CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO LESSONS

THE POST RESURRECTION SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION!

As you know we are doing a study on minor major-characters in the New Testament. We are looking at those individuals who were on stage for a very brief time but nevertheless had a major impact on the kingdom of God. Thus far we have studied:
Joseph the husband of Mary
Mary the mother of Jesus
John the Baptist
Mary Magdalene
The Three Outsiders
– an unnamed centurion
– an unnamed Canaanite woman
– an unnamed Samaritan woman
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus
Ananias, a disciple in Damascus
Barnabas, son of encouragement
Stephen, an overqualified waiter
Philip, the AAA evangelist.
&
Cornelius, a devout centurion.
We’re now going to look at an individual that was on stage for only forty (40) days. But in those forty days he settled the course of history forever. He was the risen Christ! His activity during this time is summarized for us in Acts 1:1 - 3. We read:
Dear Theophilus: In my first book I told you about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he ascended to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions from the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. On these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
We don’t have to imagine how unsettled the disciples were after the crucifixion of Jesus. We know from Scripture that they were devastated, downcast, defeated, dejected, and depressed. Jesus was dead and all the darn “D” words associated with death characterized the down-and-out disciples.
The scene that best describes the disciples is found in Luke 24:13 - 19. We read:
That same day (Sunday) two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles out of Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 Suddenly, Jesus himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them. 16 But they didn’t know who he was, because God kept them from recognizing him.
“You seem to be in a deep discussion about something,” he said. “What are you so concerned about?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”
“What things?” he asked.
Prior to crossing paths with this stranger, picture Cleopas and his companion as they return home. Their heads are down, shoulders are bent over, and instead of a brisk pace, they are walking as if they are going to their own funeral. For in fact the spirit within them was as dead as what they believed to be true of Jesus.
Then as this stranger came up alongside them and engaged them in conversation, the two found it hard to believe that he didn’t know what had happened in Jerusalem the past few days. In part, I suspect, they were angered that the “sadness written across their faces” apparently meant nothing to him. If that was indeed the case, these two dejected disciples surely didn’t want to travel down the road with this idiot.
Not having a choice, however, they traveled down the road toward Emmaus. And, as they walked they talked. Picking up the conversation in v. 19b we read:
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had thought he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago. 22 Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus’ body was gone, just as the women had said.”
Then Jesus said to them, “You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?” 27 Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself.
Here we have the Post Resurrection School of Instruction. This is where the Cleopas and his companion learned what supposedly they already knew in their hearts. But obviously, like everyone else, they had failed the test. What is sobering to note at this point is that even after having it explained all over again they still didn’t quite get it. They may have understood it intellectually but sadness, I suspect, was still written across their faces.
We now read, beginning in v. 28:
By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus would have gone on, 29 but they begged him to stay the night with them, since it was getting late. So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took a small loaf of bread, asked God’s blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!
They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem, where the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus were gathered.
Now they understood! Now they got it! We know they finally caught on because their whole demeanor changed. Instead of being downcast, they were upbeat. Instead of being dejected, they were elated. Instead of being down-and-out, they were up and ready to go back to Jerusalem to share the good news.
We pick up the rest of the story in vv. 33b - 44. We read:
When they arrived, they were greeted with the report, 34 “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter!”
Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 37 But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why do you doubt who I am? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do!” 40 As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet.
Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.
Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.
I wish I could tell you that this initial appearance on Sunday was all it took for the disciples to become convinced that Jesus was indeed alive. But, the resurrected Jesus stuck around for forty days proving again and again that he was alive and well, especially to the men! For, though I hate to admit it, there is evidence that the women were more easily convinced than the men.
During this time the disciples became utterly convinced that he was not only alive but that he was the same Jesus with only one notable difference. They observed that he had:
– the same height.
– the same apparent weight.
- the same winsome personality.
– the same understanding of human nature.
– the same desire
– to serve.
– to fellowship.
– to reconcile others to himself.
– the same commitment to healthy relationships.
– the same obedient spirit.
– the same scars.
– the same attributes of
– omniscience.
– omnipresence.
– omnipotence
– a different body!
In short, over a forty day period they became fully persuaded that he was the same Savior. Yes, he had a new body. What had been perishable was now imperishable. What had been brutalized, was now glorified. In seeing it, in interacting with it again and again they finally knew, really knew, what they had previously been taught. We know this because they went out and preached with confidence!

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO LESSONS