Luke 24:10 says, It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. We have three of the women who brought the news to the apostles identified here, but some are just called other women. As we serve God, some of us will be known by name by people of the world, but others will not. Yet, we equally important. Verse eleven adds, And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Though Jesus had told the disciples what was going to happen to Him, when the woman told them it had happened, it seemed foolish to them and they didn't believe them. The gospel still sounds like foolishness to many, many people today, and they refuse to believe it. Verse twelve states, Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Here, we are told that Peter rose and ran to the tomb and looked down and saw the linen clothes laying by themselves, and he departed wondering what had happened. He still had not accepted the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as having occurred. Until we accept the reality of this ourselves, we will always go away wondering. Verse thirteen adds, And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. Two disciples were going to Emmaus that day, about a seven mile journey. We are not told why they were going, but Matthew Henry says perhaps they were giving up on Jesus and going home. No matter how hopeless things in life become, we as Christians should never give up in Jesus Christ. Verse fourteen says, And they talked together of all these things which had happened. They were talking about everything that had happened to Jesus, but they still did not truly understand it. We can talk about what happened to Jesus all day long, but until we understand what really happened and accept His sacrifice on the cross for our sins and His resurrection to defeat the power of death, it will do us no good. Verse fifteen adds, And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. While they were taking, Jesus drew near and walked along with them. We do not have Jesus walking with us, but we have the Holy Spirit. Verse sixteen continues, But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Though Jesus was walking along with them, they did not know Him. Too often today, even if Jesus were to be physically walking along with people, they would not recognize Him. Verse seventeen states, And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? Jesus asked them what they were talking about that made them so sad. If they had really understood what Jesus had been telling them they would have been rejoicing. We may at times be down and out because we fail to acknowledge God's work in the world. Verse eighteen adds, And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? Cleopas, who we know was not one of the twelve disciples, but was still a disciple, asked Jesus if He didn't know what had been happening in Jerusalem these past few days. We should never become so focused on things around us that we question whether or not Jesus knows what is happening in the world. Verse nineteen says, And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: Jesus asked them what things, and they said things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Whom they called a mighty prophet in deed and the word of God. They still didn't recognize Jesus, and until we do, we can never be saved. Verse rwehty adds, And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. They told about Jesus's death, but not His resurrection, which is the message we needcto share with the world. Verse twenty-one states, But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. They said they had thought Jesus was the One to redeem Israel, but today was the third day since He had been crucified, but were still not seeing the significance of that fact. They should have been looking by faith, and so must we today as followers of Christ. Verse twenty-two adds, Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; Cleopas said certain woman got them excited after going early to the tomb, but evidently not excited enough to go see if what thay said was true or not. Being excited about Jesus is not enough unless we know the truth about Who He is. Verse twenty-three says, And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. Cleopas said the women failed to find Jesus's body, and they had seen a vision of angels who said Jesus was alive. The implication seemed to be that they didn't believe them. Until we acknowledge that Jesus died, was buried and rose again as the truth, the gospel will be just a story someone has told. Verse twenty-four adds, And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Cleopas said certain of them went to the tomb and found things to be as the women said, but they did not see Jesus. They were looking in the wrong place and didn't even recognize Him as He walked with them. We will never find Jesus in an empty tomb,and so many fail to recognize Him even when He walks beside them.
No comments:
Post a Comment