Graduate School with Jesus

Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. Acts 1:4b 

I like to think of the 40 days Jesus spent with his disciples between the resurrection and the ascension as graduate school. Let me explain. 

During Jesus' itinerant ministry of approximately 3 years He traveled around doing good, healing the sick, raising the dead and doing much of his teaching through parables that many people had a hard time understanding. People believed in him because of what they say and experienced personally and because he spoke and demonstrated authority that other religions leaders not have. 

While moving about his band of disciples traveled with him. They observed how Jesus ministered to the people. They were sent out on ministry trips to do what Jesus taught them to do. In quiet times Jesus would explain to them the deep meaning of the parables he used in teaching.

Then the unthinkable happened - Jesus died. I am not sure how the disciples missed the fact that this would happen. Jesus had clearly told them about the reason they were going to Jerusalem. He told them He was going there to suffer and die, but some of them made light of the situation and agreed to go so they could die also. 

Then it happened and everything in their lives changed. Undoubtedly their dreams were shattered. Some of them decided to back to their former occupations and went fishing. Others like Matthew pondered what they would do because returning to tax collecting was no longer an option. 

Three days later the state of panic, uncertainty, and sadness was replaced by exceedingly great Joy. Jesus rises from the dead and is very much alive although his body, which bears the marks of his suffering, has also been transformed into a heavenly body that is not restricted by the physical world. 

Acts 1:3 tells us: "He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."

Undoubtedly, Jesus really had their attention now. For one thing they never knew when the teacher would show up to teach a lesson. All his teaching was now understood with a background of the resurrection. Whatever Jesus told them in this 40 day period had a profound impact on the rest of their lives. Undoubtedly, Holy Spirit had a very significant role in their ministries going forward but whatever Jesus told them about the Kingdom of God in those 40 days opened their eyes. ears and minds in a way that the pre resurrection days had not done for them.