Reflection Questions:
In his gospel's last chapter, Luke twice wrote that the risen Jesus taught his disciples what the (Hebrew) Scriptures said about him. One of his parables said if people wouldn't heed "Moses and the Prophets," they wouldn't be persuaded even if someone rose from the dead (cf. Luke 16:27-31). Jesus wanted his followers' faith to have a firm Scriptural basis. This week we'll study some of the Old Testament passages he likely referred to in his teaching.
Lies from governments, large corporations and important people have made most of us deeply skeptical, often prone to trust only our own senses and experiences. Do you believe Jesus had good reasons for teaching his followers about the Scriptures, rather than just running around appearing in person to as many people as he possibly could? Are you willing to trust God even in areas that go beyond your personal experience?
Think back to Jesus' temptations (cf. Luke 4:1-12). Each temptation invited Jesus to do a dazzling outward deed that might bypass the need for faith, and establish him as the Messiah beyond all doubt. He firmly refused, in each case citing the Scriptures. In what ways have you found that faith, like love, needs to be freely given, rather than compelled by overwhelming "proof"?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that, as Hebrews said, you are the same yesterday, today and forever. Help me see and value the constancy of your saving heart as found through the ages in the Scriptures. Amen.
Daily Scripture: Luke 24:18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things which have happened there in these days?”
19 He said to them, “What things?”
They said to him, “The things concerning Jesus, the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb; 23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of us went to the tomb, and found it just like the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25 He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
45 Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. 46 He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
Insight from Jeanna Repass
Jeanna Repass serves as the Kansas City Missions Program Director at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
I grew up in Harlingen Texas which is South – South Texas. I was one of three African American students in my entire elementary school – two of whom were my brother, VJ and I. Although I had many outstanding teachers at Bonham Elementary School, I did have one teacher in fifth grade who really did not like me.
For a long time I just thought she was mean but as the year progressed and she made comments to me like, “Black children just aren’t as smart as white children.” I began to realize that she was a racist. She was one of those people who told me in front of the whole class that in her mind all black children secretly wished they were white. Among many other stories that I could share about how miserable she made my entire fifth grade year, one that stands out in my memory is a time when I was in a disagreement with another student about my faith.
I was ten and completely convinced that everything that I learned in church and Sunday school was to be accepted as truth. Believing without doubt is one of the great gifts of childhood. I was arguing with a classmate about the idea that I could walk on water. I was convinced that if I had Jesus with me, then I could definitely do it – just like Peter did and I found myself in a bit of a loud confrontation. My teacher called me to the front of the classroom – as she often did – to interrogate me in front of the class. When I told her that I believed that I could walk on water as long as Jesus was with me – she laughed at me.
Instead of being intimidate or humiliated by her as I often was – her laughing at me in that moment especially about my faith – made me angry. I remember asking her if she was a Christian. She said that she was, so I asked her if she believed that Jesus was alive and with us all the time. She said that she believed that too. So I replied that if Jesus was with me then I could walk on water. As I waited for her to carve me up verbally in front of the class – I remember just being resolved that no one was going to convince me that me and Jesus could not do anything and everything – as long as I believed.
I am so grateful for that time in my life when doubtless belief emboldened me to stand up to someone that I feared. That childhood belief is what we miss out on as we – necessarily begin to see the world through a more critical lens. But being an adult believer does not mean that we have to doubt everything. As a matter of fact – we have the scriptures to tell us that the most doubt-worthy things are the very things that we can believe in. “Then (Jesus) opened their minds to understand the scriptures and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiahis to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations,” Luke 24: 46-47. Amen.
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