In His Presence

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:44-48)

After the resurrection, Jesus made several appearances to his followers - two of those are recorded in the twenty-fourth chapter of the book of Luke. In this telling, following Jesus' appearance to Mary outside of the empty tomb, Jesus joined Cleopas and an unnamed person as they walked approximately 20 miles to the town of Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Though they didn't initially recognize him, Jesus explained the scriptures to them, and accepted their invitation to share a meal. As soon as Jesus blessed and broke the bread, they realized it was Jesus who was with them...and he was gone. With burning hearts, they immediately returned to Jerusalem to share their experience with the other disciples. In the midst of that conversation, Jesus appeared again, ate with them, and explained how the scriptures were fulfilled in him.

At the time of Jesus' resurrection, the people of God were waiting for deliverance from oppressive Roman rule - they desired to live freely in the land God had promised them. Today we still long for a just society that is free from all of the "isms" and schisms that sin continues to create. Like the faithful before us, as we try to make sense of the turmoil of our world, we tend to cling to the tomb we can comprehend rather than trust its emptiness. But spending time with the Savior who overcame death opens us to the revelation of the God who never leaves us. The strength of this death-defying love encourages us to keep laying our lives down until we - one heart at a time - become the resurrected body of Christ.

To the glory of God, may it be so.

18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3:18-21)