Taking Jesus At His Word
I hope you enjoy this guest article as much as I did. Be blessed on this remembrance of His Resurrection!~ KrisAnne
Taking Jesus at His Word-
A Resurrection Day Lesson from History ~ Pstr. Aaron Turner Fellowship Baptist Church, Lake City, FL
Luke 24:21 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.
The day was Resurrection Day. The place was on the road to Emmaus. Two of the disciples were walking together carrying on a conversation about what had transpired in the previous three days.
They had seen the mighty deeds of the Lord Jesus, they had heard his mighty words and they had believed that he was going to redeem Israel. But instead of delivering Israel from the bondage to Rome, Jesus was delivered to the Romans to be crucified. And they were greatly discouraged.
As they were walking a Stranger drew near to them and started walking with them. The stranger was the resurrected Christ but they didn’t recognize Him.
He asked why they were so sad. They told Him about His own crucifixion. They told Him how they had hoped in Him. They even told Him how the women in their group had alleged that He was alive. But they obviously didn’t believe it.
This Stranger then said to them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? (Luke 24:25-26). He then gave them a Bible lesson about Himself from the Old Testament.
Why did he charge them with unbelief? Because on three different occasions before his crucifixion he had told them exactly what was going to happen.
Matt. 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (See also Matt. 17:23 and Matt.20:19)
If they had taken Jesus at His Word instead of being sad on the third day, they would have been excited! Instead of being on the road to Emmaeus, they would have been camped out at the tomb in anticipation of His coming out!
So often we too are guilty of not taking Jesus at His Word and are therefore sad and anxious.
He tells is not to anxious about our needs being met because Our Father is going to supply them (Matt 6:25ff) Yet we worry. He tells us that if we ask anything in His name he will hear us and answer us (John 13:14-15) and yet we fail to pray. There are other examples that we could give but space will not permit.
Where would you have been on that day? Would you have been walking sadly on the road to Emmaeus or would you have been excitedly waiting outside the tomb in anticipation of Christ’s Resurrection?
Rom. 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
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We see little because we believe little. Be blessed! ~KrisAnne