“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45.
The newly-resurrected Jesus had come into the midst of the gathered disciples, who were amazed and wondered at His appearance, thinking that He was a ghost. Jesus offered for them to touch His hands and His feet to assure them that He was who He said that He was. He also asked for some food to eat in their presence, again assuring the disciples that He was not a ghost. Jesus, then, started to teach them about the fulfillment of all that the prophets had said about Him. Then it says this interesting verse, quoted above.
Jesus opens their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures. It was one thing to have a mental grasp or understanding of what was being stated in the Scriptures, but it is quite another thing to have a heart-burning, change in understanding. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He spoke quite a bit in parables, keeping the true meaning of the kingdom of heaven hidden. His disciples were always wondering about the meaning of this idea or that concept, not fully grasping what Jesus was teaching, but now, He had “opened their minds” to understand the Scriptures.
When I was a younger person, I thought that I understood quite a bit (a regular know-it-all!), and now that I am getting older, I am realizing how little I do understand. It is not quite as simple as I once thought it to be. There were times that I understood the Scriptures more clearly. Now, some things seem to be cloudy and not as easily understood. Mystery seems to hover around my reading. And I realize that this “cloudiness” pushes me closer into the Master, who “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” He allows me to push into Himself in order to get to know Him, fully knowing that I am flawed and frail and not fully capable of grasping His fullness. After all, it is not about knowing about God, but getting to know God, Himself. It is relational.
Reflect on how God allows us to “understand” His Scriptures. How does He give you clarity in understanding the Scriptures? Does He do it the same way all the time? If not, what does He do for you? I know for me, He teaches me patience by causing me, at times, to wait. He tries to teach me humility and dependence, as He allows me to squirm under my lack of understanding. And He drives me to Himself. Take some time to think about how God opens your mind to understand His Scriptures.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
March 22, 2007
“’Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’” Luke 24:39.
Reports had been coming in to the gathered disciples that Jesus had made some isolated appearances. They were discussing these things when, suddenly, Jesus just shows up, but not as a normal person, who would have entered the room through a doorway. He just appears, and the disciples, thinking that it was a ghost, for they had no other frame of reference, were afraid. Jesus spoke His peace to them, and continued by speaking to their limited assumption that He was a ghost. Jesus stated to them, “Look at me; touch me and see that I am not a ghost.”
The disciples had no other experience for which to fall. Jesus’ sudden appearance to them was way beyond anything that they had seen or heard. Jesus had taken them to a brand new place: the personal witnessing of a resurrected body. Jesus had been dead and buried, and now He was alive, standing in front of them, and speaking to them, encouraging them to touch Him. Jesus’ resurrected body was “flesh and bone” and not ghost-like in appearance. He evidently had a different appearance than He had just a few days before, yet not so different that they did not recognize Him. Could you imagine what some of the thoughts were that ran through their minds? Jesus was definitely stretching them way beyond anything that they had experienced ever before!
Jesus always seemed to be stretching His disciples beyond their personal boundaries and experiences. He was always pushing their limits. One time Jesus even wondered out loud if He had pushed them too far, and Peter responded that they had no where else to go, for only He had words of life (see John 6:60-69). It was clear that Jesus was not going to allow them to stay where they were, experientially. It has been my experience that He is not going to allow me to stay where I am at, either. How about you? Take time today to reflect on Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to His disciples. It must have blown their minds! How is God blowing your minds these days? How is He stretching you and not allowing you to stay the same?
Reports had been coming in to the gathered disciples that Jesus had made some isolated appearances. They were discussing these things when, suddenly, Jesus just shows up, but not as a normal person, who would have entered the room through a doorway. He just appears, and the disciples, thinking that it was a ghost, for they had no other frame of reference, were afraid. Jesus spoke His peace to them, and continued by speaking to their limited assumption that He was a ghost. Jesus stated to them, “Look at me; touch me and see that I am not a ghost.”
