Luke 24
Sunday celebration of resurrection verse 1- 3
Now upon the first day of the week – very early in the morning
they came unto the sepulcher
bringing the spices which they had prepared
and certain others with them
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher
and they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus
Angels remind women of promise of Jesus verse 4- 7
And it came to pass – as they were much perplexed thereabout
BEHOLD – two men stood by them in shining garments
and as they were afraid
and bowed down their faces to the earth
They said to them – Why seek you the living among the dead?
HE is not here BUT is RISEN
remember how HE spoke unto you when
HE was yet in Galilee saying
The Son of man must be delivered into the
hands of sinful men – and be crucified
and the third day rise again
Disciples didn’t believe women verse 8- 12
And they remembered HIS words
and returned from the sepulcher
and told all these things unto the eleven
and to the rest
It was Mary Magdalene – Joanna – Mary – the mother of James
and other women that were with them
which told these things unto the apostles
And their words seemed to them as idle tales
and they believed them not
THEN arose Peter – and ran unto the sepulcher and stooping down
he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves
and departed – wondering in himself at that
which was come to pass
Two disciples on road to Emmaus verse 13- 35
And BEHOLD
two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus
which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs
and they talked together of all these things
which had happened
And it came to pass that
while they communed together and reasoned
Jesus HIMSELF drew near – and went with them
BUT their eyes were held that they should not know HIM
and HE said unto them
What manner of communications are these that
you have one to another
as you walk – and are sad?
And one of them – whose name was Cleopas
answering said unto HIM
Art YOU only a stranger in Jerusalem
and have not known the things which are come to pass
there in these days?
And HE said
What things?
And they
said unto HIM
Concerning Jesus of Nazareth
which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God
and all the people
and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered HIM
to be condemned to death – and have crucified HIM
BUT we trusted that it had been HE which should have
REDEEMED Israel and beside all this
TODAY is the third day since these things were done
Yea – and certain women also of our company
made us astonished
which were early at the sepulcher
and when they found not HIS body
they came saying
that they had also seen a VISION of angels
which said that HE is ALIVE
And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher
and found it even so as the women had said
BUT HIM they saw not
THEN HE said unto 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?
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets
HE expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning HIMSELF
And they drew nigh to the village – whither they went
and HE made as though HE would have gone further
But they constrained HIM – saying
Abide with us
FOR it is toward evening and the day is far spent
And HE went in to tarry with them
and it came to pass – as HE sat at meat with them
HE took bread and blessed it – and gave to them
And their eyes were opened – and they knew HIM
and HE vanished out of their sight
And they said one to another – Did not our heart burn within us
while HE talked with us by the way
and while HE opened to us the Scriptures?
And they rose up the same hour – and returned to Jerusalem
and found the eleven gathered together
and them that were with them – saying
The Lord is RISEN indeed
and has appeared to Simon
And they told what things were done in the way
and how HE was known of them in breaking of bread
Jesus appears to disciples verse 36- 49
And as they thus spoke
Jesus HIMSELF stood in the midst of them – and said unto them
Peace be unto you
BUT they were terrified and affrighted
and supposed that they had seen a spirit
And HE said unto them
Why are you troubled? Why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
BEHOLD MY hands and MY feet – that it is I MYSELF
handle ME and see
FOR a spirit hath not flesh and bones – as you see ME have
And when HE had thus spoken
HE showed them HIS hands and HIS feet
And while they yet BELIEVED NOT for joy – and wondered
HE said unto them
Have you here any meat?
And they gave HIM a piece of a broiled fish – and of a honeycomb
and HE took it – and did eat before them
And HE said unto them
These are the words which I speak unto you – while I was yet with you
that all things must be fulfilled – which were written in the
law of Moses – prophets – psalms – concerning ME
THEN opened HE their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures
and said to them – Thus it is written
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer
and to RISE from the dead the third day
and that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in HIS name among all nations
beginning at Jerusalem
and you are witnesses of these things
and BEHOLD I send the promise of MY Father upon you
BUT tarry you in the city of Jerusalem
until you be endued with power from on high
Ascension of Jesus verse 50- 53
And HE led them out as far as Bethany – and HE lifted up HIS hands
and blessed them
And it came to pass – while HE blessed them – HE was parted from them
and carried up into heaven
And they worshipped HIM – and returned to Jerusalem with great joy
and were continually in the temple – praising and blessing God
AMEN
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. (3026 “idle tales” [leros] means nonsense, idle talk, empty talk, worthless finery, silly talk, trumpery, or twaddle.
