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The Visitation
03/29/2016

Daily Devotions: by Christina Farris

Luke 24:13-53 KJV
(13) And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
(15) And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
(16) But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
(17) And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
(18) And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
(19) And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
(20) And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
(21) But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
(22) Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
(23) And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
(24) And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
(25) Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
(26) Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
(28) And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
(29) But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
(30) And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
(31) And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
(32) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
(33) And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
(34) Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
(35) And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
(36) And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
(37) But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
(38) And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
(39) Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
(40) And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
(41) And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
(42) And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
(43) And he took it, and did eat before them.
(44) And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
(45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
(46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
(47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(48) And ye are witnesses of these things.
(49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
(50) And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
(51) And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
(52) And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Perhaps the hardest story in scripture to believe in the resurrection. It not that we do not desire to believe it that the world claims such things about even their great men in society who were national legends of their day. The deep emotion of grief can bring about delusions that effect the mind to the point they believe they seen the walking dead. However Lazarus had risen and had even eaten with his family and friends. Jesus did not only appear but he sat and ate with his disciples. The fact that food was digested was it was more then Santa eating cookies or the tooth fairy leaving coins behind. It is more then feeding someone that is hungry taking Jesus place.

My mind goes to those stories of faith having to do with what one would do if Jesus were in your presents. Would you feed him a meal, or give him glass of water. As those type of stories always tell how some person see a person on the street that is hungry and feeds them or gives them drink, saying they did it for Jesus. Yet none of those people were Jesus. There is a point to this smal discourse, if nothing more then to present evidence that is in this passage and hopefully make it a little more clear of who is standing before the disciples. The holes in the hands and the side were evidence that he was Jesus.

Some say the holes in the hands would not of held him to the cross and so it would have been in the wrist. Perhaps they tied him to that cross in a fashion to cause more suffering. There is a point, we try to imagine the scene of cross and where these holes were in Christ based on science and force of gravity of the body on the cross verses the weight of the hands. Let us not pretend there are many unknown things concerning the crucifixion but examine evidence provided by God’s word. For after the all the entire Bible was written by the inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit to commune the things of God’s reality to man.

Jesus was more then a ghost appearing to the disciple but he was in his glorified body. A body marked by the scars of the nails and sword in his side. Jesus could not of walked a day’s journey in his physical body, it would have had to have been in his glorified state. After all his body had great loss of blood and even water. To be restored by the third day would have been impossible. To be able to move would have been impossible. Just the pain alone from the beating would be horrible. Yet he carried the cross with the pain of the beating. Jesus had help carrying his cross both by man and by God. To deny the facts of his suffering would mean to deny the power of God to allow it to happen. 40 lashes might not seem like a lot until you add bone spurs and metal in the whip tips and the whip had handle with many whips proceeding out of it. No Jesus had to be in a glorified state to be walking among the disciples.

To walk down the road with two disciples and to expound on scripture, but these two men were not part of the eleven remaining of the disciples. Jesus as doing the work that His disciples should have been doing. How come these two got to see Jesus in the flesh before the eleven? Maybe it had to do with faith. Or maybe the disciples needed someone to prepare them for seeing him. After all scripture says it scared the disciples when He appeared to them. He had trouble making them understand he was not ghost. So he ate a meal with them.

Evidence of his reality was seen, but it took a little time to grasp the reality of his appearance. No one would seriously believe right. Well people for over two thousand years have believed the story and have taken it on faith. One has to ask if one has taken it on faith what has convinced them? It had to be Jesus himself through first forgiveness of sins, and wooing of the heart. Yet it is more then these things, it understanding faith is much more then just simple evidence of nail scarred hands or appearance of Jesus. It is the fact when Christ enters in the heart joy comes overflowing. A overflowing that can never be fully described by a believer. For it is unspeakable joy in one’s heart. An emotion that was not there before, that is brought only by God’s Spirit to the believer, the acknowledgment of forgiveness of sin. Sin confessed at the altar of a church or just anywhere one can find a place to ask God forgiveness for sin and receive Jesus into the heart. Yet it is the simple. Yet the journey ends not there. God continues to hugs us by his word and Spirit in those desperate hours of lack of faith, as well in those hours of hope restored. We might have less physical evidence of God and his Savior, but we have evidence in our heart that cannot be measured or even fully explained by science or psychology. It more then knowing one is forgiven, and hope received. You can only know if you choose to receive Jesus today. Ask him into heart, ask him to forgive you of your sins and go believing today, as the day passes even now, see if Jesus does not make a change in your life. Maybe not in the area you think first, but in the area most needed. For he knows what will cause those walls of sin not to remain. After all he wipes the heart clean, and renews the mind and spirit of individual.

Dear Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins, and fill me with your Spirit as I ask Jesus to come into my heart even now, and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Believing you have the power to heal and to forgive me from my sins. In Jesus precious name, Amen.