Jesus is risen indeed!
Luke 24:13-35
By Ysrael De la Cruz
It was a devastating weekend for the disciples of Jesus. Their hopes and dreams were shattered by a cross on Friday afternoon. Jesus was the one they thought would restore the kingdom to Israel, their expected messiah; whom they did not expect to die. They thought everything ended with his death. They did not know what to think or make of the events on Friday. Jesus rising from the dead was not in their minds. The disciples were afraid and hid behind closed doors for they thought their lives were in danger.
The first day of the week, the day when Jesus resurrected from the dead, the disciples thought it would be another day without Jesus in their midst. Early in the morning some women gave them the news that Jesus was alive, but they did not believe the women. It was obvious that the resurrection of Jesus took the disciples by surprise. They did not expect it to happen.
The same day (the first day of the week v.1) two disciples were going to a village 7 miles northwest of Jerusalem. They were discussing the events that happened in Jerusalem during the weekend. Jesus appeared to them, but they were kept from recognizing him. They thought he was a visitor to Jerusalem who did not know what had taken place. Their conversation with Jesus gives us their perspective concerning what happened.
Luke 24:13-24
What are you guys talking about? (v.17)
Only a visitor to Jerusalem would not know what happened there during the weekend. V.18
What things? (v.19)
The things about Jesus of Nazareth.
-A prophet mighty in deed and word.
-Our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death.
-They crucified him (v.20)

The disciples’ expectation (v.21)
-We had hope that he was the Messiah who would redeem Israel.

Things concerning Jesus (v.21-24)
-It is now the third day since these things happened. (v.21) Today is the third day.
-Some women of our group amazed us by what they told us. They found the tomb empty. They claimed to have seen a vision of angels who said to them Jesus was alive. (v.22-23)
-Some of our group went to the tomb and found it just as the women said. But they did not find Jesus.

The Messianic confirmation. (v.25-27)
O foolish ones. You are slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. (You are slow learners for not understanding what the prophets have said)
-Was it not necessary that the Messiah would suffer these things and enter into his glory?
(v.27)Beginning with Moses (the law) and all the prophets, he explained the Scriptures more thoroughly concerning the things written about himself.
Jesus would call people slow learners, foolish for reading the Scriptures and still miss the Messiah. The law and the prophets, all testify to who the Messiah is. They predicted the events in the Messiah’s life, his teaching, his death, and resurrection.
Jesus explained or interpreted for them the passages concerning the messiah that they had read in their Bible (The law and the prophets)

(v.24-35)
Jesus stayed with them longer after they invited him since it was almost evening.
It was while Jesus broke bread with them that their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, but Jesus disappeared from their midst.
(v.32) Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked and opened to us the Scriptures?
Even though it was almost evening, they got up and went back to Jerusalem to meet the apostles. They wanted to let them know the veracity of the Jesus’ resurrection. They too had an encountered with the risen Christ.
(v.33) They had found the eleven apostles the eleven apostles testified that the Lord had risen and had appeared to Peter.
These two disciples related to them what happened on the road to Emmaus; Jesus is indeed alive. They saw him, talked with him and ate with him.

The resurrection of Jesus testifies to his identity as the Messiah. It was an encountered with the risen Christ that transformed the disciples into brave missionaries. They could not stop telling people what they have seen and heard concerning Jesus. It’s been nearly two thousand years since Jesus’ followers have been announcing that salvation is only found in Jesus.
Acts 4:11-12
11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We must continue to announce that Jesus is Lord, the only one by whom we can be saved.