Luke 24:40

Luke 24:40 says, And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.  As the disciples continued to question if He were just a spirit, Jesus showed them His hands and feet.  I believe that we will always be given enough proof or understanding to know that Jesus is Who He says He is when we encounter Him if we come to Him by faith.  Verse forty-one adds, And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?  Like the disciples then, even when we are offered proof instead of believing in joy, we may yet doubt the reality of Jesus Christ dying and rising from the dead so that we might have salvation.  Verse forty-two continues, And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.  Jesus had asked the disciples for some meat, and they gave Him some broiled fish and honeycomb.  If we are ever to understand Who Jesus is, we must be willing to obey His commands, the first being to come to Him.  Verse forty-three concludes, And he took it, and did eat before them.  Jesus took the food and ate it, which a spirit couldn't do.  Verse forty-four states, And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.  Jesus told them that He had warned them that all the things that the scriptures said about Him must be fulfilled, and that included His death, burial, and resurrection.  We cannot believe in Jesus without believing in all of God's word about Who He is.  Verse forty-five adds, Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,  Jesus opened their understanding so that they might believe the scriptures.  He will also do this for anyone today who is willing to listen to His call to salvation.  Verse forty-six continues, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  Jesus said that it was written in the scripture that it was necessary for Christ to willingly suffer and die on the cross and be raised from the dead in order to bring salvation to those Who put their faith in Him.  Of course,  He really brought salvation to everyone, but only those who put their faith in Him will benefit from it.  Verse forty-seven says, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  Jesus said that the gospel must be preached in all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.  This is what the disciples were supposed to be doing then and what we as followers of Christ are supposed to be doing today.  Verse forty-eight adds, And ye are witnesses of these things.  Jesus reminded the disciples that they were witnesses to all these things, and by faith so are all Christians today.  If the world is to know about Jesus, it is our responsibility to tell them.  Verse forty-nine declares, And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  Jesus told the disciples that He sent the promise of the Father upon them, but that they were to remain in Jerusalem until they received this power, which comes from the Holy Spirit.  As followers of Christ, we always need to wait until God sends us empowered by the Holy Spirit before we go anywhere and share the gospel.  Verse fifty adds, And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  Jesus led them to Bethany, then lifted up His hands and blessed them.  When we follow Christ today as He leads us, He will also bless us.  This does not mean that we will become rich materially though.  Verse fifty-one says, And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.  As Jesus blessed the disciples, He departed from them and ascended into heaven.  Though Jesus remains in heaven, if we put our faith in Him, we will join Him there one day.  In the meantime, the power that Jesus said that the Heavenly Father would send, the Holy Spirit, dwells within us if we are Christians.  Verse fifty-two adds, And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:  The disciples worshipped Jesus then,and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we need to go wherever He sends us with great joy.  Verse fifty-three continues, And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.  The disciples were then continually in the temple praising and blessing God.  We need to be praising God today anywhere we go as followers of Christ.