Today’s chapter is Luke 24

Tom writes

All over this chapter we encounter the bewildering unexpectedness of Jesus rising from the dead. I thought crucifixion and resurrection went together like burger and chips but it seems that wasn’t always so. The women see an empty tomb and meet the angels but don’t seem to quite grasp it. Peter sees the strips of cloth but cannot join the dots. The disciples seemed even less with it, walking around gloomy, licking their wounds. And this should cause us to think; do we really understand the resurrection? Do we really understand how utterly shocking and unusually world shifting it was? The disciples thought God was all about rescuing Israel from the Romans and that he would resurrect all righteous ones once that victory was completed. But Jesus died without killing a single centurion and then he rose from the grave when the Day of Resurrection was nowhere in sight. This surprise took the disciples a long time to get their heads around. I still don’t think I’ve got my head around it… even though for a long time I assumed I knew what it meant. Jesus describes himself fulfilling all the scriptures had truly taught. He speaks of the Kingdom and he urges the disciples to wait for the Spirit. It seems that the new possibility the resurrection enabled was not a few Christians going to heaven when they die but a whole new Spirit-empowered humanity seeking and saving every nation across the earth.

This is what Jesus thought he was doing. And that is, in fact, what he started doing. This first ever truly resurrected one continued to seek and save the lost. Jesus, oozing the abundant life of heaven was happy to humbly eat food with a couple of guys who thought that their world had caved in. Isn’t that utterly remarkable? Jesus patiently and persistently explained all things to the dishevelled disciples who were acting a bit dumb. Jesus didn’t bash them around. Jesus didn’t walk off to find some smarter students. Jesus showed what it is to live this new “glorious” humanity; to wait on the Spirit and to happily breathe hope into hapless old humanity. And this - I must admit - is as bewildering to me as Jesus rising from the dead. I finish this gospel marvelling at our King. Jesus is so powerful and yet so patient. Jesus is filled with glory and yet his manner is so generous. Jesus is so sure of what is right and yet he is so willing to stay and eat with those who haven’t got a clue. I find myself captured by him again. Don’t you?. I must admit that my heart is burning within me. And it’s my greatest prayer that your heart is burning within you too.

Question for reflection

In all of Luke’s gospel, what aspect of Jesus’ character was most amazing to you?

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Luke 24 - Thursday 1st February