DEVOTION: Unbelief is a real problem in the lives of those who are followers of the LORD. The LORD didn’t like it when it was found in the disciples HE was training. HE doesn’t like it in us.
The women came to the disciples with exciting news. They had just seen angels. They gave them the message of the angels. They saw the empty tomb. The reported all they saw and met with individuals who thought they were crazy. They thought they were telling them silly things. They didn’t believe even after the LORD told them many times that HE was going to die and be buried and rise from the death on the third day.
HE didn’t say anything to them that wasn’t truth. They knew that HE always taught the truth. However, in the back of their mind they still thought HE was going to set up HIS kingdom right away and they were going to reign with HIM over the world.
We go to church each week and hear more about the good news of the Gospel. We hear about the promises of Scripture. We are told to memorize verses that will encourage us throughout the week. We are even given notes to review many times, so that, the message of the week is fresh in our minds.
Our responsibility is to get into the Word of God each day and pray for the Holy Spirit to instruct us in how to apply what we learn to our lives. Then we are to go out and share what we learn with those the LORD brings into our path.
However, we have an enemy that wants to stop us from being the witness the LORD wants us to be. That enemy lies to us each day about how we are too busy to serve the LORD. He wants us to compartmentalize our world into work and church. He wants us to think that we are not to share our faith with anyone out of the church building. He wants us to forget about thinking that we have something the world needs. He has fooled more believers throughout the week than anyone else could ever do.
CHALLENGE: Don’t believe the enemy. Believe the Word of God. Obey the command to “GO.” Give the world a taste of the truth of the Word of God.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (1329 “expounded” [diermeneuo] means to unfold the meaning of what is said, explain, interpret, or to translate into one’s native tongue.
DEVOTION: This chapter has an emphasis on the word “open.” The grave was open for the women and disciples to see that Jesus was no longer in the tomb. The two disciples from Emmaus had their eyes opened to the fact that it was Jesus with them in their home. Jesus opened the understanding of the disciples to the teachings of the Scriptures. Too often our eyes and understanding are CLOSED.
Jesus is our perfect example. HE met the two men on the road to Emmaus. HE asked them questions about what was happening in their world. HE let them explain what was going on in their world. HE let them explain their thoughts regarding Jesus of Nazareth. HE let them continue talking.
HE opened or explained what the Scripture had to say regarding Jesus of Nazareth. They only had the Old Testament at the time but there was enough in the books of Moses and the Prophets to let these two men know the truth about Christ.
When they were going to enter their home, HE acted as if HE would continue walking. They invited HIM into their home and shared their food with HIM. HE blessed their food. Their eyes were opened to who HE was. HE vanished. These two men stated that their “heart burn within” when HE explained the Scriptures to them.
When we enter our churches on Sunday – do our hearts burn within us – when we hear the word of God explained from the pulpit? Should our hearts burn when we hear the word of God explained? Is the Holy Spirit active in our services to help us understand the teachings of the Word of God?
One of the problems today is that some entering our churches think they have heard it all and therefore don’t listen too well to the message from the Word of God. Another problem is that sometimes our pastors are not explaining the Word of God. They might start with a verse or two but then the Bibles can be shut and the preacher says what he wants and our hearts do not burn with the truth of the Word of God. Our pulpits need to explain the Word of God, so that, our hearts can burn with the truths we need to apply to our daily walk with the LORD. Are we attending a church where this is happening??
Once we have heard the Word of God do we go out and explain the Word to others, so that, their hearts can burn with the truth of the Word of God?
CHALLENGE: Encourage your pastor to burn your hearts with the truth of the Word of God. Tell them you are praying for the Holy Spirit to fill them and give them power each Sunday.
