Wednesday Thought -- August 31, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

"While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself!  Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.  And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, 'Do you have anything here to eat?'  They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence." (Luke 24:36-43)

They saw Jesus crucified.  They watched as He died.  Their hopes were dashed.  They had put so much hope in Him.  Then these strange reports began to come back to them.  The tomb was empty.  Some women had seen Him alive.  He had appeared to Peter.  He walked with two disciples to Emmaus and they didn't even recognize Him until they sat down to eat with Him.  And now, it seems that He is standing in their midst.

It can't be true.  This must be a ghost or a vision they were receiving.  Jesus is dead.  To think that He has come back to life is just too good to be true.  They did not believe "because of joy and amazement."  They had never seen anything like this before or heard about anything like this happening.  Surely it was just their own minds that were willing it to happen and creating a vision.

But then Jesus asked for something to eat and took fish and ate it.  And in something as simple as sharing a meal with them, they realized it was no dream, no vision they were seeing.  Visions don't eat supper!  Jesus was really with them.  He had come back from the dead.  What they had hoped for had come true.  Their wildest imagination had actually happened!

And they were changed men.  Frightened and hiding in the upper room before they realized He had come alive again.  When they were convinced they started preaching to everyone who would listen.  Running away when they came to arrest Jesus, now they'd be arrested themselves and wouldn't back down.  Denying Jesus during His trials, now they'd testify about Him right in front of the ruling council that sentenced Jesus to die.  Something changed them!  He really is alive!

His, by Grace,

Steve