Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapters 24 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: John, Chapters 20-21 To study these chapters, go to this link -
Highlight Passages: Luke 24: 13-36 : [NLT] … { Rather than copy out the entire passage relating the story of Jesus joining two men as they walked to Emmaus from Jerusalem after the resurrection, I’d ask you to use the link above for Luke, Chapter 24 to read and meditate on the passage in the NLT. The remaining portion of the last chapter in Luke relates Jesus’ final hours on earth before He was raised into heaven, which is the transition for Luke into His book, the Acts of the Apostles, which I’ll be reading and studying in the upcoming days. } …
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Highlight Passages: John 20; 28-31: [NLT] … { Jesus appeared several times post-resurrection and in several situations, … here to Thomas, whom we have labeled “the doubting disciples” because of his difficulty believing the resurrection until he could see and even touch the resurrected Messiah. And Jesus in his compassion to reach out to this skeptical believer allowed Thomas this private meeting so that he could really believe; but the Lord preaches to all mankind, through John’s gospel account that all who can and choose to believe without the luxury of seeing or touching Jesus will be blessed all the more; … and I am one of those blessed ones. } …
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. [after seeing and touching the resurrected Lord]
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”
30 Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe£ that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.
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Highlight Passages: John 21: 15-19; 24-25 : [NLT] … { I’m going to ask anyone reading with me today to go to John 21, verses 15-19 and read the account of Jesus giving a post-resurrection audience with Peter by the seashore near Capernaum; and then the final words written by the Apostle John in his gospel account in verses 24-25 of this final chapter. } …
24 This is that disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. And we all know that his account of these things is accurate. 25 And I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books.
My Journal for Today: The photo you see above was taken in 2009 when a group of pilgrims, including yours truly, were sharing a communion service in the very garden where it is believed Jesus appeared to Peter to compassionately allow him to have a private encounter and for Jesus to restore Peter to complete forgiveness and surrender to his Lord. The account of this is found, by using the John 21 link above, and reading of this wonderful account in verses 15 – 19 of John’s last gospel chapter. In the background of the photo you can see a statue representing Jesus meeting with Peter for this beautiful moment with His Lord after the resurrection.
In today’s chronological NT reading, I was taken to study the last chapter of Luke’s gospel and the last two chapters of John’s gospel writing; and in these chapters are several accounts of Jesus appearing – post-resurrection – to several of Christ’s disciples just before the Lord left the earth and ascended into heaven. These are beautiful accounts of Jesus’ compassion in wanting various disciples to experience Him up-close-and-personally so they could give first-hand, eye-witness accounts of Jesus after His resurrection.
Don’t you just love the account of Jesus joining two men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus in Luke 24? And there was the very personal time when Jesus appeared to Thomas, the doubting disciple, even allowing Thomas what he needed – a physical touch of Jesus’ scars – to be able to believe. And then there is that wonderfully compassionate story of Jesus calling Peter aside so that Peter, whom Jesus knew would be instrumental in leading the church after Jesus’ ascension into heaven, could be fully restored and renewed after his thrice failure and denial in the Garden before Jesus was crucified.
And all of this points to the reality that we all can, as Jesus’ disciples, have our own personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus as I have done even this morning. I chose to come to this place where I come every morning when I’m home; and I prayed that Jesus, through His Spirit, would be with me as I encountered Him through His word. I pray every morning that I can get to know my Lord more intimately through His living, breathing word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17). And every day He is here with me; and He relates with me, much as He did with those men walking to Emmaus, or Thomas, or Peter in that garden near Capernaum. And every day I get to know my Lord, more intimately and more abidingly and I encounter Him in His word.
I hope you see where I’m going with my journal entry this morning. If we’re Christians who truly want to meet with Jesus and desire to know Him more intimately, the question is, “Am I willing to receive Him into my life, as He offers to be with me?” My friend, read of Jesus’ offer in Revelation 3: 20: “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.” And anytime we seek to be with Him, in and through His word, He is willing to reveal more of Himself to us.
Let me pray that all of us will be going after a deeper relationship with our Living Lord EVERYDAY by encountering Him through His Living Word.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I do pray that all who’re reading with me here will seek to find more of You through Your word and we will open the door, as I did this morning, to allow You to come in and dine with us … with You sharing Your real self with us in/through Your word. Amen
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