Why Jesus stayed on for forty days

Acts 1:1-3 (NIV)
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.

How many know how many days our Lord actually stayed on in this world after He rose again from the dead?  Jesus stayed on in the world for forty days!  It’s as if He wasn’t in a rush to sit at the right hand of the Father.  Of course eventually He would be in the “highest place”, His rightful place on the throne.  But before that He patiently took forty days to further strengthen the hearts of His disciples, those He would use to build His church!

And why did He stay for forty days?  There are two reasons why, and they are two vital ingredients of being, and making, disciples.

First, He gave many convincing proofs that He was alive.  Even in the first part of John 21, verses 1 to 9, the Lord had to give one more proof that He was alive:

John 21:1-6 (NIV)
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias. It happened this way:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
3 "I'm going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We'll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

If you notice the conversation of the disciples, who just happened to be fishermen, there is no mention of the Lord, nor is there any attempt to call upon Him and ask for help.  Even at this time they were not yet fully convinced that He was alive.  Well, maybe they did know that He was alive, but they still could not make it a part of their daily life.

It’s not just about knowing in our minds that Christ is alive, but it’s also about being able to apply it in our life.  A disciple of Christ is not a disciple of a set of doctrines, or of a church group or organization.  He is a disciple of Christ, whom He believes with all his heart is alive!  Yes, God is alive, and we are to show it in our daily lives by praying, trusting, depending, obeying and walking in the way He wants us to walk.  We are not disciples unless we believe He is alive.

The second reason Jesus stayed for forty days more:  “He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

There is so much to learn about the kingdom of God!  A disciple of Christ lives to learn more and more about this kingdom.  From the moment we have been born again God has allowed us to “see” the kingdom of God.  Through His Word we are given the teachings and principles of life in His kingdom that every disciple of Christ longs to follow.

Let us be thankful that up to today, through the working of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God, the Lord continues to prove to us that He is alive, and teach us concerning His kingdom’s life, teachings and principles.