The Lord Lives aka The Lord Has Risen Indeed!
Luke 24:13-21, 28-35
International Sunday School Lesson
March 31, 2013
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
If you are reading this than I am both surprised and more happy than usual for your visit because to my consternation Easter Sunday is one of the most skipped if not the most skipped Sunday when churches will not hold class. The whole reason we celebrate this holiday would seem to me the best reason to hold class. Because you are here it is probably hard for you to understand just as it is for me.
The scripture for today shares this idea of something hard to understand, at least for me. I don’t have a problem accepting this just understanding.
You might guess that I am referring to the difference in the parallel accounts of these events. No, I feel that is explained by the common knowledge that when anything is recounted by more than one individual each teller brings something different to the telling. So this isn’t where my difficulty in understanding comes from.
Rather my questioning begins with our account from today’s scripture where only one of the two has his name mentioned and the other remaisn nameless though they recount such an important encounter. I do not consider this insignificant and if I had to pose a theory it would be that some of us are to be like Luke in our telling of the gospel and some of us will be nameless such as the one in this pair. All are important and all in the end tell about Christ’s death, burial and resurrection and what it can mean to so many.
These two demonstrate that the telling of the gospel need not and should not be done to just those we know but all we encounter. They demonstrate that though they as followers of Jesus would have been at risk, they boldly told the story of Jesus as far as they knew it. Their hospitality to a stranger was not meant to enrich them at all but look what they received. They then eagerly and without a moment’s hesitation rushed to share what they knew and look at how their message spread!
I guess it wasn’t that hard a passage to understand after all and I know each commentary I write God shows me something I didn’t intend but what He did.
So thanks for studying this most important of Sundays and I encourage you to use your talents, resources and spiritual gifts to share the gospel message with renewed zeal using these two especially the nameless individual as your example.
Happy Easter, Jed!
For Discussion:
1. Discuss why you think the two were kept from recognizing Jesus.
2. Discuss their reply to Jesus when He asked them “What things?”
3. Discuss entertaining strangers.
4. Discuss the not included verses 25-27 especially since it is referred to in today’s verse 32.
5. Discuss how their eyes were opened by what Jesus said to them in explaining the Scriptures to them before their eyes were literally opened by Him.
6. Discuss how your class members might better share the gospel.
7. As a class project put together an example from the scriptures such as Jesus did so that you might show others how the Scriptures pointed all along to Him.
8. If your church does not hold classes on Easter discuss how you are missing the opportunity to share the gospel with visitors who have not been saved but who might be attending this most attended of Sundays. P.S. don’t forget the same holds true at Christmas!
Upcoming Sunday School Lessons
4-7-13: The Lord Appears Luke 24:36-53
4-14-13: The Lord Sends the Spirit aka The Holy Spirit Comes Acts 2:1-16 or Acts 2:1-13
4-21-13: The Lord Will Return aka Living with Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
4-28-13: The Lord Will Triumph aka Hope Comes from God’s Grace 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, 8-17 or 2:1-3, 9-17
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment