(This passage is also referenced in Mark 16:10-14, John 20:18-20)

Jesus, now risen, begins to appear to His disciples - although they take some convincing.  It seemed too good - they didn’t want to be tricked, but Jesus being alive was something they desperately desired.

It’s a shame that the disciples didn’t believe the women when they were told about Jesus being risen from the dead after all they’d seen, and it takes them going to his tomb to believe what had happened. When they do see, they begin to believe.  I think that’s okay.  We often think, “Oh, you disciples with your lack of faith”, but we’re given miracles to show people the power of God to back up what we say.  Jesus indulged them in their needs for demonstrations whether by eating, or allowing them to touch His scars.  Jesus didn’t and doesn’t hide away. I’ve heard many stories where people have asked God to show Himself and He’s done just that - and we’re a part of that.  The way we live, we partner with Jesus in showing who He is to all those around us.

The next part of Luke describes an encounter with two of His followers on the road to Emmaus. Somehow, they don’t recognise Him. Whether this is because Jesus looked different, or it was a supernatural occurrence, we don’t know, but they walk with Jesus.  The way they talk displays how they didn’t realise that the Messiah would have to die and rise, but Jesus sets the record straight by going right back to Moses, through Exodus, through the prophets and to where they are now.

Jesus sets the pattern for how a lot of the evangelising to the Jewish people would happen later, in Acts, taking them through the history of the people, how everything has been building up to the Messiah coming, dying and rising.  It’s easy for us to just jump to the New Testament, but that’s like jumping to the last chapter of a novel. There’s so much in the Old Testament which is what they knew of God, and so many figures there that point to who Jesus is and what He’s like.

Knowing God’s word is key to getting to know Him. There can never be a substitute for relationship. It gives us insight into God’s multi-faceted character and through knowing Him, we can demonstrate Him to others.  

Father God, please help me to demonstrate you in my everyday life: help my words, thoughts and actions all to represent you, so that those asking for you to show yourself to them will see you in me.  Amen.