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?