Easter Sunday Lesson Overview and Additional Thoughts

Here are some closing thoughts and comments on Easter Sunday’s lesson from Luke 24:
In the marketing world we have a term called “FUD” or fear, uncertainty and doubt. We use it when one company spreads some negative press about a competing company’s product or service. Whether it was due to human nature, or possibly even Satanic influence, there definitely was some FUD among the disciples about Jesus’ and their own fates.

Though the events in Luke 24 all center on the resurrection of Jesus, they really seem to be more about how the disciples come to grips with it, and how Jesus helps them understand and overcome their FUD, rather than theological teaching on the resurrection itself. We spent a few minutes discussing the importance and theological impact of the resurrection, and I would refer you to 1 Corinthians 15 for further study there, but I think one way Luke’s witness of the resurrection is helpful to us is its example of overcoming our own doubts and fears of God as believers.

Jesus used two primary tools to calm and convince his followers that he indeed did rise from the dead and could be trusted to keep his word: the physical evidence of himself and the witness of scripture. I’d like to talk about how these can help us when we doubt God and his goodness and trustworthiness as well.

Even though it might seem completely sufficient for Jesus to just to have offered his own risen body as evidence, he made a strong appeal to scripture, even using it before he revealed himself to the two on the road to Emmaus. Why bother taking them through the OT when he could have just said, “Here I am, put your fingers in my nail holes!”? I think for a couple of reasons:

Jesus was a Jew (as were his disciples) and the Jews held the scriptures (think OT, here) in very high regard. It was important that what happened to Jesus had legitimate basis in the scriptures to have validity. Even though the event was miraculous in itself, if it wasn’t founded in what God’s word had to say about Messiah, it didn’t matter.

This begs the question, though, if the Jews regarded the scripture highly and studied it thoroughly, then how did they miss Jesus as fulfillment of the Messianic promises? The answer to this question is intertwined with the second tool Jesus used to dispel the FUD…himself. Remember if you will that on a couple of occasions in Luke 24 the scripture tells us that Jesus himself had to open the disciples’ minds so that they can understand the scripture. And so Jesus himself is the key to understanding the very scriptures and witness to him that they are. Studying the scriptures on their own without a humble and repentant faith leads to nothing but empty head knowledge.

CONCLUSION:

Today we have the scriptures of the Old Testament in addition to the New Testament to provide truth and guidance in our lives, even the very Word of God. It is easy to criticize the disciples for their lack of faith and trust in Jesus and what he said, but if we are honest many times we realize that we don’t believe God in all he has to say in our lives. Our fear and doubt can put a wall of separation between us and the risen Lord…not allowing him to work in us. The solution? I think the example is that we should seek what the scriptures say about the character and promises of God related to our lives…but we can’t stop there. The power to really understanding what the word has to say lies in focusing on Jesus and relying on his power via the Holy Spirit to open our minds. We have to trust, or at least want to trust, even when we doubt. We have to look at this beautiful crucified, yet risen, savior and fall in love with Him and the hope he gives us. If we approach the scriptures enamored with Christ, I believe the Holy Spirit will open our hearts to truly understanding what God’s word has to say to use so that we can be changed, and the FUD will be dispelled.

-casey