He Is Alive, It Has Just Begun
In Luke 24 there is a story of two followers of Christ who are walking home to Emmaus. It was Sunday and Jesus had been crucified on Friday. They said “We might as well go home, it’s over.”
Some women had gone to the tomb early. They intended to anoint the body. They came back to report the tomb was empty. They said something about an angel and Jesus being alive. But the two disciples knew that was foolishness. He was dead and they were going home
Cleopas and the other disciple thought they had found the Messiah. They’d heard the great stories and had eaten some of the fish and loaves. They’d seen a cripple man run and heard a mute girl speak. They thought Jesus had to be the Christ, the Son of God. But then He was arrested, tried, beaten and crucified. Soldiers took His dead body down from the cross and buried Him. He’s dead. It’s over.
These two disciples were very disappointed in this Man named Jesus. They thought He was going to use His power to overthrow the Romans. He would restore the kingdom of David. They believed He would set them free. But He didn’t do things the way they thought He should. And now He’s dead. So they said, “It’s over, we might as well go home”.
As they walked home to Emmaus, Jesus Himself began to walk by their side. They didn’t recognize Him. They had eyes to see but could not see. He chastised them because they were foolish and slow of heart. Then using Scripture, He taught them that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and enter into His glory.
As He walked with them, their hearts began to warm. As he taught them, their hearts beat faster. His Word was percolating in their hearts. Later when He broke the bread, the full blown aroma of salvation enveloped and filled them. All of a sudden they saw Jesus.
He’s not dead. He is alive. It’s not over.
It has just begun.
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where The Pavement Ends
douglas@pavementendsministry.com
From the Bible
“Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:13-32 NKJV
