This page will always be as the title suggests.  This section will be where I will publish thoughts and testimony, to share from the Bible and encourage.

 

Easter

It was only a few months ago, we celebrated Christmas and they birth of Jesus, the saviour of the World.  The hope that came in the form of a babe for the salvation of mankind.

And yet, here we are approaching Easter weekend and the crucifixion of that some person, now a grown man, Jesus, who had been ministering for three years, due to be crucified.  So, where has this hope gone now gone.   The person who they thought was going to be to be their saviour was dead.

We read about two such people in Luke 24 v 13-35, on the road to Emmaus.  Emmaus was about seven miles from Jerusalem. They saw no reason to hang around, their hope had gone, so they were just returning to where they had come from, going back to what was familiar.  Jesus came alongside them and walked with them although they did not recognise Him.  Why are you so downcast?  Thy were astonished, it seems such a remarkable question to ask them.  ‘Have you not heard’ they’ they asked Him.  They explained their disappointment that the one they thought was their saviour was not dead, hope was gone.  They even know about the women’s account of finding the empty tomb but the fact that their companions had gone and found it just as the women had said but not seen Jesus was enough.  And it was the third day!

  • They understood a lot:
  • They knew HIs name and where He was from.
  • They knew He was mighty in deed and word.
  • They knew He was crucified.
  • They knew He promised to redeem Israel.
  • They knew others had said He had rose from the dead.

The report of the women meant little to them and also the report of Peter and John who ran and saw the empty tomb, because they did not see Jesus.

 

Jesus then does something remarkable, He expands the scriptures to them.  Why? 

They had just forgotten.  In their despair and disappointment they had just forgotten and needed reminding.  They urged Jesus to stay with them as they approached the village which He did do.  

When Jesus sat at the table, broke bread and gave to them, then they recognised Him and He disappeared from their sight.  They recognised how their hearts had burned within them as Jesus had expanded the scriptures. Their hearts burned because of the ministry of God’s Word and of Jesus, the Living Word of God. They returned to Jerusalem to tell the others all that had happened.

It is interesting that Hebrews 10 v 38 tells us the just shall live by faith, not by sight and yet here it seemed they needed physical proof.  Doubting Thomas did not believe the report of his fellow disciples, he needed the sight of Jesus and the wounds in His hands.  How would I have been the same in that situation!  Jesus wanted to know from them what He wants to know from us today. Can we believe without seeing with our own eyes?

Jesus may be right in front of you, walking with you and sitting down with you at every meal - and your eyes could be restrained from seeing Him.  We need to ask God that we see Jesus as He is, with us all the time.

The disciples went to Emmaus which in those times would not have been a easy journey and promptly returned to Jerusalem when Jesus met them and revealed Himself to them.  Jesus met them in the moment of despair and disappointment and set them back to the right place again.  They just needed that prompt and reminder of the Word, together with an appearance of Jesus.  

We may not have a personal appearance of Jesus, but we do have the Holy Spirit within to bring to our remembrance His Word.

This weekend, I was away at a retreat and during part of it we talked about Foundation scriptures.  What are they?  They are those scriptures that are always there, that mean the most.  They are scriptures that you recall and God will remind us of time and time again.  Write them down, stick them up somewhere, keep them close to you at all times, so you remember.  There have been plenty of times, in the middle of hard times, I forget what God has said and promised and often need that little prompt.  We have seasonal sciptures too, ones that come for particular situations.  This was many years ago now, but at one point, I would think "why can't I have another scripture, I know what that one is"  Then, I realised, why would God not repeat His word. His Word is truth, He does not lie and He does not change His mind.

Although Easter seems to signify the end of hope, actually Jesus' resurrection is the greatest hope.  

Because He died and rose again, we have a way back in relationship with God.

 

 

 

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