found in the psalms that help shape him as messiah have been fulfilled.
When we truly understand that Jesus is found in the law and the prophets and the psalms we are blessed. We respond with worship. We respond with blessing God. We respond with service in the world seeing God's image in those we encounter. We go out as God's witnesses in the world. We go out empowered by the Holy Spirit.
God, thank you for bringing scripture to life in Jesus. Bring your words and your promises to life in us as well. Amen.
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