In Mark 16:12, Jesus had been walking with the two men on their way to Jerusalem. And then in verse 14, he appears to the eleven as they were eating. On down in verse 19, it says this;
So after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.
The question is, did he immediately go, as Mark seems to say in that verse? The answer is no It couldn't have happened right after he was first found to be alive. Acts 1:13 tells us that:
...Jesus began to do and teach. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion giving many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
And so we know by this that he hung around down here for forty days. But why? I think there really is a simple explanation for that. He wanted to make sure his disciples knew that he was alive, along with all those that followed him, But he also wanted to let those that didn't know him, try to say that his body could not be taken away and so that is what happened to him.
Because they did try to. Those Roman Soldiers that was guarding the tomb? They had to go tell their "higher ups" that his body was gone! However, the "higher ups" told the soldiers to lie and tell people that his friends had stolen his body. If the soldiers didn't, they could face harsh consequences.
But, I am sure that the guards were all to happy to obey their leaders because Mathew 28;12, says that after the elders had counseled they "gave large amounts of money to the soldiers."
Lets face it, the Roman government or at least most of them, didn't want its people to have anything to do with Jesus. Putting him to death, was meant to solve their problem. However, they hadn't bargained on him really being the Son of God and doing what he had said he would do, much less what had been prophesied hundreds of years before. He had risen. He had stuck around to continue to preach the gospel, and then after being seen by many many people for forty days, he did ascend the sit on the right side of God the Father.
During that forty days, he appeared to many groups of people. More then two decades later, the Apostle Paul wrote that he had appeared to "more then two hundred brothers at the same time time, most who are still living." 1 Corinthians 15:6
No Super Power was ever going to stop him. Not then and not now. He came and did what his Father-the only real Super power, (God) that will ever be, had sanctioned him to do. And he did it for you, and me. What kind of love is that?
Thanks for coming by today Friends. Have a wonderful evening.
God bless!
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