: 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew HIM, and HE vanished out of their sight. (855 “vanished” [aphantos] means taken out of sight, made invisible, unseen, not apparent, disappeared, or non-manifested.)
DEVOTION: Every Sunday those who are genuine believers attend a church that preaches the Word of God with power. When the Word of God is preached with power there should be a moving of the Holy Spirit in the worship service. Hearts should be touched with the truth of the Word of God so that they know Jesus better for being together to worship.
These two disciples had walked with Jesus for most of the day. They had explained to HIM what was happening in Jerusalem. The women had given their report. The two disciples, Peter and John had gone to the tomb and observed that Jesus was no longer in the grave.
Jesus commented to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus that they were “fools” for not believing all the reports. HE had told them that HE was going to rise from the dead on the third day. They didn’t believe HIM.
Finally, HE opened their eyes after HE had explained what Moses and the prophets had said about HIM. Once their eyes were opened they returned to Jerusalem and told the other disciples. It had to have been a long Sunday for these two disciples.
Now we know the complete story of HIS death, burial and resurrection. What are we doing with what we have learned? Are we excited like those two disciples were to get up and go out and tell others? That should be our motivation to share what we have just read with others.
We used to sing a song called “Get all excited.” The problem is that genuine believers have lost their joy and excitement. Only the Holy Spirit can get it back for each of us. Ask HIM for the joy of the LORD to be our strength to serve HIM better.
CHALLENGE: Don’t look like individuals who have no hope and look like they have sucked sore lemons. Let people know about the joy the LORD gives to you.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 53 And were continually in the temple, preaching and blessing God. Amen. (2127 “blessing” [eulogeo] means praise, celebrate with praises, favored of God, to speak well of, to express one’s esteem or approval of, act graciously toward, kindly toward or provide benefits)
DEVOTION: The disciples were excited. They returned after the ascension of Christ to Jerusalem as they were commanded. At first they didn’t believe the women but once they saw Christ and listened to HIS command to wait for power from heaven. They returned to worship the LORD in the Temple.
They were filling their time of waiting with praise to the Father who sent HIS Son to die on the cross for their sins. They didn’t fully understand all that was happening but they had been instructed by Jesus that the Holy Spirit was going to teach them all things after HE had left the world to return to HIS Father.
Now is not the time of waiting but a time of service. The LORD sent the Holy Spirit and the disciples went out to reach the world for the LORD. They knew their assignment. They were to make disciples in the whole world.
We have the same assignment we have to receive instructions from the LORD from the Word of God and a good Biblical church. Once we have the instructions we are to act like disciples and reach our world for the LORD.
Each of us has to make sure we are being the disciples the LORD wants us to be in our world. Some are young but can still tell their friends about Jesus. They can tell their relatives about Jesus. Some might even have to tell their parents about Jesus.
CHALLENGE: Are we blessing each day of our life while we are witnessing to others?
