“O
Foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into
His glory? Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to
them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Luke 24:25-27
This week we have been learning about the two disciples who
witnessed the crucifixion and were on their way home to Emmaus. Jesus joined them, although they did not
recognize him, and helped them with the doubt and hopelessness they were
experiencing after seeing Jesus crucified.
They had hoped He would redeem Israel but all their hope was gone
now. Jesus walked alongside them and
helped turn their doubt into faith.
·
He Brings
Clarity - Jesus “reframes” the trauma of the past days. Then Jesus responds to all of their talk and
their sorrow, and He was very pointed in what He said to them in the scripture
above. We might expect Jesus to say,
"I understand." But He says, "O
foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe…" Jesus’ words are not meant in
contempt but in compassion. It’s the
same sadness He had for the disciples when they did not understand what He was
trying to tell them about Himself. ("Moses and with all the prophets"
is an old way of describing all of the Old Testament.) You see, these disciples and all of the other
followers of Jesus had failed to comprehend what the Scriptures actually had
said about Jesus. Most that had been following Jesus were eagerly waiting a
strong, military Messiah who would reestablish the earthly Kingdom of Israel
and restore the Jews to their rightful reign as shining lights of God's
triumphant victory. To them, the idea of a Messiah who would suffer, be meek,
winsome, and approachable was completely foreign to their expectation.
And so Jesus begins to relate the truth of the Old Testament
to them. Jesus may have pointed them to
one of the most powerful prophecies of all from the prophet Isaiah, Surely our grief He Himself bore, And our sorrows He
carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our
iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His
scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has
turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall
on Him. (Isaiah 53:4-6)
·
He
Restores Confidence - And they approached the village where they were going,
and He acted as though He were going farther.
But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward
evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with
them. When He had reclined at the table
with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving
it to them. Then their eyes were opened
and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. Luke 24:28-31
By this time the three travelers were in Emmaus and the
two disciples stood in front of their home. Jesus was about to go on His way,
but the two disciples urged Him to come in.
Not long after Jesus had entered the house, He takes on the position of
host. Supper time came and this Stranger
took the bread and broke it. All of a sudden they recognized Him! "Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him
…" Here, in the quiet of their house, Jesus took the bread
and handed it to His friends, and I believe, that possibly as they took the
bread from His hands, they noticed the scars where the nails had been, and then
they knew… it was Jesus. He had truly risen!
Scripture to Claim:
Fear
not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen
you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10
