Sunday, April 4th

The Resurrected Son of God

by Colin Fast

“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” (Luke 24:31). Only two days earlier, the disciples on the road to Emmaus watched a horrifying event: the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. Not only had an innocent man been put to death on a cross, but the one whom they believed to be the foretold saviour of the Jewish people had not accomplished what they expected. Amidst the mourning and disappointment, rumours began to spread: Jesus has risen—but no one has seen him. As these two disciples travel from Jerusalem to Emmaus, mourning along the way, they are approached by a man whom they are kept from recognizing. Exasperated that he has not heard of the tragic events, they begin to detail the story of a man, sent from God, who would redeem God’s chosen people, along with the despair following that man’s death. “You fools,” cries the unknown man, “did you not know that these things had to happen? Are these things not written about and prophesied of in the prophets of old” (Luke 24:25-26)? As they walk the road, the man they don’t recognize begins to tell of the Old Testament and how the prophecies foretold of the death of God’s anointed saviour. When darkness began to descend and the trio found themselves nearing Emmaus, the disciples urged the man to stay the night with them in the city. While reclining at the table for dinner, the man took bread, blessed it, and broke it—their eyes were opened, Jesus was seated before them. As seeing moved to perceiving, the men sat in awe, staring at the place where their risen Lord had been seated. “Did not our hearts burn within us,” they asked one another, “while he opened to us the scriptures” (Luke 24:32)? The disciples began their day overwhelmed by darkness and mourning but as the day went on, they began to fully understand the ramifications of the resurrection of Christ. As Jesus himself opened the scriptures before them to understand, the disciples moved from mourning and disbelief to joyous celebration. That was then, and yet even now, God is still at work opening the hearts and minds of his people to know and love him. Today, Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of the Son of God. Today, hearts and minds that were once blind, unable to perceive Jesus, are being opened to the glory of God as the gospel is proclaimed and scripture is opened. Those who were once blind can now see. Those who were once in darkness have now seen a great and glorious light. Those who once were dead have been made alive—all because Christ has risen. The Son of God, whom the world sought to kill, is alive; he has risen.The Lamb of God who takes away sin (John 1:29) has defeated the curse for sin.Death has lost its sting (1 Cor 15:55). Scripture has been fulfilled (Luke 24:44).He is risen, indeed.