A Matter of Discipleship -- Bruce Atchison

Easter is over for another year and our thoughts now turn to celebrating Mother's Day. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore what happened between Christ's Resurrection and his ascension.

A careful study of the scriptures shows that our Lord was busy during those forty days. We have the resurrection sighting reports, first from the women at the tomb and later by the disciples.

Of special significance to us is that Jesus explained to two disciples on the road to Ammaus regarding how the Old Testament foretold all that befell him. Many believers, including myself, missed the fact that those ancient scriptures spoke of him.

Here's another misapprehension we believers tend to have. Poor Thomas has been maligned for millennia as being a doubter. I feel that Christ's resurrection seemed too good to be true to him. After all, death is final and nobody in history up to that point had raised himself or herself from the grave as Christ did. All other instances of people returning from the dead were acts of God and they perished later.

Furthermore, Jesus had a lot of teaching to do during his post-resurrection time on earth. All through his earthly ministry, these twelve slow learners had fixed in their minds the notion of a temporal kingdom where they'd be ruling over an independent and sovereign Israel. Christ had to pound into their thick skulls that his kingdom was, and still is, a spiritual kingdom. And until he returns in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel, it will stay a spiritual kingdom.

And what of the story of how Christ gave Peter three opportunities to say that he loved him? The dear man felt shattered because he had denied knowing Jesus three times. From his decision to go back to fishing, he apparently thought he was  inadequate to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. Jesus granted him restoration and brought him back into fellowship with him. Our Lord could have chastised peter and his friends for disobeying his command to spread the gospel throughout the world but he magnanimously pardoned them all.

Fortunately for future disciples, including us, Christ's apostles obeyed his command to wait at Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came on them. During that time, they devoted themselves to prayer. We don't have transcripts of those petitions but I'm sure they asked for the Lord's will to be done in and through them.

Discipleship is thee crucial counsel I lacked when I gave my life to Christ in 1969. It's why I wrote my How I Was Razed memoir. Newborn believers need the mentoring by older saints so they won't go astray. Since I had no one to guide me, I ended up in an aberrant house church. My memoir shows how God providentially led me to the truth about himself and his true character.

I Wonder ... Did They Know? by Joylene M. Bailey

There were ten minutes left in an episode of a favourite TV series, when I was hit with the knowledge that this was the final episode. It became clear that things were shaping in such a way that my favourite character – the protagonist - was leaving the story, and the show.

In dismay, I sat up straighter and put my hands on my head.

Nooooooooo!!!

I didn’t know!! I didn’t know!!

If I’d known this was the very last episode, I would have prepared myself! 

But I didn’t know.

And now there were only 10 minutes left.

I spent those last 10 minutes sadly drinking in EVERY THING. Every last encounter with a friend, the quick but knowing glance over at her love interest, the last words spoken to coworkers, the glint of a tear in her eye as she drove off…

They had all been through so much, facing everyday life, unexpected crises, and learning curves that came along. Together. They had grown close, understood each other’s moods, knew what made each one tick. 

And now it was over.

I wanted to continue being a part of their lives. I wanted to go back and appreciate every little look, statement, scene, again.

But alas, it was over.

Odd though it may seem, I remembered that scenario as I was thinking of the disciples watching Jesus be taken up in a cloud. There, where Jesus had led them, on the mount called Olivet. 

I wonder … as they were walking to Olivet, did they know? Had they prepared themselves? Were they aware that this was the final episode of Jesus Christ with them on earth?

Luke 24:51 says that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.

While He was blessing them!

Wait! What?

This is it?!

I wasn’t ready.

I didn’t know!

These guys had been continuously together for three years. They were friends. Close friends.

They knew who could take a prank and who couldn’t. They knew who would instantly react in a situation, who would sit back and take it all in, and who would joke about it later. They knew to which one to turn, to make the money stretch a little further, and which one could help settle a heated argument between friends. 

And though the God parts of Him confused them sometimes, they knew Jesus the man.

They had all been through so much, facing everyday life, unexpected crises, and learning curves that came along. Together.

And just when they thought they had lost their dear Friend and Teacher, here He was in their midst again!

But then, He was really gone.

Acts 1:9-11

     And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. and as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."

I wonder … were they dismayed, taken off guard, hoping to spend 10 more minutes with Him? 10 minutes to listen for the nuances in His voice, or feel the loving acceptance that His very presence brought? Hoping to catch just one more glimpse of Him, this dear, dear life-changing Friend?

Unlike my TV series, it wasn’t over, and the disciples knew it. 

Luke 24: 52 & 53 says that they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple, praising God.

Then came Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, this One whom their dear Friend had promised to send.

How they must have welcomed Him!

After spending three years with Jesus, the Christ, how they must have appreciated all of the gifts and characteristics that the Holy Spirit added to their lives.

This is the same Holy Spirit who adds to my life, because I believe in Jesus, the Christ. This One who goes with me through so much, helping me face everyday life, unexpected crises, and steep learning curves that come along. Together. 

This One who assures me I am not alone, that Jesus will never leave me. No, this protagonist is not leaving the show.

And I'm reminding myself to appreciate EVERY THING about that.

All above photos courtesy of pixabay.com

 Joylene writes from her home in Edmonton, where she lives with her Cowboy, Babe, and a cat named Calvin. Check out more of her writing at Scraps of Joy.