The Christ of the 40 Days

end of Jesus Christ's ministry to His disciples far

from it. Easter morning was the beginning of a unique

and important portion of Jesus' ministry on earth. For the

next forty days, until His glorious ascension to heaven,

Jesus appeared many times to His disciples. During this

precious period, Jesus taught His followers about the

requirements of discipleship, His own divine nature, and

the power they would soon need to expand the kingdom

of God "into all the world" (Mark 16:15). Today, we can

experience that same power to accomplish God's work.

Even more important, those forty days provide us with

the promise of His everlasting presence, for Jesus did not

say, "I will be with you," as one who has to go away and

come back again, but "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto

the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20), as a presence that

is never to be withdrawn.