| “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures... and lifting up his hands he blessed them.” Do you remember how Jesus did just the same thing with the Scriptures for the disciples on the Emmaus Road? Now at his Ascension he is doing it for the whole disciple company, for the church as a whole. In Jesus Christ God is doing a radically new thing, but one that is in radical continuity with his Old Covenant as well, opening up its full meaning and promised future. Jesus is both Alpha and Omega: he was in the beginning, he is now, and he will be when we stand in judgment before him. So this new thing by no means ends with the end of the Scriptures. The story goes on. Jesus promises the Paraclete and his promise is not in vain. The trajectory of the Spirit in the Old Testament as his work slowly spreads from the favoured few to the promised pouring out on all flesh is wonderfully fulfilled, in a grand democritization of the work of God. Nor is there any hint at all in Scripture that this is a temporary arrangement. So as we meet today, celebrate today, are confirmed today, live out our lives today, staying in the city as it were, how are we to inherit the promise of the Paraclete? How are we to meet with Jesus, see the Scriptures fall open before us, know his presence and the fire of his Spirit? Read more of this post David Thomson | May 26, 2017 at 6:21 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/poSLL-3oQ | 