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Tag: Scripture

Scripture is the word commonly used for the Written Word of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible.

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ONLY Scripture

Death’s Melancholy: Resurrection’s Rapture

“Then beginning with the scriptures of Moses and from all the prophets he uncovered the things concerning himself.” – the good news of Luke 24:27

Scripture taught along a road from Jerusalem

One of the the most remarkable verses in scripture comes to us from witnesses on a road to Emmaus from Jerusalem. Though less notable than much scripture, two followers of the crucified Christ learn scripture from him. We quickly learn the personal witness of Cleopas and one other follower who encounter the risen Lord in person! Jesus, as we might expect, picks up in teaching scripture just as the Lord had done for three years.

Describing the Scene

Matthew Henry [1662-1714], scriptural commentator from Wales U.K., describes the scene with much compassion for those who had just endured the traumatic events in Jerusalem.

Our Lord Jesus went gloriously down to death, in spite of the malice of his enemies, who did all they could to make his death ignominious; but he rose again more gloriously, of which we have an account in this chapter; and the proofs and evidences of Christ’s resurrection are more fully related by this evangelist than they were by Matthew and Mark.

One of these two disciples was Cleopas or Alpheus, said by the ancients to be the brother of Joseph, Christ’s supposed father; who the other was is not certain..

They went to a village called Emmaus, which is reckoned to be about two hours’ walk from Jerusalem; it is here said to be about sixty furlongs, seven measured miles..

Henry describes these two former followers of Jesus of Nazareth:

They were sad; it appeared to a stranger that they were so. They had lost their dear Master, and were, in their own apprehensions, quite disappointed in their expectations from him. They had given up the cause, and knew not what course to take to retrieve it.

Isn’t this how death of one we love and admire generally comes upon us? Listen more to Henry’s account:

Note, Christ’s disciples are often sad and sorrowful even when they have reason to rejoice, but through the weakness of their faith they cannot take the comfort that is offered to them. Being sad, they had communications one with another concerning Christ…

Weep with them who weep

Henry continues: Giving vent to the grief may perhaps give ease to the grieved; and by talking it over we may talk ourselves or our friends may talk us into a better frame.

“Joint mourners should be mutual comforters; comforts sometimes come best from such.”
Matthew Henry on the mourning of the Disciples after Jesus’ death.

Though Christ had now entered into his state of exaltation, yet he continued tender of his disciples, and concerned for their comfort. He speaks as one troubled to see their melancholy.. Note, Our Lord Jesus takes notice of the sorrow and sadness of his disciples, and is afflicted in their afflictions.

Christ has hereby taught us, [1.] To be conversable. Christ here fell into discourse with two grave serious persons, though he was a stranger to them and they knew him not, and they readily embraced him. It does not become Christians to be morose and shy, but to take pleasure in good society.

[2.] We are hereby taught to be compassionate. When we see our friends in sorrow and sadness, we should, like Christ here, take cognizance of their grief, and give them the best counsel and comfort we can: Weep with them that weep.

Luke 24:13-35 excerpts

[You may want to take time here to read Luke 24 or additional verses.]

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. 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.

Conversation along a road to Emmaus

NOTE: The conversational style of their witness presumes who speaks, yet who says anything other than Jesus does not really matter.

Cleopas: “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

The unrecognized man now walking with them: “What things?”

Cleopas (most likely): “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

The other disciple: Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 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.

Cleopas (perhaps): 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.

The unrecognized, risen, Son of Man: “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Reaction to the Risen Christ!

Can you image their reaction and sudden recognition of their witness of the Risen Christ?

From this point forward, their journey would be transformed. Sorrow lifts toward rapturous joy! Jesus once more walks with those He loves. The Lord begins teaching more scriptures from the books of Moses. He unwraps so many verses from the scriptures written about Him by the Prophets.

Jesus’ words from Isaiah and other Prophets we have just read must have pierced the hearts of these two disciples. For He spoke of His life as predicted by scripture and explained why the Lord’s crucifixion for our sins had to take place.

What a glorious walk to Emmaus after having left Jerusalem dejected and directionless.

Conclusion to conversation at journey’s end

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther..

Cleopas: “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,,

Jesus (familiar words of blessing, to this effect):

‘This is my body which is given for you…

He broke it and gave it to both disciples…

31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.

And he vanished from their sight!

The other disciple (in mutual amazement) to Cleopas: “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.

Yes, even though it was toward evening, these two disciples who had just encountered Jesus immediately returned. They had just completed a seven mile walk, yet would return under the cover of darkness for about a three hour journey and ascent back into the Roman-guarded city of Jerusalem.

35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Melancholy or Joy?

What describes your mortal life? Does the inevitability of death (and yes, judgment) cause you grief?

Christians speak of a rapture, really an overflowing indescribable joy in one sense.

The Gospel of the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus is filled with joy.
“for those who believe.
Yet you must believe in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture also prophesies a rapture of these last days as certainly as death destroys the flesh. Judgment of all, in Christ or against Christ (the only two choices). Resurrection lifts up the soul and the Lord creates a new and indestructible sinless body! Only by the purification of the Blood of Christ Jesus… only through Christ.

The Bible speaks of a new Jerusalem, a new heaven and a new earth! An eternal place in the Presence of the LORD where:

“..there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. – The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John: 21:4 KJV

Who do you choose?

Do you stand alone, justifying your sins by your own good works? After having done so little for the Lord, as we all may rightfully be convicted, are you facing death’s melancholy?

