Sunday, April 12, 1998 This Week’s Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Luke 24:13-35, we learned about the life changing hope that is found in the risen Jesus. Often, life can be overwhelming, yet it is important for each of us to realize that the Lord is always nearby, ready to give help to those in need. When we experience despair and grief, we can turn to Him to carry us through. In this passage from Luke 24, Jesus has already been crucified and risen from the grave. He is in His immortal body, and He begins walking with two of His disciples on their journey to Emmaus. He knows them, but they are not able to recognize Him. During their conversation, He learns that they are very sad because He was just crucified and now their belief of a hope for Israel through Him has perished. In this lesson, we learned that grief involves anger, guilt, and depression. However, we also learned that when we are feeling these emotions, we can find hope and comfort in the resurrected Christ.
Jesus helped these two men deal with their hurt and anxiety by turning them to the Old Testament teachings about Him. He understood the importance of the Bible for dealing with life's events. He also knew that a person can find peace and comfort for his or her situation and learn more about the ways of God through Bible study. Isaiah 55:8 says that God's ways are not our ways, so we can often learn more about Him and His ways just by looking into His Word. On their walk to Emmaus, Jesus began with Moses and all the Prophets and shared with His two disciples all that the Scriptures had prophesied concerning Him. Later, when they sat down to eat, their eyes were opened, and they knew it was He. By visibly seeing Jesus after His resurrection and by verbally communicating with Him, their hope and joy were restored, and their spirit was strengthened. Even when we are at our lowest, Jesus is still with us to carry us through. Jesus gives us hope when all else seems lost. His resurrection and the power of that resurrection through His indwelling Spirit can comfort us and transition us from a state of despair to one of joy. Truly, our hope is in Him.
We live in a world where many are hurting, and often, all they need is a word of encouragement. As Jesus and His resurrection give you hope and as the Holy Spirit leads you to minister to others, try to pass some of your hope along to those around you. Do all that you can to share your hope in Christ with the people who cross your path.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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