Today is Easter Sunday, the day we, Christians, say to each other: “He is risen!” And the answer comes back: “He is risen, indeed!” For on this day we celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ, after he had been killed and buried, rose from the dead.
We have a new pastor this Easter, and he spoke inspiringly this morning about the famous “road to Emmaus,” passage of scripture. (Luke 24) Two of Jesus’ disciples were walking, trying to make sense of what was happening in their world. They knew that Jesus died, and were in mourning. They expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to be a political king and to overthrow the Roman Empire. So they were confused and sad when, instead, Jesus was killed on the cross.
And then the women who believed in Jesus arrived, telling the story of how they went to the tomb to apply spices to Jesus’ body, but the stone was rolled away. Jesus wasn’t there! Mary Magdalene saw him, later, and spoke to him in the garden, and she told the disciples, but they weren’t sure. It’s so hard to believe in something you haven’t seen, or haven’t experienced before!
Now these two disciples met a man on the road. It was the risen Christ, but “their eyes were holden so they would not know him,” the King James Version says. Luke 24:16 It sounds like someone held their eyes, doesn’t it? But who would hold them back from seeing?
Jesus (incognito) pretended ignorance, and listened to them tell the story of what had happened in Jerusalem, and then he said,
“You foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to come into His glory?” Luke 24:25-26
It had all happened right in front of their eyes! They knew he was the Messiah, because they were there by his side when he healed the lame, the blind, and the lepers. He had raised Lazarus from the dead. He had prophesied all that was to come, and had patiently explained it all, but still they couldn’t see. Now he was literally standing right in front of them after having died on the cross in their sight, and they still didn’t know him!
Foolish. Slow of heart. I know someone like that. And it’s me. I know the drill. We all do, right? It’s hard to believe in something if you are the “first” one to believe. But that kind of “leave it all behind” belief is what is necessary. Jesus has to be absolutely first in your life, or YOU are not WORTHY OF HIM.
How many times do we hesitate to believe when the evidence is right in front of our eyes? How many times do we count the cost of belief, and hesitate. We look to see who else is believing, and who is acting on that belief. But what does that matter? What does it take for us to believe what is right in front of our eyes?
I want to believe, and I do believe, but I am starting to understand that we have to BELIEVE first, then we can see. If we believe, we look. We wait patiently, or maybe anxiously, but we are searching. We are watching for him to come.
God has come in the flesh to live on earth as a man. He left all kinds of signs, and the record has been kept for thousands of years in the Bible.
We cannot see until we believe.
Do you see Him?
The Fullers Four 