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jesus blessed bread verse 30
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Disciples worshipped Christ with joy verse 52
Disciples praised God in temple verse 53
Disciples blessed God in temple verse 53
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Prophets had spoken verse 25
Moses verse 27, 44
Prophets verse 27, 44
Scriptures verse 27, 32, 45
Written word fulfilled verse 44, 46
Psalms verse 44
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father – makes promises verse 49
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lord verse 3, 34
Jesus verse 3, 15, 19, 36
Lord Jesus verse 3
Son of man verse 7
Crucified verse 7, 20, 46
Third day rise verse 7, 34, 46
Jesus of Nazareth verse 19
Prophet verse 19
Christ verse 26, 46
Blessed bread verse 30
Vanished verse 31
Midst of disciples verse 36
Eating food after resurrection verse 43
Opened understanding of disciples verse 45
Blessed disciples at Bethany verse 50
Carried up to heaven verse 51
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 19, 53
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Two men in shining garments verse 4- 7
Vision of angels verse 23
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
All nations verse 47
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Sinful men verse 7
Idle tales verse 11
Believed not verse 11, 41
Sad verse 17
Fools verse 25
Slow of heart verse 25
Terrified verse 37
Afraid verse 37
Troubled verse 38
Doubt verse 38
Believed not verse 41
Sins verse 47
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
First day of the week verse 1
Believe verse 11
Commune together verse 15
Reason verse 15
Prophet verse 19, 25
Mighty in deed and word verse 19
Trust verse 21
Redeem verse 21
Suffering verse 26, 46
Expound the Scripture verse 27, 32, 47
Blessed verse 30, 50, 51, 53
Eyes opened verse 31
Hearts burn verse 32
Peace verse 36
Joy verse 41, 52
Wondered verse 41
Open understanding verse 42
Understand Scriptures verse 42
Repentance verse 47
Remission of sins verse 47
Preach verse 47
Witnesses verse 48
Promise verse 49
Endued with power verse 49
Worship verse 52
Praise verse 53
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Galilee verse 6
Mary Magdalene verse 10
Joanna verse 10
Mary – the mother of James verse 10
Other women verse 10
Emmaus verse 13
Jerusalem verse 13, 18, 33, 42 47, 52
Cleopas verse 18
Chief priests verse 20
Rulers verse 20
Israel verse 21
Bethany verse 50
Church (New Testament people of God)
Eleven verse 9, 33
Apostles verse 10
Peter (Simon) verse 12, 34
Witnesses verse 48
Last Things (Future Events)
Heaven verse 51
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QUOTES regarding passage
37–39 Luke’s Gospel opened with a terrified Zechariah in the unexpected presence of an angel (1:12). Now, near its end, Luke describes the fright of the disciples at the unexpected appearance of the risen Christ (v. 37). One might have thought they would not respond this way, since they had just been hearing about Jesus’ appearance on the Emmaus road. But whereas in that case Jesus had walked up to Cleopas and his companion as any traveler might, this time he appeared suddenly. Equally surprising to the reader are their doubts (v. 38). These are significant for any who think that the disciples were expecting the Resurrection and projected their hopes into a hallucination. Jesus identified himself very emphatically (v. 39): “It is I myself” (egō eimi autos, cf. the egō eimi, “I am,” frequent in John). The methods of crucifixion varied slightly, but Jesus apparently had nails in his hands (the Greek word can include wrists) and feet. Seeing and touching would convince the disciples. Later on John wrote of touching Jesus, not specifically with respect to the Resurrection, but as an argument against docetism (1 John 1:1). As in vv. 3, 23, where he mentioned the body of Jesus, Luke drew attention to the physical aspect of the Resurrection.
The argument one sometimes hears that Jesus’ appearance in “flesh and bones” here contradicts Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” misses Paul’s idomatic meaning; the human body cannot develop into a resurrection body without the change only God can bring. (Leifeld, W. L. (1984). Luke. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp. 1056–1057). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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39. Handle (ψηλαφήσατε). Compare 1 John 1:1. The word occurs also Acts 17:27; Heb. 12:18. “It never expresses the so handling an object as to exercise a moulding, modifying influence upon it, but at most a feeling of its surface; this, it may be, with the intention of learning its composition (Gen. 27:12, 21, 22); while, not seldom, it signifies no more than a feeling for or after an object, without any actual coming in contact with it at all” (Trench, “Synonyms”). Compare Acts 17:27. Used of groping in the dark, Job 5:14; of the blind, Isa. 59:10; Deut. 28:29; Judges, 16:26. See on Heb. 12:18. (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 437–438). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)
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Myself (αὐτος [autos]). Jesus is patient with his proof. They were convinced before he came into the room, but that psychological shock had unnerved them all. Handle (ψηλαφησατε [psēlaphēsate]). This very word is used in 1 John 1:1 as proof of the actual human body of Jesus. It is an old verb for touching with the hand. Flesh and bones (σαρκα και ὀστεα [sarka kai ostea]). At least this proves that he is not just a ghost and that Jesus had a real human body against the Docetic Gnostics who denied it. But clearly we are not to understand that our resurrection bodies will have “flesh and bones.” Jesus was in a transition state and had not yet been glorified. The mystery remains unsolved, but it was proof to the disciples of the identity of the Risen Christ with Jesus of Nazareth. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Lk 24:39). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
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24:36–43. First, Jesus proved to His followers that He had really been resurrected. Not only did He stand in their presence so they could see Him and His wounds (vv. 39–40), but He also ate food (a piece of broiled fish) before them to show that He was not a ghost. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 264). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
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Jesus sought to calm them. The first thing He did was to give them His blessing: “Peace be unto you!” He even repeated the blessing (John 20:19–21). “The God of peace” had raised Jesus from the dead, and there was nothing for them to fear (Heb. 13:20–21). Because of His sacrifice on the cross, men and women could now have peace with God (Rom. 5:1) and enjoy the peace of God (Phil. 4:6–7).
