These Things

Although Jesus had told his disciples that he would be arrested and killed but then rise from the dead, they never really believed it. In fact, the third time he told them “they understood none of these things . . . and did not grasp what was said.”¹  When it all unfolded just as Jesus had said and several women saw the empty tomb and Mary actually spoke to Jesus, she ran back to the disciples and “told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.”² What was their response? “But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”³

It was still too hard for them to grasp. That’s why Jesus revealed himself to many people during the days to follow, hundreds actually. Among them were two men walking towards Emmaus, “and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.”⁴ They did not recognize Jesus when he suddenly appeared with them and asked them about their conversation. Cleopas said, “‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there these days?’ And he said to them, ‘What things?’”⁵ They recounted all the events that had happened to Jesus and ended by saying, “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.”⁶

Jesus listened patiently and then questioned them, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”⁷ And then, “he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”⁸ Finally, “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.”⁹ Then they ran to the disciples and told them their experience. And as the disciples “were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.”¹⁰ To which Jesus asked them these things: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?”¹¹

I think Jesus still asks us the same questions. If we believe in these things—the death and resurrection of Jesus—then why are we troubled? Why do we doubt? God loves us with an everlasting love. He has given to us the spirit of Jesus himself to reside in our hearts until he returns again and we live with him forever. These things are amazing. These things are life-changing.

These things—the death and resurrection of Jesus—are the focus of this weekend. Many people will go to church and not even really know why they are going, except they feel pressure—either from family or people they know or from their own hearts—that these things are important. And indeed, they are.

What we believe about these things determines how we live our lives. This season confronts us with the essential question in life: what do we believe about Jesus? If we really believe in the power of his death and resurrection, then we can receive the peace that Jesus offers—the same peace that he offered the disciples that day: “Peace to you!”¹² That is the message this Sunday. We need not be troubled or afraid if we have the peace of Jesus. Let’s encourage one another with these things in these days ahead.

¹Luke 18:34   ²Luke 24:8-9   ³Luke 24:11   ⁴Luke 24:14    ⁵Luke 24:18-19   ⁶Luke 24:22   ⁷Luke 24:25   ⁸Luke 24:27   ⁹Luke 24:31   ¹⁰Luke 24:36-37   ¹¹Luke 24:38   ¹²Luke 24:35