WATCHWORD:
13-16 That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was.
17-18 He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?”
They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?”
19-24 He said, “What has happened?”
They said, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.”
25-27 Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him. Luke 24:13-27 Message Version
Meditation:
Suddenly, He Was There!
Thanks to an amazing scientific breakthrough of time travel, I had this inspiring experience: I was curious as to what happened after the Resurrection. Oh, I know how the Resurrection anchors our faith. But, what I wanted to know was what happened the few days after the Resurrection. So, I time-traveled back to Tuesday, April 7, 33 CE, and met this guy, this physician follower of Jesus, Luke. Let me tell you, he was so on fire and excited! He was telling a number of people, there, outside the Great Temple in Jerusalem, what he had seen and heard two days before, in Capernaum, there on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This is what he said:
“Suddenly, he was there! Jesus. I mean, he wasn’t dead! He actually said ‘I am here, touch me, do not doubt’.
“Can you imagine? I saw him dead. I was there! I helped prepared him for burial. I was standing there, on that beach in tears, I had no words!
“Then he said, and listen to this, ’do you have anything to eat?’ He was hungry! This was no ghost, or spirit or our minds playing tricks, it was a man who hadn’t eaten anything since last Thursday, Passover!
“You should’ve been there. He ate the fish we gave him and then he reminded us all what Moses and the prophets had said. Those words, those predictions had come true! Let me tell you, I cried! It was incredible! Then he taught us. To hear his voice and to know that what he was saying was true, it was just…I don’t know, it was beyond amazing!
“But, that wasn’t even the best part. He promised that he would send his very Spirit, not just to be with us, but to be within us, to fill us. His Holy Spirit within each one of us! Can you imagine? And, He told us we would do miracles, like He had done. Healings, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, and more. More are here at The Temple. We are waiting…”
I wanted to stay longer, but with time-travel, you must stay on schedule or you could get stranded in some wrinkle in time. So, I came back, but I know what happened. I left those disciples waiting for The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and I wondered if any of them had doubts, during those 50 days of waiting. Then I decided, it didn’t matter. His Holy Spirit did come, and the proof is right here. His Holy Spirit dwells within us now. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
–Stan
Closing Prayer:
Lord, the resurrection of Your Son has given us new life and renewed hope. Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal. Grant has wisdom to know what we must do, the will to want to do it, the courage to undertake it, the perseverance to continue to do it, and the strength to complete it.
Help us to be ever mindful that this temporary inconvenience, called isolation, is nothing compared to the grief that spreads throughout this country and the world, of loved ones lost. Grant them Your comfort, Lord. Reinforce within each one of us the strength and the commitment that comes along with believing in You, the love You share with us, and then fact of your Holy Spirit within us. We give you all the honor and the glory, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
