Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today our reading is Luke 23-24. Afterwards, I’ll have some thoughts to share with you, and I’m calling today’s episode “Open My Eyes.”

Comments on Luke 23-24

As we close the book of Luke, a couple of passages stood out to me.

Historically, most Christians have believed that Scripture is literally God’s Word. Orthodox, traditional  Christians believe that the Scriptures are, and I use this word with its literal meaning, God-breathed, as 2 Timothy 3:16 says. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (lit. ‘breathed out by God’), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, 1thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

And so it stands to reason that unless God opens the Scripture to us, the natural, human, secular mind is not going to grasp its meaning. 

But don’t take my word for it. Here in chapter 24, we read in verse 45, “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

We have another example in Acts 16:14. “Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of  Thyatira, who worshiped God.  The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.”

So that’s why I sometimes ask God to give us understanding in our prayer time together. Sure, each of us has some level of intelligence, and we have some understanding of the English language. But Scripture is more than words. It is of the Spirit, and unless the Spirit opens it to us, we will not comprehend its greatest meanings.

I believe that is why some people can read the Bible and not be moved. Unless God has quickened their heart, it’s just words on a page. Beloved, those of us who have a relationship with the Author of the Bible, are in a very real sense, reading a completely different Book than is the non-believer.

But just as Jesus had to open the eyes of His disciples that had been with Him for those three years of His ministry, I believe He must open our eyes each time we open the Bible. We can’t rely on yesterday’s supply. We should ask for a fresh and new portion of the Holy Spirit every day. Living Water is moving water, rushing water. It is not stagnant. And neither is the Holy Spirit.

The second thing that I’d like to comment on is the closing three verses of Luke.

Luke 24:50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Why do you suppose Jesus chose this as His way to leave them for the last time? 

Luke does not make it plain here, but Acts 1:3 tells us that Jesus left them 40 days after His resurrection. What do you suppose He was doing during those 40 days? I think He was reinforcing the truth of the resurrection, and getting them ready for this moment. 

And at the end of those 40 days, when the time was right, He led His disciples out of Jerusalem as far as Bethany, which was a little less than two miles. (Aside: what was that last walk like? They might not have even known that this would be their last moments with Jesus. But He certainly did. What did He think about? What was his mood? Did He take time with each one of them as they walked? Curious minds want to know.)   And He ascended into Heaven. Had He merely disappeared, as He had done at other times (think of His time with the disciples when He broke bread with them, opened their eyes as to who He was, and then vanished), they might have thought that He would be back in the same manner. But this unforgettable event, His ascension, was for them to see that He was indeed leaving. Here in Luke’s gospel, Jesus had just told them of the Father’s promise, that they would be given “power from on high.” He wanted them looking for the fulfillment of that Promise, not looking for Him to appear again to them right away.

In addition, it truly showed that He was God. Who else could defy the laws of nature like this, but God Himself? This exit was literally “one for the Book”. You can feel their excitement with the final words of the book, “And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen”

And amen. He ascended into Heaven that day, and now we look into the heavens with oh so much anticipation of His return. Hallelujah!

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 23 GWT; Ch. 24 NKJV

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Transcript

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Steve Webb 0:00
What do you think that last walk was like?

Steve Webb 0:10
Here we are, again, it’s the Lifespring family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California and podcasting since 2004. I am your OG God caster Steve Webb, how are you today? It’s great to see you. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Yesterday was a long show today to balance that out, it’ll be much shorter today. Our reading is Luke 23, and 24, which will close the Gospel of Luke, I’ve got some thoughts to share with you after the reading, and I’m calling today’s episode, open my eyes. If you’d like to come in on today’s show, you can do that at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 206. You can email me also at Steve at Lifespring media.com. Let’s begin.

