Summary
This message by Pastor Page examines the pivotal 40-day period between Jesus’s resurrection and His ascension, as recorded in Luke 24. Pastor Page describes it as “the bridge from the tomb to the throne,” a transitional season that turned the disciples from fearful doubters into joyful, expectant witnesses.
The sermon underscores how Jesus supplied concrete proof of His physical resurrection, confronting their doubts with facts to fortify their faith. This interval was essential for the disciples to grasp the prophecies and to prepare for the sending of the Holy Spirit. It connects this 40-day transformation with other biblical 40-day/year spans, all marking transformative journeys.
The central exhortation encourages believers to trust God’s promises and wait with joy and expectation during their own “in-between” trials, rather than yielding to fear and doubt.
Key Points
1. The Post-Resurrection, Pre-Ascension Period
- The 40-Day Window
- A 40-day period followed Jesus’s resurrection before His ascension into heaven—an “in-between” time akin to the “Saturday” between the crucifixion and resurrection.
- This phase was vital for the disciples’ transformation and contributed more to fueling the Acts narrative than the resurrection event alone. If the account ended at the resurrection, it would have faced criticism and lingering doubt—even among believers.
- The Road to Emmaus
- Two disciples traveling to Emmaus were downcast, having lost hope that Jesus would redeem Israel.
- Jesus walked with them, though they were kept from recognizing Him, likely because they had concluded their expectations would not be met.
- Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, Jesus explained what the Scriptures said concerning Himself.
- Their eyes were opened when He broke bread with them, and they recognized Him—then He vanished. Their hearts “burned within them,” obstacles fell away, and they returned to Jerusalem immediately.
- Jesus’s Appearance to the Disciples
- After the Emmaus disciples shared their account, Jesus suddenly appeared among the eleven, saying, “Peace be with you.”
- They were startled and frightened, thinking He was a ghost—fear born of uncertainty and unfamiliar workings.
- Jesus addressed their doubts with tangible, physical evidence: He showed His hands and feet and invited them to touch Him, saying, “a ghost does not have flesh and bones.”
- He asked for food and ate a piece of broiled fish in their presence.
- This encounter shifted them from fear and shock to joy and amazement.
2. Transformation and Faith
- The Role of the Spirit
- Referencing 1 Corinthians 2:14, the lecture notes that a person without the Spirit cannot accept or understand the things of God, as they are spiritually discerned.
- On the road to Emmaus, the disciples’ eyes were opened—illustrating spiritual awakening.
- The Meaning of “Forty” in the Bible
- The number forty consistently signals a transformative journey in Scripture.
- Examples: 40 days and nights of rain for Noah; 40 years of Israel’s wilderness wandering; Moses’s 40 days on Sinai; Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness.
- Likewise, the 40 days between resurrection and ascension transformed the disciples from hiding to public witness.
- From Fear to Joyful Expectation
- The disciples moved from hiding behind closed doors in fear to continually praising God in the temple.
- This change flowed from Jesus solidifying their faith by proving His resurrection.
- The lecture urges listeners not to let “ghosts” of uncertainty breed fear but to truly trust God, especially in difficult times.
- The Importance of Waiting
- In trials and “in-between” seasons, believers can either worry or wait on the Lord.
- Waiting on the Lord means trusting His promises: renewed strength, comfort, and peace that surpasses understanding.
- The disciples were instructed to stay in the city until they were “clothed with power from on high”—the promised Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus in the Scriptures and the Plan of God
- The Old Testament Points to Jesus
- From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture centers on Jesus. On the Emmaus road, He referenced “the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”
- Key Old Testament prophecies and types pointing to Jesus:
- Genesis 3:15: The seed of the woman crushing the serpent’s head.
- Genesis 22: The sacrifice of Isaac as a picture of the Lamb.
- Exodus 12: The blood of the unblemished lamb for deliverance.
- Deuteronomy: The promise of a prophet like Moses.
- Isaiah 53: The suffering servant.
- Isaiah 7: The virgin birth.
- Zechariah 13: The shepherd struck down.
- Jeremiah 31: The new covenant.
- Psalm 22: The forsaken king.
- Psalm 16: The Holy One who would not see decay.
- Psalm 118: The cornerstone the builders rejected.
- The Necessity of the Ascension
- Jesus’s ascension—His physical departure—was necessary.
- It made possible the sending of the Holy Spirit (the Comforter, the Paraclete) to believers everywhere, not just to those in one room.
- Without the ascension, the Holy Spirit would not be present—completing “the other side of the cross.”
- God’s Holistic Plan
- Everything that happened to Jesus, including the crucifixion, fits within God’s holistic timeline and fulfills Old Testament prophecies—these things “must happen.”
- Believers now live in the “longest Saturday,” bookended by Eden and the throne room of heaven, awaiting the fulfillment of God’s ultimate plan.
Next Steps
- Choose joy and expectation when facing uncertainty or fear—wait on God rather than worry.
- Look for Jesus throughout Scripture, including the Old Testament, to see how it all points to Him.
- Recall God’s promises during challenging “in-between” times: He renews strength, is present with you, and His peace guards your heart and mind.
- Be ready to share the hope within you: “Christ is my all in all.”
- If you have not accepted Christ, are seeking a church home, wish to rededicate your life, or desire baptism, an invitation is extended to you.