Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, April 28, 2013 Read – Luke 24:50-53 These concluding verses provide a good summary of Luke’s gospel. As we have noted earlier, Luke begins his gospel in the Temple in Jerusalem as faithful Zechariah is about his priestly duties. As one who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, Zechariah is evidence for Luke of those among God’s Jewish people who did receive the Messiah. So now Luke ends by telling his readers that the disciples were continually in the Temple blessing God. This is quite a different picture than we might imagine given the story the other gospel writers have told us – especially if we let ourselves be influenced by Mark. Luke provides us with a good reminder that there may be more to see than we would think. Just before Luke tells us of the disciples in the Temple in Jerusalem he tells us of Jesus leading them out to Bethany, lifting up his hands in blessing, and withdrawing from their midst being carried up into heaven. We need to remember that this story is connected with the story of Jesus appearing to his disciples on the evening of the resurrection day – it is still the same day! How are we to understand all of this, especially given the stories of Jesus meeting with his disciples on a mountain in Galilee in Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 28:16-20) and, even more puzzling, Luke’s own description of the ascension of Jesus forty days after Easter in the book of Acts (Acts 1:6-11). One possibility is to remember that the resurrected Jesus seemed to have a way of disappearing after he had disclosed himself to his followers through Word and Sacrament. Jesus did the same with the two travelers on the Emmaus road. The withdrawing in the end of Luke’s gospel can be viewed in a similar way. One might suspect that the Emmaus road travelers did not expect to see Jesus again – but they did back in Jerusalem in the room where the followers had gathered. So, while one might understand the disappearing of Jesus from the two travelers and the withdrawing of Jesus from the followers on the evening of the resurrection as temporary, the ascension in the book of Acts has a more permanent feel to it. But then there is the appearance to Paul on the Damascus road. Was that like the others? Luke leaves his readers with a sense of mystery. Perhaps it is best for us to simply live with the mystery instead of trying to resolve it. So, our journey with Luke has come to an end – at least for the time being. But, Luke’s story goes on. It is important for us to recognize that the book of Acts continues the story. In one way the gospel of Luke is not complete without the book of Acts. Luke has brought us from the Temple out into the world and back again to the Temple – in the book of Acts he will lead us from the Temple to the ends of the earth. Welcome to the continuing story.