Lasts, With Jesus, Before Ascending

I trust that we have all been made wiser, fuller and much more knowledgeable about Jesus and a different understanding about whether or not the whole idea of a Will and Testament can be applied to Him. All that was previously brought to us, was in light of His disciples, including you and me.

We now return to our receiving on ‘Lasts’, where we will note that lasts for Jesus does not only have to do with a will and testament, in the sense of what is stated before a person dies. There are lasts, which are pronounced or offered, precisely because of life, not death. Thus, our interests are kept at a heightened state, as we are taken to look at some of Jesus’ last interactions with His disciples, before He ascends into heaven.

We know that Jesus was crucified and that He was buried. After spending three days buried, He rose again. This is what He told His disciples. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise. Mark 9: 31b. Jesus has now risen just as He said He would, but He is leaving them again, this time to go back to heaven. 

We know therefore of: - 

Jesus’ Last Words of Commission – All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28: 18b – 20

Jesus’ Last Words of Command – This is what He commands His disciples to do, just before He leaves them to return to His Father in heaven. Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. Acts 1: 4b

Jesus’ Last Words of Convincing – Jesus had been going about for weeks, bringing convincing proofs to His disciples that He was as He appeared to them indeed alive. On one of those times, before He left them to return to His Father, Jesus appeared to them. They were startled and frightened, thinking that they had seen a ghost. Jesus did what He needed to do to convince them that He was a real human being, with flesh and bones. He asked them to carefully check out His hands and His feet and to touch Him. He even went so far as to ask for food to eat and in their presence, He ate the broiled fish which they offered Him. These are the famous words which He spoke to them, for them to see, be convinced and know that He was human. Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. Luke 24: 39.

Jesus’ Last Words of Blessing – Jesus’ final words of blessing have not been made available to us. Nevertheless, we do know that there was a final blessing and it was during this most favoured, holy, special and spiritually loaded time that He left them. When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Luke 24: 50 – 51

Jesus’ Last Words of Comfort – He lets them know that all will be well as they will be fully, adequately and well-equipped, to be His witnesses anywhere and everywhere. 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. Acts 1: 8

Will you agree that all Jesus’ last words and actions, have to do with giving His disciples, authority, power and unarguable proof that He is indeed alive and they can now go out and be His witnesses?

Where does all this leave us?