The next thing He did to calm them was to show them His wounded hands and feet (Ps. 22:16) and assure them that He was not a ghost. Songwriters sometimes mention His “scars,” but the record says nothing about “scars.” The “prints” of Calvary were on His glorified body (John 20:24–29), and they are still there (Rev. 5:6, 9, 12). It has well been said that the only work of man now in heaven is the marks of Calvary on the body of the exalted Saviour.
Jesus even ate some honey and fish to prove to His doubting followers that He was indeed alive and real, and He even invited them to feel His body (Luke 24:39; 1 John 1:1). With our limited knowledge, we cannot explain how a human body can be solid flesh and bones and still pass through closed doors and appear and disappear, or how it can be glorified and still carry the marks of the cross. We do know that we shall one day be like Him and share His glory (1 John 3:1–2).
Luke 24:41 describes a perplexing emotion: “they believed not for joy.” It was just too good to be true! Jacob had this same feeling when he got the news that Joseph was alive (Gen. 45:26–28), and the nation of Israel experienced it when God gave them a great deliverance (Ps. 126:1–3). Jesus had told His disciples that they would rejoice when they saw Him again, and the promise was fulfilled (John 16:22).
The final source of peace and assurance is the Word of God, so our Lord “opened their understanding” of the Old Testament Scriptures, just as He had done with the Emmaus disciples. After all, the believers were not being sent into the world to share their own personal experiences but to share the truths of the Word of God. We today cannot touch and feel the Lord Jesus, nor is it necessary that we do so; but we can rest our faith on the Word of God (1 John 1:1–5).
Jesus not only enabled them to understand the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, but He also reminded them of what He had taught them, and He explained how it all fit together. Now they began to understand the necessity for His suffering and death and how the Cross related to the promise of the kingdom (see 1 Peter 1:10–12). What a privilege it was for them to listen to Jesus expound the Word! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 280). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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The disciples had heard of the testimony of His resurrection from a number of the others; yet it seemed so utterly impossible that some were filled with terror rather than gladness. They supposed they had seen a spirit, that is, a ghost; they thought a phantom had appeared to them. “They were terrified and affrighted.” They could not credit the testimony of their own senses, so little did they understand about His rising from the dead. They thought they beheld a wraith, and that it boded some evil rather than good. Jesus said, “Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?” He checked their disordered thoughts and rebuked them for their distress, which was caused by unbelief. Had they paid careful attention to His words before His arrest, they would not have been troubled now, but would have rejoiced that they were so gloriously fulfilled. He added, “Behold My hand and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” He bade them grasp His arms firmly to feel for themselves that it was no phantom that had appeared to them, but one in a real body of flesh and bones. He did not say “flesh and blood.” The life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11). The resurrection body is apparently bloodless. But it is a material body nevertheless—of flesh and bone—though of a character different from the present body. Then He showed them His hands and His feet. John mentions His hands and side and omits His feet. He directed attention to His wounds, for He bore in His resurrection body the scars that told of His suffering, and He will bear them forever as the supreme reminder of His love. (Ironside, H. A. (1947). Addresses on the Gospel of Luke. (pp. 716–717). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 39. Behold my hands, and my feet, &c.] The Evangelist John adds, and side; that is, the prints of the nails and spear, in his hands, and feet, and side; and the wounds they made there, and the scars they left behind; by which they might be convinced he was not a spirit, and be assured of the truth of his resurrection, and that in the same numerical body in which he suffered; as well as that it might be observed by them how great was his love to them, to endure what he did for them. Handle me and see; or know by feeling, as well as by sight; so that if the one was not sufficient, the other might confirm; sight might be deceived, but feeling could not: Apollonius Tyaneus, to them that did not know whether he was alive or dead, and who took him for a spirit, proposed himself to be touched, and handled, that they might be convinced: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones; nothing but appearance, or air at most; no solid substance to be felt and handled: as ye see me have; or may perceive, both by sight and feeling. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 732). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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39.] There seems to be some doubt whether the reference to His hands and feet was on account of the marks of the nails, to prove His identity,—or as being the uncovered parts of His body, and to prove His corporeity. Both views seem supported by the text, and I think both were united. The sight of the Hands and Feet, which they recognized as His, might at once convince them of the reality of the appearance, and the identity of the Person. The account of John confirms the idea that He shewed them the marks of the nails, both by His side being added, and by the expressions of Thomas which followed. The same seems also implied in our ver. 40.
