Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Luke 24:44-45, 51 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures ... Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
REJOICE! CHRIST HAS ASCENDED TO BE YOUR PROPHET!
When He was on this earth, Christ fulfilled what we call His three offices, namely those of Prophet, Priest, and King. He fulfilled those offices on earth, but He did not abandon them when His redemptive work was done. He continues to carry out these offices in eternity in behalf of the Church.
Christ fulfilled His office as Prophet, which God prophesied through Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15. He told the people, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." Obviously, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. We know that many crowds turned out to hear Christ preach. For example, we read in Matthew 5:1-2 that "seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them."
What did He teach them? Jesus opened the Scriptures to them. He taught them the Law and the Gospel. Simon Peter asked Jesus in John 6:68, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Jesus spoke words of eternal life to His followers. And He still does!
When Jesus ascended into heaven He did not stop preaching. Before He ascended, Jesus said to His apostles, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:46-48). Christ continues to carry out His office as Prophet through His Holy Word, which He proclaims through you, His people!
In our churches, Christ's words of eternal life are proclaimed in our hymns, our Scripture readings, and in the sermon. Christ is preaching through you when you tell others about your Savior either person-to-person or indirectly, through your Mission contributions, which promote the spread of the Gospel in far away places.
Boldly proclaim His Word, for He has ascended, but still preaches through you, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).
