After Easter

Easter can feel like a finish line, but the resurrection is a beginning.

We slow down and follow what Jesus does after he walks out of the grave - the quiet, personal moment with Mary Magdalene, the honest doubts of the disciples, and the surprising walk to Emmaus where opened Scripture turns crushed hopes into burning hearts.

If you’ve ever wondered why faith can feel hard even when the story is true, these scenes from scripture put words to it and point to a better way forward.

We also zoom out to Acts 1, where Jesus spends forty days giving clear proof of the resurrection and speaking about the kingdom of God. The disciples want a timetable, but Jesus points them to power and purpose through the Holy Spirit. The ascension is not Jesus stepping away from the world, it is Jesus sending his people into it as witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Then we land on Matthew 28 and the Great Commission.  All power is given unto Jesus in heaven and in earth; therefore we go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:, with the promise that Jesus is with us always.

We talk about what that looks like in normal life through prayer, spiritual gifts, daily character, and love shown through action

If you want practical Christian encouragement rooted in Scripture, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the Christ Quarter.

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Acts 1:1 - 11
Luke 24:11 - 29
Matthew 28:18 - 20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Transcript

Today’s Scriptures And Prayer

Easter Ends Too Soon

Mary Magdalene Sees Jesus Alive

The Emmaus Road And Burning Hearts

Forty Days Then The Ascension

The Great Commission For Us

Using Your Gifts In God’s Work

Closing Prayer And Next Steps

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome to the Christquarter. Thank you for taking time out of this day to enjoy the presence of Christ and the words of Christ. Today let's read a section of Scripture, discuss what it means, and also how it applies to our lives. I hope that God will speak to you through my words and more importantly through his scriptures and will bring you closer to him. I am blessed and thankful to have this time to speak with you, and I thank you so much for being with me here today. The Christquarter is available on Amazon Music. Just ask your smart speaker or app to play the Christquarter Podcast. I'm also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Today's scripture selections are Acts chapter one, Luke chapter twenty four, verses eleven through forty nine, and Matthew chapter twenty eight verses eighteen, nineteen, and twenty. Matthew chapter twenty eight verses eighteen, nineteen and twenty in the NIV are as follows. Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the freedom and the ability to discuss your word and enjoy your presence. Help us to understand your word and your will for our daily lives more fully. We ask that you bless this discussion of your word, that it will speak to someone who needs to hear from you. We ask that you use these words to bring someone closer to you, and that you will touch their hearts to love others through action in your name. That each of us will do something to show love to their neighbor in action as well as in word. Each of us will do our best to represent you to the world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Most of us are familiar with the Passover story, the story of Jesus Christ's prayer in the garden, his betrayal, his torture, and execution, and his triumph over death when he rose from the grave on that Sunday. We generally refer to this celebratory time as Easter, and we celebrate it each year, which is fine, but we generally end our celebration there. Did Jesus step out of his grave, say hello to his friends, and then go home to wait for us to all catch up with him? If you took our celebrations for an indication, you might think so. Jesus was quite busy after his resurrection. So what did he do? Well, let's get right to it. One of the first things Jesus did after getting up that morning was to play a little joke on one of his friends. I love this example of its humor. Mary Magdalene was at the tomb looking for his body, and Jesus spoke to her without allowing her to recognize him. Now this is just my opinion, but I think Jesus was enjoying the anticipation of her reaction to seeing him alive. And he allowed himself those few seconds. After all, he had just finished a decades long task that involved shame, torture, and death. His victory was never in doubt, but having it all completed must have felt great. And of course Mary Magdalene did not disappoint him. She was ecstatic and jubilant when she realized who she was talking to, and after a bit she ran to tell the others that Jesus was alive. Unfortunately, in our first scripture verse today, the men were skeptical of what Mary Magdalene told them. Luke chapter twenty four verse eleven shows us that they diminished her testimony and did not believe her. Peter and Callopus decided to take a walk towards a nearby town called Emmaus and discuss all that had recently happened. Jesus again, I think, with a sense of humor and having a little bit of fun, met up with them. Luke describes it this way. Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened, as they talked and discussed these things with each other. Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, What are you discussing together as you walk along? They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopus, asked him, Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? What things he asked? About Jesus of Nazareth, they replied. He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death and they crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning, but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus. He said to them, How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in the scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going further, but they urged him strongly, stay with us, for it is nearly evening, the day is almost over. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road, and opened the scriptures to us? They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and those with them assembled together, and saying, It is true, the Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon. Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. After this Jesus stayed with his friends and disciples for forty days, as described in Acts chapter one, which is as follows The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen, to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. When they were therefore come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power, but ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. And when he has spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. At this point you can almost view it as the end of the story. Jesus gave us his perfect example and ascended into heaven. What more is there to do? Fortunately, Jesus left us with instructions. We are to teach the world all that he has shown us. Matthew says it this way in chapter twenty eight, verses eighteen, nineteen and twenty. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. And that brings us to today, just after the Passover, just after Easter. How are we to do as Jesus commanded us? How should each of us work in the family business? We are to pray and ask for guidance on what our gifts are and how we are to use them, and then do it. It's pretty simple. Each of us has a different gift and we have different work. Plus, we can of course talk to people about Jesus when we can. I have found that when you try to walk in a godly manner, people who don't even know you will see that you're different and will ask you questions. It's a great feeling when that happens. It feels like our father has trusted me to handle part of the family business on my own. Not saying that any of us are perfect, least of all me. I am saying though that God can use any one of us if we are willing to be used by God for his purpose. Jesus was busy during the forty days after his resurrection. Let's each of us stay busy working in the family business while we can. That concludes our scripture discussion for today. Thank you for spending this time with me talking about, learning about, and enjoying Christ. It is my hope that God has used my words to touch you today and has brought you closer to Him. Let us pray. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. The Christ Quarter is available on Amazon Music. Just ask your smart speaker or app to play the Christ Quarter Podcast. I'm also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcast. It has been a privilege to talk with you today, and I look forward to talking with you again soon. This is Kirk. Meet me again here as soon as you can on the Christ quarter.