Steve Webb 0:55
Luke chapter 23. Then the entire assembly stood up and took Him to Pilate. They began to accuse Jesus by saying, we found that he stirs up trouble among our people. He keeps them from paying taxes to the emperor. And he says that He is Christ, a king. Pilate asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? Yes, I am. Jesus answered. Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, I can’t find this man guilty of any crime. The priests and the crowd became more forceful. They said, He stirs up the people throughout Judea with his teachings. He started in Galilee and is come here. When Pilate heard that he asked if the man was from Galilee. When Pilate found out that he was He sent Jesus to Herot, Herod ruled Galilee and was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very pleased to see Jesus. For a long time he had wanted to see him. He had heard about Jesus and hoped to see him perform some kind of miracle. Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus would Natsu him. Meanwhile, the chief priests and the experts in Moses teachings, stood there and shouted their accusations against Jesus. Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and made fun of him. They put a colorful robe on him and sent Him back to Pilate. So Herod and Pilate became friends that day, they had been enemies before this. Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people. He told them, You brought me this man, as someone who turns the people against the government. I’ve questioned him in front of you, and haven’t found this man guilty of the crimes of which you accuse him. Neither could hear it. So he sent this man back to us. This man hasn’t done anything to deserve the death penalty. So I’m going to have him wept and set free. The whole crowd then shouted, take him away, Free Barabbas forests Barabbas had been thrown into prison for his involvement in a riot that had taken place in the city and for murder. But because Pilate wanted to free Jesus, he spoke to the people again, they began yelling, Crucify Him, Crucify Him. A third time pilots spoke to them. He asked why, what is he done wrong? I haven’t found this man deserving of the death penalty. So I’m going to have Him whipped and set free. But the crowd pressured pilot, they shouted that Jesus had to be crucified. And they finally one pilot decided to give into their demand. He freed Barabbas, who had been put in prison for rioting and murdering, because that’s what they wanted, but he let them do what they wanted to Jesus. As the soldiers led Jesus away, they grabbed a man named Simon who was from the city of Sai Rini. Simon was coming into Jerusalem, they laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd followed Jesus, the women in the crowd cried and sang funeral songs for him. Jesus turned to them and said, You Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Rather cry for yourselves and your children. The time is coming when people will say bless it are the women who couldn’t get pregnant, who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child, then people will say to the mountains fall on us into the hills cover us. If people do this to a green tree, what will happen to a dry when two others who were criminals were led away to be executed with him. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him. The criminals were also crucified, one on his right and the other on his left. Then Jesus said, Father forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing. Meanwhile, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice. The people stood there watching, but the rulers were making sarcastic remarks. They said, He saved others. If he’s the Messiah that God has chosen, let Him save Himself. The soldiers also made fun of him. They would go up to him, offer him some vinegar and say, if you’re the king of the Jews save yourself. A written notice was placed above him. It said, this is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals hanging there insulted Jesus by saying, so you’re really the Messiah Are you will save yourself and us, but the other criminals scolded him. Don’t you fear God at all? Can’t you see that you’re condemned in the same way that he is. Our punishment is fair. We’re getting what we deserve. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong. Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom. Jesus said to him, I can guarantee this truth. Today you will be with Me in Paradise. Around noon, darkness came over the entire land and lasted until three in the afternoon. The sun had stopped shining, the curtain in the temple was split into Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Father, into your hands, I entrust my spirit. After he said this, he died.

Steve Webb 6:02
When an army officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, Certainly this man was innocent. Crowds had gathered to see the site. But when all of them saw what had happened, they cried and returned to the city. All his friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched everything. There was a good man who had God’s approval. His name was Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish Council, but he had not agreed with what they had done. He was from the Jewish city of Arab mithya. And he was waiting for the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. After he took it down from the cross, he wrapped it in linen. Then he laid the body in a tomb cut in rock, a tomb in which no one had ever been buried. It was Friday, and the day of worship was just beginning. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed closely behind Joseph, they observe the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went back to the city and prepared spices and perfumes. But on the day of worship, they rested according to the commandment.

Steve Webb 7:12
Luke chapter 24. Now, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared, but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in, it did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead, He is not here, but is risen. Remember how we spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the 11. And to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles, and their words seemed to them like idol tales, and they did not believe them. But Peter arose and ran to the tomb, and stooping down, he saw the linen cloth lying by themselves, and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. Now, behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was while They conversed and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, what kind of conversation is this that you have with one another, as you walk and her sad? Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to him, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? And have you not known the things which happened there in these days? And he said to them, what things? So they said to him, the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed, and word before God, and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes. And certain women of our company who arrived at the tomb early astonished us. When they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see. Then he said to them, all foolish ones in slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, but not the Christ who have suffered these things and to enter into his glory. And beginning at Moses had all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going. And he indicated that he would have gone farther. But they constrained him saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. And he went in to stay with him. Now it came to pass, as he sat at the table with him that he took bread, blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew him. And he vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us on the road, and while he opened the Scriptures to us, so they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 11, and those who were with him gathered together, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon. And they told about all the things that had happened on the road, and how he was known to them, and the breaking of bread. Now, as they said, these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, Peace to you, but they were terrified and frightened. And suppose they had seen a spirit. And he said to them, Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold, my hands and feet, that it is I myself, handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have, when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, he said to them, have you any food here, so they gave him a piece of broiled fish and some Honeycomb, and he took it and ate in their presence. Then he said to them, these other words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. Then he said to them, thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high, and he led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up his hands and bless them. Now it came to pass while he blessed them, that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and we’re continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

