From Matt 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:49-53; and John 20:30-31, 21:25 Sometime later the disciples all came together and went up on the mountain Jesus had instructed them to. Jesus met them there and told them. “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. For that reason, I command you to go into the entire world and preach the good news to every person on earth. Make disciples of the people in every nation, baptizing them in the name of Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved; those who refuse to believe will be condemned. Teach your new disciples to obey all of the commands I have given you. The evidence that someone truly believes in me is that they will be able to cast out demons using my name and they will speak with new languages. They will be able to safely handle poisonous snakes and if they drink anything poisonous it won’t hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Remember, I will always be with you, all the way until the end of the world.” The disciples worshiped him there but some of them were still filled with doubt. After that, all of Jesus’ followers got together and returned to Jerusalem. During the forty days after his crucifixion Jesus met together with his followers several times. The last time was after they were back in Jerusalem and meeting together in the house with the upper room where they had their last supper together. They had come to call that place home in the city. They were all there again and Jesus was there with them and they were all sharing a meal together this one last time. He told them, “It was written long ago that the Messiah would have to suffer and die and then rise again on the third day. You have been witnesses to all of this.” Some of disciples then asked him the same question they had asked several times since he had risen from the dead, “Lord is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel? “It’s not for you to know the times or the season for those things,” Jesus answered. “The Father is one who sets the dates for them to take place.” Then he got back to point he had been making, “John did indeed baptize with water but just a few days from now you are going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. I am going to send you the Holy Spirit just as my Father promised. You are to wait here in Jerusalem until you receive power from above. When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive the power to go in my name and take this message of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all the nations of the world beginning right here in Jerusalem. You will be my witness here in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.” After Jesus finished speaking, he led his followers out of the city and to the Mount of Olives. From there they headed toward Bethany. Suddenly he stopped and raised his hands and started praying for them all. As he was praying, he left them and went up into heaven where he took his rightful seat in the place of honor at God’s right hand. His follower’s watched him until he disappeared into a cloud. As they were standing there looking up into the sky, two men in white robes suddenly appeared beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring at the sky? This same Jesus you saw rise into heaven will someday return in the same way you saw him go.” So his followers left the Mount of Olives and joyously returned to Jerusalem and waited for the promised Holy Spirit. While they were waiting, they spent their time in the Temple, praising God. Jesus did many more miracles in the presence of his disciples during his time here on earth that are not recorded in this book. But I think if everyone of them had been listed one by one that the entire world would not be big enough to contain all the books it would take to do that. But the ones that are recorded here were written so you would believe that Jesus truly is the Messiah, the Son of God. And that by believing in him, you will have life. |
 |
|||||||
 
|
|
 |
|||||
    |
|||||||
