Read Luke 24:36-49

God could have healed the scars.

When Jesus appeared abruptly to the disciples huddled in fear on that Sunday night, He could have looked just like He did at the Last Supper. God could have restored Jesus’ body to its pre-crucifixion state. Obviously He did heal the bones shattered as the nails went into Jesus’ hands and feet. But He did not remove the external scars.

Instead Jesus made sure that He left a record of evidence, showing them His scars and eating before them in a normal human way. Furthermore, He opened their minds to understand the scriptures. What does this say to us about praying for illumination before we attempt to read the Bible?

Jesus did several things quickly that night. In a few sentences Jesus summed up His message of three years. Notice the points He made:

The Old Testament writings about the Messiah are true and have been fulfilled (v. 44).

Messiah’s suffering, death, and resurrection were necessary (v. 46).

The Great Commission consists of preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins all over the world (v. 47).

Having seen all of this, He implies they are responsible to tell it (v. 48).

The Holy Spirit is coming, as the Father promised (v. 49). Scripture refers to the Holy Spirit as the divine Paraclete, meaning literally “one called alongside to help.” Wait for this One Who will stand, walk, and work beside you.

Read Luke 24:13-35

In one of the most compelling of the post-resurrection appearances, Jesus joins two disciples as they walk home to Emmaus.

“Hello,” He says. “What are you talking about?”

They are exasperated. “Are you the only person on the planet who does not know about the prophet who was crucified last Friday? We had hoped he was Messiah, but not any more.”

The stranger reproves them, not for failing to accept the women’s story of the empty tomb, but for not believing the Old Testament prophets. He leads them in a Bible study as they walk along that is a Rosetta stone of biblical interpretation. He points them to the messianic passages, explaining them. This is how to understand the Bible, He says. They finally recognized Him at supper.

Jesus taught His disciples in the daily round of their lives, at home, on the beach, fishing, rowing against rough water. At weddings and funerals, dinners and long walks, He was there. Finally, He left them.

Yet His ministry was just beginning. Do we let Him, now unseen, share the daily round of our lives? Do we seek His presence at our dinner tables, in our kitchens and offices, as we drive on the Interstate or backcountry roads? Is Christ a living presence in our lives?

We try to make Christianity a system of truth to be explained. Instead it is a Person to be loved and obeyed.

Read Luke 24:1-12

Chalk one up for Peter. At least he went to look for himself.

Although like the others, he did not believe the women when they came running with the report that Jesus had risen from the dead, Peter wanted to assess the situation in person. It didn’t help much. The record says he went away wondering what had happened (v. 12).

I wonder what Peter’s conjectures were. Did he speculate that others unknown to the eleven had stolen the body to make it appear that Jesus was raised from the dead? Neither the Jewish officials nor the Romans, especially the guards whose instruction was to keep the tomb inviolate, had any motive to move the body. Practical businessman that he was, Peter dismissed the women’s words about seeing angels as the garbled report of excited females. But here was the huge stone moved, the linen strips that had bound Jesus’ head still lying there, deflated rather than unwound, as if Jesus’ head had simply passed through them. This made no sense. People don’t just rise from the dead. Do they?

Later Peter realized the truth (1 Peter 1:3). The literal, bodily resurrection of Christ is a cornerstone of our faith. Jesus promised to rise; to deny it makes Him a liar (Luke 9:22). In His post-resurrection appearances, Jesus carefully laid a foundation of evidence of His resurrection. Our Christian faith stands firmly on this underpinning.

Read Luke 23:44-56

Luke introduces us to an array of interesting persons surrounding Jesus’ cross.

We meet the curiosity seekers, the Jewish officials, and the soldiers, all of whom made fun of Him (v. 35-37). But the soldiers’ boss didn’t. The centurion, for whom supervising crucifixions must have been routine, found something very different about this death (v. 47). We meet two criminals; one insulted Him, the other spoke respectfully (vv. 39-43). Then came Joseph of Arimathea who honored his dead friend by arranging a decent burial (vv. 50-54). Finally, we meet the dear, helpless women, too fearful to come close (v. 49).

We must ask ourselves, “Where am I in this scene?”

Do I wish to compromise, like Pilate, instead of squarely facing Christ’s identity? Like Herod, do I have private contempt for Jesus because He will not do things my way? Am I a curious bystander, finding Jesus somewhat amusing, but nobody I would take seriously? Or, like the Roman army officer, am I so uninformed that I am confused by what I see? Do I think I would like to know Christ better, but think I cannot get any closer because God is unknowable? Or am I like Joseph, who acted with kindness and intelligence, but supposed this was the end?

Or, like the criminal, do I come in simple faith asking forgiveness of One I believe to be capable of becoming my Lord and Savior?