READING: Luke 24 – RESURRECTION!!!

Women, who had rested on the Sabbath after preparing spices and ointments to put on His body, went to the grave Sunday morning, arriving at dawn. “They found the stone rolled from the tomb, but going in, they did not find His body” and were perplexed. 

“Suddenly two men in dazzling clothes were with them. They said, ‘Why are you seeking the living among the dead? He isn’t here; He’s risen. Remember, while He was with you, He told you He must be crucified and rise again on the third day.” 

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women went back, found the eleven with others, and told them what they had seen. They did not believe them. But Peter “ran to the tomb, and looking in he saw the linen cloths and was amazed.” Seeing the grave clothes convinced him Jesus lived. 

Later that day, two were walking to Emmaus, and Jesus came near but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. He asked what they were discussing as they walked. “They stood still, looking sad. Cleopas said, “Are you the only stranger who does not know what’s happened in Jerusalem these days?’ Jesus asked, ‘What things?’ They said, ‘The Chief Priests handed over Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet mighty in word and deed, to be crucified. And we hoped He would be the One to redeem Israel.” It is now the third day. 

They told about the women visiting the tomb and their vision of angels; others went to the tomb, and it was as they said, “But they did not see Him.” 

Jesus said, “How slow of heart to believe what the prophets declared; the Messiah must suffer and then enter His glory! Beginning with Moses, He interpreted the things about Himself in the scriptures.” 

They neared Emmaus, and Jesus acted as if He were going on. They begged Him to stay with them. He stayed, and at the table, He took bread and blessed it. They recognized Him, and he disappeared.  

They returned to Jerusalem “and found the eleven with their companions. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told what happened on the road and how He was known in the breaking of the bread.” 

Then suddenly, Jesus was with them, saying, “Shalom.” They were terrified, thinking they saw a ghost. He asked, “Why are you frightened? Why do doubts rise in you? Look at my hands and feet; see it is I. Touch me and see.” 

In their joy they were disbelieving, and He asked if they had anything to eat. He took a piece of fish and ate it before them.  

Then He spoke, “I said while I was with you; the Law, Prophets, and Psalms must be fulfilled. The Messiah must suffer and rise the third day; repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.” 

This ‘commission’ was theirs then. 

It is ours today! How well do we keep it? 

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PRAY FOR YOURSELF 

Father, my God and Savior, I delight in You and the perfection of Your wisdom in winning by accepting death for Jesus that He might become the firstborn from the dead. Thank you for letting us die with Him that we may live with Him and with You eternally. In the name that is above all names, I offer this prayer of thanksgiving, AMEN! 

MY PRAYER FOR YOU (and for me) 

I offer this prayer for all who may read these words, and for myself. I pray that each of us may look at the commission Jesus gave His disciples in the end of this chapter before He ascended back into heaven. How do we respond to it today? In today’s church, how many disciples are making disciples who will make more disciples? Think of how we are doing; most of us are doing little to make disciples, maybe because we have not been taught to make them. I offer this challenge to all who read this prayer (and to myself) as a prayer to the first maker of disciples in His kingdom, AMEN!