The assertion of the Lord must not be taken as representing merely ‘the popular notion concerning spirits’ (Dr. Burton); He who is the Truth, does not speak thus of that which He knows, and has created. He declares to us the truth, that those appearances to which He was now likened by the disciples, and spirits in general, have not flesh and bones. Observe σάρκα κ. ὀστέα—but not αἷμα. This the resurrection Body probably had not,—as being the animal life: see notes on John 6:51, and John 20:27. (Alford, H. (1976). Alford’s Greek Testament: an exegetical and critical commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 672–673). Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press.)
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FROM MY READING:
Elisha’s ministry is not startling; it is redemptive and constructive. Elijah was a prophet of fire and judgment; Elisha was a prophet of mercy and compassion. Elijah was a man on the move; Elisha enjoyed a tranquil life at home. Elijah’s miracles were destructive; Elisha’s were constructive. It must have been tempting for Elisha to want to be like Elijah. But he resists it; that is not what the Lord has for Elisha. He is his own man before the Lord. It is often tempting for us to want to be like someone else, to be dissatisfied with who we are and what we can do. Yet God made us to be what He wanted us to be. We must be content with who we are. It is so liberating. Accept yourself. God does. (Quiet Walk Devotional thru Walk Thru the Bible)
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Parental courage is needed if we want to raise a generation of young people who know how to withstand sexual temptation. It takes a battlefield mentality if we are going to give our children the kinds of standards they need to maintain sexual purity. (Moments with You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
In Bible times, names were indications of character and ability, and the names of God tell us who he is and what he can do. Jehovah means “I Am Who I Am” (Exod. 3: 13-14). He is the self-existent, eternal God who always was, always is, and always will be. Jehovah-Sabaoth is “the LORD of hosts, the LORD of the armies of heaven” (I Sam. 1: 3, 11), while Jehovah-Rapha is “the LORD who heals” (Exod.15: 22-27). For the battles of life, we must know Jehovah-Nissi, “the LORD our banner” (Exod. 17:8-15), who can give us victory. Jehovah-Shalom is “the LORD our peace” (Judg. 6:24), and Jehovah Ra-ah is “the LORD our shepherd (Ps. 23: 1). I could go on, but I suggest your pursue this study yourself with the help of a good study Bible. (p. 196) Treasures from the Greek New Testament by Kenneth S. Wuest
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Paid in Full. Our Lord in Matthew 6:2 is speaking of hypocrites of His day who blew a trumpet in the synagogues and streets to call men’s attention to the alms they were giving, doing this in order that they may be glorified by men. His comment on this procedure is “They have their reward.” “Synagogue” is from a Greek word made up of a verb which means “to go” and a preposition which means “with” and signifies “fellowship.” Thus the composite word refers to the action of people “going with one another” thus congregating in one place. The word became the name for the place of worship where the Jews congregated. The word “hypocrite” was used of an actor on the Greek stage, one who played the part of another. These who made a display of giving alms were hypocrites in the sense that they played the part of a generous person who out of a heart of love would give to the poor. But their motive in giving was to have me glorify them, not from a desire to help the needy. They were actors on the stage of this life. They received the applause of the audience. Jesus said, “They have their reward.” (p. 65)
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THE FULLNESS OF BLESSING
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 1 John 4:13
How does this blessing come? Well, I do not see any evidence in the New Testament to support what used to be called a “tarrying meeting.” Some people had that idea. God had certain blessings to give, and they thought they had to wait until they received them. But the gift is given by God in His own way and time; this gift does not come of necessity at once. It is God’s gift, and He knows when to give it and when to withhold it.
