Luke 24:52

Look at what courage! They had not yet received the Spirit, yet they live spiritually. Before they locked themselves in a house, but now they live in the midst of the chief priests and care nothing for worldly things, but, having despised everything, they constantly …

The manner of the re-uniting of Christ's soul and body in his resurrection is a mystery, one of the secret things that belong not to us; but the infallible proofs of his resurrection, that he did indeed rise from the dead, and was thereby proved to be the Son of God, are things revealed, which belong to us and to our children.

And they worshipped him,....

They worshipped him - Let it be observed that this worship was not given by way of civil respect, for it was after he was parted from them, and carried back into heaven, that they offered it to him; but acts of civil respect are always performed in the presence of the person. They adored him as their God, and were certainly too much enlightened to be capable of any species of idolatry.

OUR Lord Jesus, having spoiled the grave and so proved His power over things that are under the earth, tarried for 40 days among men and so claimed His power over the earth, itself, and then ascended through the air to show that the dominion of the Prince of the power of the air was broken and, finally, entered into the Heaven of Heavens to claim sovereignty there, so that, from the lowest depths up to the extreme heights, He might take possession of His vast domains.

worshipped him--certainly in the strictest sense of adoration. returned to Jerusalem--as instructed to do: but not till after gazing, as if entranced, up into the blue vault in which He had disappeared, they were gently checked by two shining ones, who assured them He would come again to them in the like manner as He had gone into heaven.

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These verses are the winding up of Luke's history of our Lord's ministry. They form a suitable conclusion to a Gospel, which in touching tenderness and full exhibition of Christ's grace, stands first among the four records of the things which Jesus did and taught. Let us notice, firstly, in this passage — the remarkable manner in which our Lord left His disciples . We read that "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them — He left them and was taken up into Heaven."

These verses are the winding up of Luke's history of our Lord's ministry. They form a suitable conclusion to a Gospel, which in touching tenderness and full exhibition of Christ's grace, stands first among the four records of the things which Jesus did and taught. Let us notice, firstly, in this passage — the remarkable manner in which our Lord left His disciples . We read that "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them — He left them and was taken up into Heaven." In one word, He left them when in the very act of blessing . We cannot for a moment doubt that there was a meaning in this circumstance. It was intended to remind the disciples of all that Jesus had brought with Him when He came into the world. It was intended to assure them of what He would yet do, after He left the world. He came on earth to bless, and not to curse — and blessing, He departed. He came in love, and not in anger — and in love He went away. He came not as a condemning judge, but as a compassionate Friend — and as a Friend He returned to His Father. He had been a Savior full of blessings to His little flock while He had been with them. He would have them know that He would be a Savior full of blessings to them — even after He was taken away. If we know anything of true religion — forever let our souls lean on the gracious heart of Christ. We shall never find a heart more tender, more loving, more patient, more compassionate, and more kind. To talk of the Virgin Mary as being more compassionate than Christ — is a proof of miserable ignorance. To flee to the saints for comfort, when we may flee to Christ — is an act of mingled stupidity and blasphemy, and a robbery of Christ's crown. Our Lord Jesus was gracious while He lived among His weak disciples. He was gracious in the very season of His agony on the cross.

OUR Lord Jesus, having spoiled the grave and so proved His power over things that are under the earth, tarried for 40 days among men and so claimed His power over the earth, itself, and then ascended through the air to show that the dominion of the Prince of the power of the air was broken and, finally, entered into the Heaven of Heavens to claim sovereignty there, so that, from the lowest depths up to the extreme heights, He might take possession of His vast domains. I like to think of Him as traversing His dominions from end to end, like a conqueror looking over the provinces which have been subdued by his might. Our Lord did not make a rapid passage through the world. He might have gone, on the Resurrection morning, straight from the grave, as soon as it was opened, into His Glory but He had reasons for tarrying a while, and of those reasons I will briefly speak before I come to the main theme of my discourse—our Lord's posture in Ascension. His Ascension occurred 40 days after He had risen from the dead. You know what a significant period 40 days has always been in Scripture and you know that in our Lord's own case, He was 40 days in the wilderness tempted of the devil, so that it was seemly for Him to tarry here for 40 days of triumph on the scene of His first great battle and victory. Whatever instruction there may be in these 40 days, I will not attempt to give any fanciful exposition of the meaning of them, but it is quite clear that they were sufficient for certain excellent purposes. They were sufficient to prove to all mankind that He had truly risen from the dead, not as a phantom, but in real flesh and blood. He made many appearance to His disciples in different ways and in divers places.

They worshipped him - The word “worship” does not “always” denote religious homage. See the notes at Mat 2:11. Compare Luk 14:10. But here it is to be remarked, 1. That they offered this worship to an “absent” Saviour. It was “after” he left them and had vanished out of their sight. It was, therefore, an act of religion, and was the “first” religious homage that was paid to Jesus after he had left the world. 2. If “they” worshipped an absent Saviour - a Saviour unseen by the bodily eye, it is right for “us” to do it. It was an example which we “may and should” follow. 3. If worship may be rendered to Jesus, he is divine. See Exo 20:4-5.