Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 24:44-53 "AND THEY WORSHIPPED HIM"
Day 364 – Luke 24
Text: Luke 24:44-53
“AND THEY WORSHIPPED HIM” Luke 24:52
Luke carefully noted the new-found joy that filled the hearts of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other record of the kind of joy that now filled the hearts of the Disciples. Luke noted the following,
“And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem
with great joy, and were continually in the Temple
praising and blessing God. Amen.”
Luke 24:52-53
The Disciples had by now fully recognized Jesus for who He really was. He was more than their Teacher. He was more than their Master. He was none other than the eschatological Son of Man. He was the Messiah Himself. He was therefore Divine, and thus He was to be worshipped!
The Disciples had followed the Lord Jesus. From time to time they caught glimpses of who He really was. But for the longest time, they struggled between doubt and faith, until the last forty days of special teaching from their Risen Saviour and Lord. Their doubts were now cleared! They had full understanding now. There was only one fitting response. They offered worship to the Lord Jesus!
“GREAT JOY” Luke 24:52
The theme of joy was introduced by Luke at the beginning of his Gospel. Zecharias was promised “joy and gladness” because God was going to give him and his wife a son in their old age (Luke 1:13-14). That joy was clouded for a while, because he lacked the faith to fully believe in the word of the angel Gabriel.
“Great joy” was promised by the angel of the Lord to a group of Shepherds at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:10). The fear of the shepherds left them and instead joy filled their hearts as they came to the stable where Jesus was born (Luke 2:20).
Being disciples of the Lord Jesus should have brought great joy to the heart. But for some reason, Luke did not record any great joy felt by the Disciples, until all doubts were dispelled and full understanding came after the Resurrection of Jesus. Well, better late than never, as the old saying goes!
The Disciples were not meant to just be filled with joy now and then, for a moment or two. They were meant to have fullness of joy always. This was something that Jesus promised His Disciples again and again.
“These things I have spoken to you,
that My JOY may remain in you,
and that your JOY may be full.”
John 15:11
“Therefore you now have sorrow;
but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice,
and your JOY no one will take from you.”
John 16:22
“Until now you have asked nothing in My Name.
Ask, and you will receive, that your JOY may be full.”
John 16:24
“But now I come to You, and these things
I speak in the world, that they may have My JOY
Fulfilled in themselves.”
John 17:13
This great sense of joy that Jesus promised was now fulfilled in the lives of the Disciples. Though they knew that they would never have Jesus walk with them on earth, as they had enjoyed the last three years, nevertheless, their hearts were filled with great joy.
This sense of joy was so obvious that Luke could not help but record it. The new-found joy did not fade away. They were “continually praising and blessing God”. Was this joy meant only for the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ?
LEARN HOW TO REJOICE IN THE LORD
If there was an apostle who suffered terribly, that person would be Paul. If you were to name an apostle who was especially filled with joy, that person would also be Paul. Great and continuous joy was meant to be for all genuine believers who walked closely with the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how much suffering may be experienced.
Let us consider the teaching of the Apostle Paul concerning joy. He who wrote about joy in the Lord must himself be filled with constant joy. Paul was evidently filled with joy.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine making request
for you all with JOY”
Philippians 1:3-4
Paul used the word “joy” time and time again in his epistle to the Philippians. He taught them how to find joy using the simplest language.
“Rejoice in the Lord
Rejoice in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3:1, 3
“Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I say, rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4
Great joy is be found in the Lord Jesus. Let us learn how to rejoice in our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we grow deep in our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have cultivated a meaningful relationship with Him, we will indeed find great joy in our faith.