Mike
Scriptures: Luke 22:28-30 John 20:8 Acts 1:3 John 20:30-31
After the supper in the upper room, strife began to surface among the disciples as to who would be the greatest among them. Jesus reminded them that He was among them as one who serves and that was the role that they needed to consider.
Luke 22:28 You are the ones that have continued with me in my temptations.
Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luke 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
This is the first indication of the enormous role and the unique responsibility that would fall on the twelve disciples, this circle of fellowship that would spearhead the new covenant and form the leadership role that would sit on thrones judging the restored people of God that would replace those who had rejected Him. However, they were distracted, they didn’t see the Passover Lamb, caring more about who was the greatest.
Jesus’ crucifixion must have had a devastating effect on His followers, they “did not understand from Scripture that Jesus was to die and to be raised from the dead.” As they watched Him being crucified, everything they had hoped and believed, was being destroyed before their eyes. They thought that once again, Rome had managed to steal the future of Israel right out from under them. They did not understand that Jesus would rise from the dead. They did not understand that it was not over - yet.
On the road to Emmaus Jesus approached two disciples and began walking with them, but “their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.” He asked them what they were debating as they walked along. Cleopas asked “Don’t you know all the things that have occurred?” Jesus answered, “What things?” They replied, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who became a prophet powerful in work and word before God and all the people; and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to the sentence of death and crucified him. We were hoping He was the one destined to deliver Israel."
We can take from this that the general consensus was that this was the end, but they had forgotten all of the prophecies about Him. So, Jesus answered them, “O fools and slow of heart to believe on all the things the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then Jesus gave them a history lesson, starting with Moses and all the Prophets as “he interpreted to them things pertaining to Himself in all the Scriptures.” This was not the end but just the beginning.
When Mary Magdalene came early to the sepulchre, it was still dark, and the stone had already been rolled away from the entrance. She ran to find Simon Peter, and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, we know that is how John describes himself, she told them that Jesus was no longer there. Peter and John ran to the garden and came to the sepulchre. They saw the linen clothes lying in the sepulchre, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded together in a place by itself.John 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, John, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
What did he see? What did he believe? I think that in all the emotion that was happening around him John was studious enough to recognise what had happened. There was a tradition of that day that, after a servant set the dinner table, he would wait, just out of sight, until the family had finished eating. When they were done, they would rise, screw up the napkin and toss it onto the table, as a signal to the servant to clear the table. However, if they got up from the table, neatly folded their napkin and laid it beside their plate, the message was different, it said "I'm not finished yet." "I'm coming back!"
John saw that the Son of God, who had just conquered death, cared enough that He left His tomb tidy, it tells us that the cloth which had been placed over Jesus’ face was not just thrown aside, but was neatly folded, signifying that He was coming back. And, for forty days Jesus visited the disciples, and close followers, leaving us an undeniable statement that Jesus is indeed alive.
Act 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
Let us pray: We are heirs to the greatest witness that has been entrusted to the human race, let us remember the Body that was given and the Blood that was shed for us, that we might be partakers in His eternal Kingdom.
Don’t be slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have said, and the message of the napkin that was neatly folded in the tomb. It signifies that He will return for His Bride so that we can walk the road to our Emmaus in full knowledge of who He is and what He has done for us all, and that He is at our side. Amen