Steve Webb 12:36
Well, as we close the book of Luke, beloved, a couple of passages stood out to me. Historically, most Christians have believed that Scripture is literally God’s word. Orthodox, traditional Christians believe that the scriptures are and I use the word in its literal sense. God breathed, as Second Timothy 316 says, All scripture is given by inspiration of God. And in the original Greek, that literally means breathed out by God. And since scripture is literally God breathed, it stands to reason that unless God opens the scripture to us, the natural human secular mind is not going to grasp its meaning. But don’t take my word for it. Here in chapter 24, we read in verse 45. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. And there’s another example in Acts 1614. Now a certain woman named Lydia Huertas. She was a seller of purple from the city of via Tyra who worshipped God, the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. So that’s why I sometimes ask God to give us understanding and our prayer time together. Sure, each of us has some level of intelligence, and we have some understanding of the English language. But Scripture is more than words, scripture is of the Spirit. And unless the Spirit opens it to us will not comprehend its greatest meanings. I believe that’s why some people can read the Bible and not be moved. Unless God is quick in their heart. It’s just words on a page. Beloved, those of us who have a relationship with the author of the Bible are in a very real sense, reading a completely different book than is the non believer. But just as Jesus had to open the eyes of his disciples that had been with him for those three years of his ministry, I believe he must open our eyes each time we open the Bible. We can’t rely on yesterday’s supply. We should ask for a fresh and new portion of the Holy Spirit every day. Living water is moving water, rushing water, it isn’t stagnant, and neither is the Holy Spirit. A second thing that I like to comment on is the closing three verses of Luke. Let’s listen to him. And he led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up his hands and bless them. Now it came to pass while he blessed them that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. and they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And we’re continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Now let’s just think for a moment. Why do you suppose Jesus chose this as his way to leave them for the last time? X one three tells us that Jesus left them 40 days after His resurrection. What do you suppose he was doing during those 40 days? I think he was reinforcing the truth of the resurrection and getting them ready for this moment. He was being seen by people. And at the end of those 40 days, when the time was right, He led His disciples out of Jerusalem as far as Bethany, which was a little less than two miles. Now, let’s take an aside here. What do you think that last walk was like? The disciples might not have even known that this would be their last moments with Jesus. But he knew. What do you think he thought about? What do you suppose his mood was? Did he take time with each one of them as they walked? curious minds want to know? Now back to the narrative. And then once they got there, he ascended into heaven. Now had he merely disappeared, as he had done it other times, think of his time with a disciples when he broke bread with him. And he opened their eyes as to who he was, and then he just vanished. Well, if he did that, this time, they might have just thought that he’d be back in the same manner. But this unforgettable event, His ascension was for them to see that he was indeed leaving. In here in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus had told them of the father’s promise that they would be given power from on high, he wanted them to be looking for the fulfillment of that promise, not looking for him to appear again to them right away. And then in addition, it truly showed that he was God. I mean, who else could defy the laws of nature like this, but God Himself, this exit was literally one for the book. You can feel their excitement with the final words of the book, and they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and we’re continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. Wow. Amen to that. He ascended into heaven that day. And now we look into the heavens with Oh, so much anticipation of His return. Hallelujah. So what do you think I’d love to hear your thoughts, comment at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 206. Scroll down there all the way to the bottom of the page. Tomorrow, we’ll begin the book of First Thessalonians we’ll read the first three chapters boost.

Steve Webb 17:44
On this date in church history, march 26 1775, American born evangelist in him writer Henry ally in underwent a profound spiritual conversion. He later became a leader of the new light movement in the Presbyterian Church, and he was an evangelist to the people of Nova Scotia.

Steve Webb 18:15
Prayer requests. I have a friend by the name of Robbie, he’s a very talented guy with an amazing baritone voice. And he’s had a singing ministry for many, many years. And he truly has a desire to do whatever God calls him to do. And right now he feels that God is calling him to step out in faith in a very big way. I can’t share the details. But he asked for prayer that he would maintain a firm faith and that his faith would not fail. You know, sometimes when God calls us to do something where we can’t see beyond the first step, that can be a scary thing. We may be sure that we’re following the Lord’s leading but the human part of us wants to know how it’s all going to work out. Well, of course, if we had that knowledge, it wouldn’t be faith, would it? So let’s pray for my friend, Robbie, our Heavenly Father, we are so very thankful for your word and all the things you show us about yourself, and about us. Help us to learn. We ask that you open our understanding. As Robbie steps out in faith, Lord, I pray that you would make every step very clear to him. Not that you would reveal everything at once. But give him confidence, Lord, that it’s your voice that he’s hearing. Give him a steadfast faith and help him to lean on you and not on his own understanding. Lord, I believe you’ve got something very special in mind for him and it’s gonna be fun to see what it is. I just pray God that you would bless Robbie. And Lord bless the Lifespring family. Each of us wants to know you better. That’s why we’re here. reveal yourself to us, Lord in draws ever closer as you make us into the people you want us to be. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, just go to prayer dot Lifespring media.com And you’ll find a form there. Fill that out and open pray for you in my private prayer time and we’ll pray together on the show, prayer dot Lifespring media.com.

Steve Webb 20:14
Support the show and Lifespring media.com/support However you support the show I thank you and I know God bless you. Comment on the show at Lifespring media.com/s 12 e 206. Email me at Steve at Lifespring media.com And until tomorrow may God bless you richly. Thank you for being here. My name is Steve Webb. I hope you have a stupendous day. Bye

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