Two men encounter Jesus (although they don’t recognize Him.) on their way to the town of Emmaus, and explain to Him what they think happened on Easter morning:
“’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 (Jesus) said to them. ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things to enter into His glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Him.” (Luke 24:22-27 NKJV)
On this glorious Easter morning we can reflect today on what happened that original morning when Christ arose from the dead and defeated Satan and sin once and for all! He is risen! He is risen indeed! We have eye-witness accounts of that day from Matthew (Chapter 28), Mark (Chapter 16), Luke (Chapter 24), and John (Chapter 20). All four accounts give slightly different details of the same miraculous event:
1. The soldiers guarding the tomb are knocked down and the stone rolled away.
2. Mary Magdalene and others find the tomb empty and go to tell the disciples.
3. Jesus greets Mary and shows her He is, in fact, alive!
4. The disciples come and find the empty tomb and the grave clothes.
5. Jesus appears to the disciples, minus Thomas, in a house.
6. Jesus appears to two men on the road to Emmaus.
What a glorious day in history! What a glorious day for all who want to know that death can be conquered! Yes, we will all die one day. Even Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by Jesus, later died. But Jesus proved that He has power over death, and He has promised that He will provide a place for His followers in heaven after we have died!
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)
He also told the thief on the cross: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
So that brings us to one question; it is the same question that Pilate asked the crowd on Good Friday: “What then shall I do with this man Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:22) The crowd shouted that He should be crucified! But what is your response to this question?
Because He was crucified for our sins and not His sins, (He was and is sinless!) we can now be saved if we give our lives over to Him and obey what He has taught us through His disciples who wrote the Scriptures we hold in our hands today.
Has there ever been a time when you gave your life to Christ? Today is a perfect day if you have not. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (II Corinthians 6:2b) If you need to talk to someone after the service today, someone on the staff will be available to help you make that decision. If you are reading this at home and need to talk to someone, call the church office and someone will talk to you about whatever you need to talk about.
If you are a born again believer are you living for Him everyday? Is your life a witness of His wonderful grace and are you reflecting His Spirit by the spirit that lives within you? You have a new week ahead of you; make it a week where you are living controlled by the Holy Spirit and being obedient to our Lord’s leading in all you say and do.
PRAY:
1. Lord, thank you for dying on that cross to pay the price for my sins! Fill me with your Spirit today and live Your life through me so that others will want to know You too.
2. Help me to be more faithful to spend time with You daily in prayer and in the reading and meditating on Your Word so that Your love will be reflected in all that I do today.
3. Thank you that You have promised that You will never leave me nor forsake me, and that I can count on You to help me with whatever challenge I face in this time we have on planet earth.