Do you remember the case of Moody? This was his story. He became conscious of his lack and need, and he began to pray to God about it. He gave obedience to the Word of God as well as he could, and he went on praying for months. Nothing happened to him, but still he went on praying. Yes, he waited for it, but it did not come, and the story is that one day, walking down a street in New York, not in a tarrying meeting, not even in a prayer meeting, suddenly God overwhelmed him with this mighty blessing. It was so mighty that Moody felt he would be killed by it, and he held up his hand and said, “Stop, God!”
God has His own time. God knows when to give the gift, and we must never imagine that by going to a meeting or following a certain procedure it is bound to come. No; the Holy Spirit is sovereign, and He gives in His own way. It may be dramatically or suddenly or quietly; that is irrelevant, because what really matters is that we receive the gift. The essence of it all, I think, can be put very simply: “Trust and obey.”
A Thought to Ponder: God has His own time. God knows when to give the gift.
(From The Love of God, pp. 114-115, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Titus 2
The book of Titus encourages people of all ages to live proper lives as Christians.
INSIGHT
The knowledge of Christ must effect a transformation in our lives so that our attitudes and actions will “adorn the doctrine of God” (v. 10). The words we speak will influence others only if our actions support our words. God has redeemed us from the slavery of sin, assuring us of “the blessed hope” of the coming of Christ (v. 13). Because we will one day be delivered from this world, we are to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, fixing our faith on the coming of “the blessed hope.” This means we must be good stewards of the things of this world and live for the things Jesus would live for if He were in our place.
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God’s Story
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.” (1 Corinthians 15:1)
The word “gospel” comes from the Anglo-Saxon “god-spel,” meaning “God-story.” The Greek word is euaggelion, from which we get our word “evangel,” and it means literally “a good message” or “good messenger.” The prefix eu or ev means “good,” and aggelion means “messenger.” Thus, the gospel is the great story of God that is to be preached as by an angel dispatched from God. The word normally is used in the sense of “good news” or “glad tidings,” but this good message is specifically God’s story, sent to lost men from a loving, caring, and saving God.
As our text says, it is a message to be “declared” by its messenger, then “received” (literally “once and for all”) by its hearers. It is the message “by which also ye are saved” (v. 2) and “wherein ye stand.” Then, verses 3 and 4 declare the very heart of what is to be received and believed—the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a dynamic gospel—“the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16) for every true believer.
It is a “glorious gospel” (2 Corinthians 4:4) through which Christ “hath brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10). It is the “gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15) and brings “the fullness of the blessing” (Romans 15:29).
Its duration is “everlasting” (Revelation 14:6), and its foundation is the primeval making of “heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7) by Christ Himself (Colossians 1:16). The apostle Paul gravely warns against “any other gospel” than this gospel that he had preached (Galatians 1:8-9). This gospel, this glad story of God’s grace in creation and salvation, is to be preached “to every creature” (Mark 16:15). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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G.K. Chesterton once observed that the “special mark of the modern world is not that it is skeptical, but that it is dogmatic without knowing it.” His point was that moderns have forgotten that they are assuming what they believe to be a given.
“In short,” he concludes, “they always have an unconscious dogma; and an unconscious dogma is the definition of a prejudice.”That’s why I love Chesterton. If you didn’t know he wrote that a century ago, you’d think he was talking about today. Plus, he was always grumpy, so he’s a lot of fun to read.
