Jesus is alive!
This week I have been reflecting on the resurrection of Jesus. The New Testament tells us that Jesus appeared to his disciples for forty days where he spoke about God’s Kingdom. The end of Luke’s gospel puts it like this...
“He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’”
I wonder what those 40 days of teaching must have been like? Shame there’s no podcast available. Luke tells us that the disciples were all eyewitnesses to these incredible events! They had seen Jesus arrested, tried, tortured, crucified and then brought back to life. They were instructed to wait in Jerusalem until they received what Father God promised: ‘power from on high’. SPOILER ALERT: This power was the Holy Spirit who came and empowered each of them to proclaim forgiveness from sins and demonstrate God’s healing and restoration. By doing so, God’s Kingdom advanced and the seeds of the church began to spring up! The Holy Spirit is still empowering believers today and the good news that was proclaimed back then is still changing lives today...
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader