Easter Sunday, 2017
At twilight on the first Easter, two disciples of Jesus
were traveling on the road toward the town of Emmaus. They had fled
Jerusalem to escape the Jews. They talked excitedly about the strange
things they had heard and seen.
They knew the entire gospel story, but they were still too dejected and frightened for mission. They knew the whole gospel story, but they didn’t recognize Jesus.
Suddenly, Jesus joined them and asked what they were talking about.
They told Jesus His life story – how He was a prophet
mighty in deed and in the sight of God, a new Moses; how they hoped He
would redeem Israel; how He had been seized and executed. They even told
Jesus the story of the resurrection.
They knew the entire gospel story, but they were still too dejected and frightened for mission. They knew the whole gospel story, but they didn’t recognize Jesus.
Jesus started telling Bible stories, from Genesis, through
all the Prophets and Psalms. All the way through, He taught them that
everything in the Scriptures was about His suffering and glory.
The word wasn’t enough. Jesus’ presence wasn’t enough.
They recognized Jesus only when He broke bread. Then, like Adam and Eve,
their eyes were opened and they saw Jesus.
Then everything changed. They were fleeing Jerusalem, but
now they return. They had left the other disciples, but now they rejoin
them. They were perplexed about the resurrection, but now they become
witnesses.
If we want to join the mission of the Risen Jesus, we need the whole Bible burning in our hearts. And we need the broken bread, the tree of life that opens our eyes to see that the risen Jesus is with us.
- Peter Leithart
...HE is RISEN.
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