Or in Christ Jesus, the incarnate son of man, born to a virgin, died for our sins as Perfect Sacrifice on a cross – in Christ the LORD, One with the Father and One with the Holy Spirit, will you embrace the resurrection’s rapture? It is the Good News, the great joy, the glad tidings of Easter for those who bow down to the LORD.

“He IS the Lord of love. Jesus IS. Worship the Lord our God, who loves you so much as to endure the Cross.” tweet=”Amen. Happy Easter. Joy and eternal life is ours in Christ Jesus.

April 16, 2017
Fully Trained – 8

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

– Luke 6:40-41

The gospel of Luke carefully records truth from eyewitness accounts of numerous historical citizens of the first century.

The following is a fictional representation, part one of the conclusion to seven previous episodes of eyewitness by one of Jesus’ first disciples.

As I have said, when we came among the first disciples of Jesus and followed our Lord to Capernaum, into the hills of Galilee and eventually on His teaching journeys though Samaria and Judea, I knew with all of my heart that He IS the Messiah of God.

Yet it took us many years of difficult witness to understand the many sayings of Jesus to the crowds. Although we understood His words, we had doubts of how we might apply our Lord’s teaching to our daily lives.

Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

For all those years even after Jesus’ resurrection it seemed like everyone was an enemy of the Messiah Jesus. They made it most difficult for us to love them even a little. All I could see was that the difficulty our former friends and neighbors had put us through had probably caused my wife to lose our baby. They nearly starved us to death, had it not been for the generosity of some of our new friends, followers of Christ – total strangers.

30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.

Jesus’ sayings to us (back when we were His early disciples) were difficult for us. We could in no way be like our Teacher, as our Lord would command us.

36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you.

Jesus was our teacher, our rabbi. We followed Him at first by faith, before we had certainty that Jesus IS the Messiah of God – the Christ – the Promised One.

Teachers or rabbis taught; disciples of these wise rabbis followed and sought to be like these highly trained teachers.

A friend of ours, a brother in the Lord, later gave us a better insight of our position as new followers of Jesus, a look in the mirror of our own immaturity we could not have understood at the time. In fact, he later included it in a letter to the church:

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. – Hebrews 5:12

Jesus was teaching us a basic principle in one of His shortest parables. (A parable was a common way for rabbis to tell a story to illustrate a point.) We thought it was funny at the time, but we came to learn the truth of it. For we were disciples who would have led many a teacher astray. We were nothing like Jesus.

39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

It was a great picture. Was Jesus speaking of other rabbis who were misleading us?

He then challenged us, though we didn’t know it at the time. Jesus said we must become more than just disciples – more than just followers of some teaching.

40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

I’m still not fully trained, but after all these years I have finally become more like our teacher than like a blind follower.

How about you? Who do you follow blindly? (See what I mean?)

To be continued

May 25, 2016
Follow After Me -3- The Holy Bible
It is written…

And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. – Deuteronomy 9:10

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV

written from an angel

written from dreams

A man comes up to you and claims, ‘I have a new doctrine, a new teaching. It was given to me by an angel in a cave.’ Would you follow him? Would you believe him?

A different man tells you, ‘I have a new doctrine, a new teaching. It was given to me when I sat alone on a mountain.’ Would you follow him? Would you believe him?

Wouldn’t you ask a man who would lead you to death for proof of his doctrine and teaching? Wouldn’t you ask a man making a claim of royalty and promises for the after-life for independent proof beyond dreams and visions?

In fact, Jesus IS the Christ of the Living God! When Jesus came to us, our Lord and Savior not only worked miracles by the Hand of God, Jesus pointed always to Scripture.

He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” – Matthew 21:13 ESV

Jesus was challenged by not only Satan to prove He IS the Son of God, Christ was challenged continually by the Jews, who asked him,

“By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”

Our Lord answers always with additional proof from the scriptures.
- And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
  “‘This people honors me with their lips,
  but their heart is far from me… Mark 7:6
- And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ – Mark 14:27
- and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead… – Luke 24-26
- It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— – John 6:45
- In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. – John 8:17
Some make false claim to know what God has said, who God is and how God would have you use your mortal life. They may speak of a peace in death or a present leading to death for their cause…

Do you follow these who would claim to know God better than you from ancient and unreliable myths never proven true? Would you bet your eternal life on their self-serving temporal claim of a mere mortal man?

Hebrews 9 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Earthly Holy Place

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness…

¹² he [Christ] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

26b But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

+

We will face, though we would deny it, a day of our mortal death. We will face, though we justly fear it, a day of our eternal judgment. And let us not think that any calculation of our own can alter the plan of Almighty God.

Job 10:

“I loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
let me know why you contend against me.
3 Does it seem good to you to oppress,
to despise the work of your hands
and favor the designs of the wicked?

18 “Why did you bring me out from the womb?
Would that I had died before any eye had seen me
19 and were as though I had not been,
carried from the womb to the grave.

20 Are not my days few?

Then cease, and leave me alone, that I may find a little cheer
21 before I go—and I shall not return—
to the land of darkness and deep shadow,
22 the land of gloom like thick darkness,
like deep shadow without any order,
where light is as thick darkness.”

+

Now I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was (as he was wont) reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and as he read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, “What shall I do to be saved?” – John Bunyan, from The Pilgrim’s Progress

I saw also that he looked this way, and that way, as if he would run; yet he stood still because (as I perceived) he could not tell which way to go. – Bunyan

¹⁴Can your courage endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you?

I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it. – Ezekiel 22:14

To be continued…

NEXT: Evangelist
January 25, 2016