The disciples had no other experience for which to fall. Jesus’ sudden appearance to them was way beyond anything that they had seen or heard. Jesus had taken them to a brand new place: the personal witnessing of a resurrected body. Jesus had been dead and buried, and now He was alive, standing in front of them, and speaking to them, encouraging them to touch Him. Jesus’ resurrected body was “flesh and bone” and not ghost-like in appearance. He evidently had a different appearance than He had just a few days before, yet not so different that they did not recognize Him. Could you imagine what some of the thoughts were that ran through their minds? Jesus was definitely stretching them way beyond anything that they had experienced ever before!
Jesus always seemed to be stretching His disciples beyond their personal boundaries and experiences. He was always pushing their limits. One time Jesus even wondered out loud if He had pushed them too far, and Peter responded that they had no where else to go, for only He had words of life (see John 6:60-69). It was clear that Jesus was not going to allow them to stay where they were, experientially. It has been my experience that He is not going to allow me to stay where I am at, either. How about you? Take time today to reflect on Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance to His disciples. It must have blown their minds! How is God blowing your minds these days? How is He stretching you and not allowing you to stay the same?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
March 15, 2007
“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” Luke 24:36.
The two travelers on the road to Emmaus were so excited about recognizing Jesus, as He gave thanks and broke the bread for their dinner and then disappeared, that they immediately went back to Jerusalem to report what had happened, to the remaining disciples. Upon finding them, the two excitedly shared their story, and there was a great stir in their assembly. It was at that moment that Jesus appeared and stood in their midst. He greeted them with a typical greeting within their culture: “Peace be with you.”
We are not certain as to which day these events happened. It still could have been the same day that the women had discovered the empty tomb or it could have been the next day. Either way, it all happened really quickly. Within a few days, Jesus had been arrested, “tried”, crucified, buried, and now He had risen from the dead, and there were witnesses. Even with Jesus, with whom you never knew what He was going to do next, these events happening so quickly, which created much stir and discussion. For Jesus to come and tell them to be at peace under those circumstances adds to the meaning of His greeting. He was, also, trying to settle them down, fully knowing that His presence there was going to stir them up all the more.
There are definitely things that stir my heart in positive ways, where God is tugging at my heart strings, stirring up my passions, and spurring me on to action. Then there are times when I am just stirred up. I upset about something. And it probably is not the “righteous” kind of upset. It may be something as simple as being cut off in traffic, or it may be something deeper, such as a property that needs to sell and will not. I get stirred up over a variety of different things; some are profound and passionate, yet most are more trivial. How about you?
In those moments, God says to me, “Peace be with you.” Sometimes, I even listen and do what He says! Amazing! And His peace does come to be with me. Take some time today to reflect on Jesus standing in the midst of our life, saying, “Peace be with you.” Is there anything within you that is stirred up today? Try to take Him at His word today, and see if there is a difference in how your day continues.
The two travelers on the road to Emmaus were so excited about recognizing Jesus, as He gave thanks and broke the bread for their dinner and then disappeared, that they immediately went back to Jerusalem to report what had happened, to the remaining disciples. Upon finding them, the two excitedly shared their story, and there was a great stir in their assembly. It was at that moment that Jesus appeared and stood in their midst. He greeted them with a typical greeting within their culture: “Peace be with you.”
We are not certain as to which day these events happened. It still could have been the same day that the women had discovered the empty tomb or it could have been the next day. Either way, it all happened really quickly. Within a few days, Jesus had been arrested, “tried”, crucified, buried, and now He had risen from the dead, and there were witnesses. Even with Jesus, with whom you never knew what He was going to do next, these events happening so quickly, which created much stir and discussion. For Jesus to come and tell them to be at peace under those circumstances adds to the meaning of His greeting. He was, also, trying to settle them down, fully knowing that His presence there was going to stir them up all the more.
There are definitely things that stir my heart in positive ways, where God is tugging at my heart strings, stirring up my passions, and spurring me on to action. Then there are times when I am just stirred up. I upset about something. And it probably is not the “righteous” kind of upset. It may be something as simple as being cut off in traffic, or it may be something deeper, such as a property that needs to sell and will not. I get stirred up over a variety of different things; some are profound and passionate, yet most are more trivial. How about you?