Fast forward from 1919 to 2019, and little has changed about assumed dogmatism. As journalist Douglas Murray writes in a terrific new book, “The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race, and Identity,” “we are living through a postmodern age in which the grand narratives of religion and political ideology have collapsed.” However, since we can’t live without a grand narrative, we have created new grand narratives, new religions, new dogmas. Sounds a lot like Chesterton…
A chief contender for dominant narrative today is identity politics. The two things that characterize identity politics are, according to Murray, its “crusading desire to right perceived wrongs” and its “weaponization of identity,” both of which gives “mad crowds” the power to ruin reputations and cower opposition into silence. For example, anyone who dares question the dogmas of the new sexual orthodoxy is labeled a bigot and cast into societal outer darkness.
The fundamental problem with identity politics is its understanding of identity, one which “atomizes society into different interest groups according to sex (or gender), race, sexual preference and more.” Such characteristics are suddenly elevated to be “the main or only relevant attributes of their holders.” But what’s so absurd is how artificial these “identities” so often are.
In a chapter simply titled “Gay,” Murray, who is a gay man himself, points out that the acronym “LGBT” combines four groups of people who not only have little in common but are often suspicious of one another. As a gay man, he writes, he has “almost nothing in common” with lesbians (and vice versa).
However, one of the few things they do share is “a suspicion towards people who claim to be ‘bisexual,’” (i.e., the “Bs” in “LGBT.”)
And, as for the “T,” Murray states something we’ve observed many times, that “there is a tremendous dispute over whether the T’s are the same thing as everyone else or an insult to them.” Apparently, some in the so-called “LGBT community” think transgenderism is a psychiatric disorder assuming the mantle of the gay-rights movement.
Of course, by publicly airing all of this ideological “dirty laundry,” Murray has made himself somewhat of a persona non grata to his alleged “community.” As he jokes, his “gay card” has been revoked.
For a self-described atheist, Murray’s antidote to weaponized identity sounds, well, almost Christian. “In some manner,” he laments, “…we have created a world in which forgiveness has become almost impossible.”
All that’s left in a world of identity politics is to excuse those we like and condemn those we don’t, and mask it as some sort of progressive arch toward justice and tolerance.
As Chesterton once pointed out, post-Christian societies do not actually replace Christian categories and ways of thinking with new ones. Rather, they “repurpose” Christian categories, such as the struggle for justice and fight against evil, but without any defining essentials such as grace and love.
Societies lose the ability to forgive whenever they forget we are all sinners in need of forgiveness, and that our true identities can only be found in God—as bearers of His image. Once those things are forgotten, so is the grand narrative of God’s creation, man’s fall, Christ’s act of redemption, and the future restoration of all things – which is, unlike any of its counterfeits, the only true narrative to ground who we really are. (BreakPoint)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture
Psalm 136
Sunday has concluded and I trust it was a day that you set aside to worship and to give praise for all that the Lord has done for you. Our Sunday service concluded with the Lord’s Table and a time of examination so that we might eat and drink of this special observance with a grateful heart. As we examine ourselves, we recognize that His mercy endures forever!
That is the point of this psalm as well! The psalmist draws the reader into the recognition that they are to give praise to the Lord for His unfailing mercy. It is an antiphonal psalm where a group of people would echo or repeat a phrase after the speaker had spoken. In this case the repeated phrase is, “For His mercy endures forever.” In the first three verses, the speaker draws the reader and the congregation into the psalm by identifying the One Whom to praise. The passage then emphasizes the work of God in creation and His wondrous works in earth and heaven (vv.4-9).
Most of the psalm (vv.10-25), is the heralding of God’s work toward the people of Israel and His care for them. The psalmist recounts the Lord’s hand and power in the nation as He directed them from Egypt, through the Red Sea. God continued to lead them through the wilderness and defeated their foes in advance by giving them the land He had promised despite their lowly stature and number. He concludes the psalm as he began with the call for the assembled to give thanks and their antiphonal refrain, “For His mercy endures forever.”
At the beginning of a busy work week as many demands are going to vie for your time and energy, this is a great psalm to consider! Be reminded that His mercy abounds and is new every morning! May we remember, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22–23.
With an Expectant hope, by Pastor Miller
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