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Tag: Christ

Slow of Heart to Believe
Are we slow of heart to believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus?

In an early encounter with two of His disciples (followers), Jesus, our risen Lord, accuses gently:

“O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken …”

– Luke 24:25 KJV

Does this from our Lord resonate in your twenty-first century ears?

A commentator on what Jesus told these two disciples from the Prophets remarked (certainly tongue-in-cheek) that he could never forgive Cleopas for not telling Luke which passages from the Prophets Jesus used. I, too, could only speculate; but would point us to some scriptures we might resist in our Bible reading. It is with more ‘WARNINGS’ to the churches I would like to direct our reluctant eyes ‘slow of heart to believe.’
- Ephesus – you have abandoned the love you had at first…
- Smyrna – Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
- Pergamum – you have some there who… practice sexual immorality.
- Thyatira – teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality…
- Sardis – “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die…
- Philadelphia – I know that you have but little power… I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
- Laodicea – For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
AS WE, would so easily dismiss the cautions of Jesus to the seven churches of Revelation; so, too, the disciples were ‘slow of heart to believe’ all the Prophets had warned God’s disciple nation: Israel (and also Judah).

NOTE: The following scriptures are King James Version:

Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Hosea 4: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Perhaps, hearing with open ears and seeing scripture with eyes uncovered, you may see in much scripture how the Messiah, the Christ, must suffer and die.

Hear (even after His resurrection) and consider in closing Psalm 49, thinking of the incarnate life of Jesus.

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

I will incline mine ear to a parable…

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption…

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me…

Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

And having said this he breathed his last.
May 8, 2014
Until He Was Taken Up – 2

Luke 24:12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles (sixty stadia or about eleven kilometers) from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

(The total walk from Jerusalem to Nazareth would be about 150 km, but these two disciples had only hurried out of Jerusalem a short distance in that direction.)

15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Another sojourner, a traveler along the busy north-south Roman highway, is usually an unremarkable event (like having another automobile come alongside you in this day).

17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”

And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.

(Perhaps an acknowledging compassionate smile from their fellow traveler via Emmaus; yet their eyes were still not opened, as often ours are not when we become preoccupied with our own troubles.)

22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.

(How the heart of our risen Lord must have been filled with compassion for the loss of His beloved friends when He had died on the Cross.)

24 Some 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.”

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

(And Jesus begins to draw their attention as with His former Authority.)

27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going.

He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying,

“Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.”

So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem.

To be continued…

May 7, 2014
Until He Was Taken Up

Jesus IS risen from death on a cross! Then after appearing alive is again taken up into heaven.

Witness after witness has told you what our Lord has done. Jesus appeared not only to the Apostles and family, but the risen Jesus also appeared to other witnesses.

How can we explain this singular pivotal event in the history of man to others? How do we tell this Good News?

This is the dilemma of Dr. Luke, Mark and the Apostles Mathew and John.

Peter, the ten remaining Apostles and others can give their witness to a scribe of history (like Mark or Luke); but then the dilemma of the reporter: how can this writer of this most important Good News convince the hearers (for most were incapable of reading the written word) of the absolute truth of the eyewitness accounts: the Gospel?

Jesus IS risen from death; Jesus walked with and instructed the Apostles; Jesus IS then taken up into the clouds to His rightful Throne of heaven!

Luke has written his Gospel account as one book. Now Luke continues in what we know as the Acts of the Apostles. Luke recounts the time after Jesus resurrection. Luke chronicles the days of the first century church, beginning with the time of the Apostles with Jesus after the resurrection and before His ascension to heaven.

Now in his second book Luke details the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 1

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

NOTE: As a twenty-first century reader of this first century writer I have read several commentaries on the identity of Theophilus.

The best consensus is that among the few learned men of the day, he may be a faithful disciple of the early church who provided needed funds and materials to Dr. Luke (another early disciple of the Way) for Luke to record his Gospel. (The disciple Mark would have also needed the grant of materials and time to write his Gospel account.

Luke continues:

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

… To be continued

May 5, 2014