In those moments, God says to me, “Peace be with you.” Sometimes, I even listen and do what He says! Amazing! And His peace does come to be with me. Take some time today to reflect on Jesus standing in the midst of our life, saying, “Peace be with you.” Is there anything within you that is stirred up today? Try to take Him at His word today, and see if there is a difference in how your day continues.
Friday, March 9, 2007
March 8, 2007
“They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” Luke 24:32.
On the road back home from Jerusalem, two travelers, who had been followers of Jesus, were joined in their travels by a stranger. When enjoined to stay the night and share a meal with them, this stranger did so. As he was giving thanks and breaking the bread for their meal, the two travelers recognized him as the resurrected Jesus. Their eyes had been opened and they saw who this man really was. At that moment, Jesus disappeared from their sight, and they marveled, asking one another about their burning hearts within their chests. In looking back, they realized who was traveling along side them, and they rejoiced at their personal witness of their Master’s resurrection.
These men, upon reflection, realized that the burning within their chests was their response to Jesus opening up the Scriptures to them as they walked along. While they may not have recognized their Master, they certainly felt the familiar impact of the message upon their souls. Their hearts burned within them. Fire is an image in the New Testament for the presence of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. At the first coming of the Holy Spirit, it was said that He came to the new believers as “tongues of fire”. There must have been a burning within them, as well.
I must admit that there have been many times when I have not felt so much as a flicker of heat from a fire burning within my chest. For whatever reason, I have known times when this heart within my chest has been pretty cold and in need of much warming! Usually this is because I am in a very self-oriented posture, and am not particularly interested in intentionally following Christ. And yet, there have been other times when I felt like I was on fire from the burning of His word within my soul. Can you relate to any of these sensations? Have you experienced that burning heart upon hearing God’s word spoken to you? In response to their recognition of Jesus, these travelers gathered their things together, and set off for Jerusalem to tell the community their story. They could not wait to act upon their burning hearts! Does God warming your heart move you to action? What has He provoked you to do? Is there anything hindering you from stepping forward to doing that which He has called you to do? Today, I encourage you to look at how God causes our heart to burn within us, and how He uses this to call us into action for His kingdom sake. “Were not our hearts burning within us?”
On the road back home from Jerusalem, two travelers, who had been followers of Jesus, were joined in their travels by a stranger. When enjoined to stay the night and share a meal with them, this stranger did so. As he was giving thanks and breaking the bread for their meal, the two travelers recognized him as the resurrected Jesus. Their eyes had been opened and they saw who this man really was. At that moment, Jesus disappeared from their sight, and they marveled, asking one another about their burning hearts within their chests. In looking back, they realized who was traveling along side them, and they rejoiced at their personal witness of their Master’s resurrection.
These men, upon reflection, realized that the burning within their chests was their response to Jesus opening up the Scriptures to them as they walked along. While they may not have recognized their Master, they certainly felt the familiar impact of the message upon their souls. Their hearts burned within them. Fire is an image in the New Testament for the presence of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. At the first coming of the Holy Spirit, it was said that He came to the new believers as “tongues of fire”. There must have been a burning within them, as well.
I must admit that there have been many times when I have not felt so much as a flicker of heat from a fire burning within my chest. For whatever reason, I have known times when this heart within my chest has been pretty cold and in need of much warming! Usually this is because I am in a very self-oriented posture, and am not particularly interested in intentionally following Christ. And yet, there have been other times when I felt like I was on fire from the burning of His word within my soul. Can you relate to any of these sensations? Have you experienced that burning heart upon hearing God’s word spoken to you? In response to their recognition of Jesus, these travelers gathered their things together, and set off for Jerusalem to tell the community their story. They could not wait to act upon their burning hearts! Does God warming your heart move you to action? What has He provoked you to do? Is there anything hindering you from stepping forward to doing that which He has called you to do? Today, I encourage you to look at how God causes our heart to burn within us, and how He uses this to call us into action for His kingdom sake. “Were not our hearts burning within us?”
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