Today’s passage: Luke 24:19–24
Focus verse: “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.” (Luke 24:19)
Jesus pretends he doesn’t know what the men on the road to Emmaus are talking about. Though I’m uncomfortable saying that Jesus plays dumb, that’s essentially what he does. “What things?” he asks.
The pair give the man—whom they don’t yet recognize as Jesus—a concise summary of what happened. They tell Jesus who he was and what he did.
We’re talking about Jesus of Nazareth (which is part of Galilee). “He was a prophet,” they say. “He was powerful in word and in deed.”
In this way, they affirm the words he said and the things he did, such as healing people, casting out demons, and performing miracles. This includes turning water into wine and multiplying food.
“He did this before both God and the people,” they say. Though they don’t know the mind of God, they perceive Jesus’s actions pleased the Almighty, just as he received the acclaim of those who heard him speak and saw his supernatural acts.
Despite all this, they say, “Our religious leaders had him crucified.”
Let this sink in. Jesus is a Jew. He comes to his own people—other Jews—to save them, just as their prophets had proclaimed. But the Jewish religious leaders don’t see this and kill him. To them they are merely solving a problem.
Then the men give their testimony. “We hoped he was the prophesied one who would redeem Israel, to deliver our nation from oppression.”
They get this part mostly right, but, like everyone else, they think Jesus will redeem them physically instead of spiritually.
The pair’s outlook may brighten a bit. “His crucifixion happened three days ago, but some women in our group shocked us this morning.
They went to his tomb. It was empty! But there were angels who said he is alive and no longer dead. Two guys in our group confirmed what the ladies said. The tomb was empty, and Jesus’s body isn’t there.”
After saying this, an inexplicable hope must rise in them, wondering what it all means.
Questions:
How ready are we to tell others about Jesus?
Where do we really place our hope?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, may the hope we place in you remain steady and never waver.
Celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his return to heaven in The Victory of Jesus. The Victory of Jesus is another book in Peter DeHaan’s beloved Holiday Celebration Bible Study Series. Get your copy today.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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