6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Most of us can probably relate to the disciples here – we would like God to reveal more details to us about His plans and His timing about things in our lives.

Jesus is clear here that it’s not God’s way to tell us all the times and dates of what He is doing. As much as we may like it to be the case, it’s obviously something we do not need to know.

He does, however, say that the Holy Spirit will give us the power to do what He has called us to do when we need it. Not all the details, but all the power we need.

Then the cloud hid Jesus from their sight and they stood there looking for Him.

Sometimes my view of what God is doing is veiled in clouds. It can cause me to stand still and wonder where God is and what He is doing. But just because I don’t have the full picture doesn’t mean that I should stand still.

My job is to get on with what I know to do and believe that God will give me the power to do it. Keep on walking forward and God will reveal the way as I need it. He has promised me the power of the Holy Spirit to enable me to fulfill His plans and purposes.

Lord, help me daily to walk in the power of Your Spirit and be listening to what you are calling me to do.

Written by Shelley Witt

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Imagine being in Bethany at this time. Firstly, having Jesus appear to you after His death, and then seeing Him taken up to heaven.  I’m sure I would wonder what was real and what was a dream!

It’s easy to sit on this side of history and have the whole picture before us & have complete understanding at what is happening.  For them, I’m sure it was confusing regarding what was happening – let alone the ones who doubted that it was really Jesus they were seeing. They had been taught by Jesus, but did they really capture the essence of what He was teaching them?

I wonder how I will react when Jesus returns.  Will I know what’s happening, will I be confused & doubt, will I be amazed at the Glory of God… I hope I’m like what verse 52 says, “They worshipped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy.”

I want to never cease from worshipping & praising God – no matter what!

Written by Ps. Mandy Miller

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 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.”

Two of Jesus’ followers were explaining to the disciples how Jesus had been with them the day before on the road to Emmaus.  All of a sudden Jesus turns up amongst them! His first words to them are, “Peace be with you.”

Despite being with Jesus the day before the followers do not recognize Jesus and nor do the disciples.  They think Jesus is a ghost and are very frightened – freaking out!  Clearly they are struggling to believe Jesus has risen from the dead and that He is truly alive.

Jesus asks them to look at Him and even urges them to touch him.  He wants them to know He is alive and goes on to eat a piece of fish to prove it to them.

The clearest message here is that we don’t always recognize that Jesus is right there with us.  We may have had past experiences or revelations, even recent ones, that God was walking with us just like the followers in the story.  Jesus promises to be with us and not forsake us.

When Jesus comes into our world He brings peace not fear.  That was His intention when He appeared to his followers and it’s the same with us.  Jesus is not a ghost or some distant “spirro” concept.  He’s a real person yet God at the same time.  He can be seen, heard and felt. From this story we know Jesus wants us to experience Him for ourselves.

Lord, thank you for bringing peace into my life.  Help me to clearly recognise you in my walk with you.  Amen

Written by Ainslie Woods

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

In reading this passage I was trying to imagine what it would have felt like to have been one of those two followers of Jesus – the agony of the last three days, the disappointment, the questions.  And then I was trying to imagine what it would have felt like to have Jesus himself explain the Scriptures to me.  I was almost jealous of those two men as I read the passage – imagine Jesus himself, the Son of God, walking along and explaining the Bible!  He would know everything there was to know and he would be able to explain some of those “tricky bits”!  Wow!  How lucky were those two disciples!  But it struck me – I do not have to be in a certain place at a certain time to have Jesus explain the Scriptures to me – I have his representative here, on earth, the Holy Spirit, available to explain the Scriptures to me all the time.  How lucky am I!

I need to remember that when I read my Bible, it is there to be explained to me by God himself.  It is not just a book about God, but it is being explained by God as I read – as long as I have a heart willing to listen.

Lord, help me to keep an honest, open, listening heart when I read your Word.

Written by Ps. Jen Irving

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

These verses detail the burial of Jesus.
What strikes me is that this was not done by Jesus’ closest friends (the 12) as you would expect but by Joseph who is a council member. He was a member of the assembly of the elders – chief priests & scribes – who handed Jesus over to the Romans & wanted him crucified.
This passage shows that not all the Jewish leaders agreed with what took place, Joseph was one of them.

Joseph displayed great courage & compassion to do what he did in honouring the body of Jesus. His voice may not have been heard in the council before men but this act of respect for Jesus has been honoured by God for millennia, verse 50 says he was  “a good & righteous man”.

I think of times when I have been in the midst of those who hate Jesus & I know my voice has not been heard but I pray that I would always have the same courage as Joseph, where my actions will been seen by them as I honour Jesus with my life and actions.

Written by Suzie Hodgson