The 40-Day Challenge: You Can Do It!

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘After Jesus’ suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke about the kingdom of God.’ (Acts 1:3)

As of today, we have 48 days until the end of the year, or 42 days until Christmas (though the advertising season already has us there).  That doesn’t seem like too much time left to plan a lot of events or activities, but actually it is.  For years I waited until Christmas Eve until I would go shopping for a gift for my wife and children (mostly due to procrastination and a dislike of shopping in general).  There’s no reason to think it won’t happen again this year (though I am retired). I seem to do better under pressure.

A lot can happen in 40 days; we know Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4), and God flooded the Earth over 40 days (Genesis 7-8).  So, we can perhaps accomplish something these next 40 days or so in 2024, before Christmas and New Year comes.  The best example on what can be accomplished in that timeframe comes from Jesus Himself, after the crucifixion.

After the ‘Mary’s’ found the tomb empty (and was likely met with Gabriel, who is considered the Herald archangel), Jesus appeared to them and to His Apostles and disciples for 40 days afterwards.  The accounts listed in Matthew 28:9-20, Mark 16:9-20, Luke 24:13-53, John 20:11 through John 21:25, and the first 9 verses of Acts 1 give the details on these events (with John giving the most details).  The Easter story does not end with the tomb being empty, but continues for 40 days as Jesus appears to the ‘Mary’s’ (His mother Mary and Mary Magdalene, among other women), the Apostles, His encounter with doubting Thomas the Apostle, eating fish with them, and continuing His teachings before He Ascends into Heaven. 

29 AD is the year of Jesus’ crucifixion; historians found Jesus was not born on ‘year zero’ between the ‘Before Christ’ era and the ‘Anno Domini’ (or ‘After Jesus’ Birth) but actually in 4 BC.  Instead of adjusting the date when ‘BC’ ended and ‘AD’ began, they left it intact and properly placed Jesus’ birth in the correct year of that timeline.  29 AD started on Saturday 1 January, and that first ‘Easter’ was on Sunday 17 April.  40 days after 17 April would have Jesus’ Ascension on Friday 27 May.  So, between these dates we can surmise Jesus did those things accounted within the Scriptures listed, and Acts 1:9 (the Ascension) occurred that Friday 27 May, 29 AD.  

What did Jesus do during this time, in these 40 days between Resurrection and Ascension?  We know through Scriptures He fellowshipped with His people, eating with them, talking and teaching them, and removing their doubts about Him.  He shared His teachings beyond His ‘circle’, with over 500 people testifying they saw Jesus in this 40-day period (1 Corinthians 15:1-11).  He most likely witnessed and provided Salvation to many if not all those 500 testifying that they saw Him, and many more, perhaps twice more, who were silent at that time but later came forward in Faith.

My challenge to all of us is this: what can we do in the next 40 days to celebrate this period of Jesus’ return to His followers?  How many will see us in the next 40 days?  Perhaps not 500, but think of who we will see; the FedEx or Amazon Prime delivery bubba (or bubbette), a few waiters/waitresses, perhaps a bank teller, a home repair person, our doctor or dentist, neighbors – in 40 days we will interact with people face-to-face as well as on the phone.  Will you engage with them and share the Gospel of Christ with them, per the Great Commission?  The greatest gift is to provide someone the Gospel message of Christ, so that they may ask to receive Salvation.

Jesus’ interactions did not stop with the Ascension; in Acts 9, likely several months afterward He met Saul on the road to Damascus, and converted Saul into Paul.  Jesus did not simply say ‘I’m done!’ when He Ascended but continuing His work through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Our goal should not be to go 40 or so days until the end of 2024, then stop and say ‘we’re done!’, but to continue onward and keep sharing the Gospel as per the commandment of the Great Commission.  Keep interacting with those you meet, pray with them and for them!  Death or a calendar date didn’t stop Jesus from His ministry; don’t let life or a date on a calendar stop yours!