Are we willing to accept the evidence?

“They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognised by them when he broke the bread. While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” (Luke 24:33-36 NIV)

Can you imagine what it would have been like to have been a disciple of Jesus in the days following his execution? Luke introduced us to two disciples heading to Emmaus. One was name Cleopas (Luke 24:18); the other is unnamed, although I wonder if it might have been his wife – the reason I suggest this is that John recorded one of the women at the cross as “Mary the wife of Clopas” (John 19:25) and Clopas was another spelling for Cleopas. Could this Mary have been the other disciple? It would make sense that they were a husband and wife when they invited Jesus into their home (Luke 24:28-29).

As they headed home they were discouraged (Luke 24:17-18). They had hoped that Jesus was the Messiah, “the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). Yet he was dead but the women who visited his tomb reported that his body was missing and they had been told by angels that he was alive. They so desperately wanted to believe this!

When Jesus was eating with them they finally recognised that this man was Jesus – and he was back from the dead! They immediately headed back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples and the apostles. They found the Eleven (Judas Iscariot had committed suicide) and other disciples who confirmed that it was true – Jesus had risen and had also appeared to Simon.

While all this was going on, suddenly Jesus was in the room standing among them. John informs us that they were in a locked room, fearing the Jewish leaders (John 20:19). Yet there he was, telling them “Peace be with you”! How would we react if this happened? How do we react when someone is in a darkened room and we didn’t know they were there? We are usually startled and scream. They reacted the same way.

“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 24:37-43)

Jesus did everything he could to convince them that he was back and alive. He showed them his hands and his feet, so they could see the wounds the nails had made – it was definitely him! He allowed them to touch him so they could see he was really flesh and bone and wasn’t a ghost or anything like that. They still struggled to believe it – not because they didn’t want to but “because of joy and amazement”. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to believe, they just weren’t sure they could believe. Jesus then ate some food in their presence to prove to them he was really alive.

The statement Jesus said to Thomas later really applied to them all: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

May we believe the evidence that we have that Jesus died for us and came back from the dead.

Image by Adrian Cogua from pexels.com. Free for use.

Readings for next week: Luke 22-24; Acts 1-2