Day 395 | Sunday, 18 2021

Day 395 - Audio Version

---

Day 395 | Sunday, 18 April 2021

           The assigned Scripture readings for this the third Sunday of Easter are Acts 3:12-19; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7 and Luke 24:36b-48.

          Last week we read from the gospel of John the appearance of Jesus to the disciples and how he invited Thomas, who was absent at the first visit, to examine his hands and side so that he might believe.  This Sunday we have the appearance of Jesus to the disciples from Luke.  I share that passage from The Message.

          Luke 24:36b-48
36b Jesus appeared to them and said, "Peace be with you."
37 They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death.
38 He continued with them, "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over.
39 Look at my hands; look at my feet - it's really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn't have muscle and bone like this."
40 As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41 They still couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true.
42 They gave him a piece of leftover fish they had cooked.
43 He took it and ate it right before their eyes.
44 Then he said, "Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled."
45 He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way.
46 He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day,
47 and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations - starting from here, from Jerusalem!
48 You're the first to hear and see it. You're the witnesses.

 “The two disciples’ earlier mistaken belief in a ‘vision’ of the resurrected Jesus is corrected when Jesus himself invites them to ‘touch’ his physical body and to observe that he is ‘flesh and bones’ (v39).  Jesus is able to eat, a feat that no ‘ghost’ could perform.” (CEB P 1329)

 In my Wesley study Bible right near the comments on this passage is a special commentary titled “Wesleyan Core Term Wholeness of Scripture”.  It is worth sharing with you for your own digesting and reflection.
​
           “Different people wrote the Bible at different times, in different places.  Wesley believed, though, that all these writings worked together to help us understand our salvation through Jesus Christ.  He argued that no portion of the Bible should be lifted out and used in isolation.  Instead, every individual passage of Scripture needs to be interpreted in light of the whole message that Scripture wants to convey about God’s love and care.  Some parts of Scripture may seem to contradict other parts, and when they do, each needs to be examined in light of what Wesley called the ‘general tenor’ of the ‘whole scope and tenor of Scripture’ (Sermon 110: ‘Free Grace,’ par. 20-23).  This practice means that Christians should avoid prooftexting – simply looking for a sentence or sentences that prove or support a point that one wants to make.  Instead, Christians need to read each passage of the Bible in the context of the whole story that God wants to tell through it.”  CEB Wesley Study Bible page 1328.
 
Today: Look for God’s blessings in your life.