~ Luke’s Gospel Opens
and Ends with a Priest ~
The Gospel
of Luke opens with an earthly priest
at the altar of incense on earth. The people are worshipping outside the temple
in doubt and fear (Luke 1:8-21).
Luke closes
his account with the Great High Priest
entering into the heavenly temple with His saints as they worship with great joy and certainty (the very
last verses of Luke’s Gospel – Luke 24:50-53) .
The Start of Luke’s Gospel
~ “So
it was, that while he [Zacharias] was serving as priest before God in the order
of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to
burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude
of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the
right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was
troubled, and fear fell upon him.
“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you
shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will
rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall
drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of
Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and
power of Elijah, “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make
ready a people prepared for the Lord.’
“And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this?
For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.’ And the angel
answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and
was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will
be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because
you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.’ And
the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the
temple” (Luke 1:8-21).
The End of Luke’s Gospel
~ Luke closes his Gospel with an
account of the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. “And
He [Jesus Christ] led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands
and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while
He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And
they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were
continually in the temple praising and blessing
God. Amen” (Luke 24:50-53).
So, what is
your reaction? Do you have a personal relationship with the Great High Priest?
Will you one day be with Christ in heaven with great joy?
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
