the message

 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer 

and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and 

forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, 

beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

(Luke 24:45-48)

the purpose of them understanding the scriptures is nicely summarised here 

at the end of Luke's gospel. The central theme of the Bible is Jesus death 

and resurrection, repentance and forgiveness. that's the meesage that is 

to be proclaimed to everyone, everywhere. That message has changed our lives 

and we are witnesses of that message, not salespeople.

heart burn

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them 

in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

(Luke 24:27)

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he 

talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

(Luke 24:32)

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while 

I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of 

Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he 

opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

(Luke 24:44-45)

They knew the Old Testament well but Jesus explained it in a different 

way. A way that showed what it said about him. A Christ-centred way. We are not 

correctly understanding the Old Testament unless it is viewed in the light of 

Jesus. The disciples commented on how their hearts burned when he opened the 

Scriptures. I had heard lots of sermons on the Old Testament before coming across

this Christ centred concept. Some were bad, some were good. Some were motivational, 

some pulled out useful principles. But hearing about how I should maybe seize the 

moment even if it meant risking my life like Esther didn't make my heart burn like 

the first (and twentieth) time I heard Tim Keller say that Jesus is the true and 

better Esther who didn't just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate 

and heavenly one, who didn't just risk his life, but gave his life to save his 

people. 

they weren't expecting it

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12)

The women expected Jesus to be dead, they were going to anoint the body. When the body wasn't there they were perplexed, they had to be reminded of Jesus' words, the disciples didn't believe them. It is clear that none of Jesus' followers expected this. Yes, they believed in a resurrection on the last day, but they weren't expecting Jesus to be alive now. They weren't expecting someone to have conquered death.

a day of darkness

“And on that day [of judgement],” declares the Lord GOD,“I will make the sun go down at noon 

and darken the earth in broad daylight.  (Amos 8:9)

a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is 

spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before,nor 

will be again after them through the years of all generations. (Joel 2:2) 

Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light,as if a man fled from a lion,and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,and a serpent bit him.
Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light,and gloom with no brightness 

in it? (Amos 5:18-20)

The great day of the LORD is near,near and hastening fast;

the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.
A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and 

devastation, a day of darkness and gloom,a day of clouds and thick darkness,
(Zephaniah 1:14-15)

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land 

until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the 

temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed

his last.(Luke 23:44-46) 

The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome 

day of the LORD comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the 

LORD shall be saved. (Joel 2:31)

extreme grace

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

A classic objection against Christianity is the idea of a good person who rejects Jesus going to hell while a murderer who repents at the last minute could spend eternity with Jesus. While the details of what people mean by the last minute repentance may be unclear but the basic answer to that question is yes. We have to own that that rubs people (and us) up the wrong way because grace always does. 

This story probably rubs us up the wrong way for the same reason. The man recognises his own sin (we are recieving our due reward), recognises the sinlessness of Jesus (this man has done nothing wrong) and then throws himself on Jesus' mercy (Jesus, remember me). He has no time to change his lifestyle, no time to show that he really means it, no time to apologise to his victims or put anything right. But Jesus welcomes him into paradise that day. Extreme grace. That we all need.

save yourself

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” (Luke 23:34-38)

Jesus is mocked and taunted with shouts about saving himself - He saved others, let him save himself. Of course, He could have saved himself, instantly, but He chose not to. And the reason he chose not to is the very reason included in their mocking. "he saved others" - that's what he was doing at that very moment. He chose not to save himself in order to save us. At the climax of salvation, the saviour is being mocked about his saving capabilities.

a series of random events

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. (Mark 15:21)

Simon of Cyrene's involvement int he crucificion seems fairly random. A chance encounter, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got dragged into it. Or maybe it was the right pace at the right time? Mark's account includes the detail that Simon was the Father of Alexander and Rufus - presumably including that detail because Alexander and Rufus were known to, and likely members of, the early church when Mark is writing. Did this random incident lead to Simon and his two boys becoming Christians?

Most testimonies include a few seemingly random interactions or events that when viewed with hindsight seem anything but random. Pray that God would use you in those "random" interactions that he uses to draw people to himself.

Herod - for entertainment purposes only

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. (Luke 23:6-12)

Herod was interested in Jesus, for entertainment purposes only. He had heard about him, had wanted to see him for a long time and now was his chance. But he wasn't ineterested in who he was or his teaching, he was just hoping to see a sign, he was looking to be entertained by a miracle. When Jesus does and says nothing, he moves onto a bit of fun at Jesus' expense, mocking him. 

This sounds nothing like the situations we find ourselves in, but is it really that different. Is our association with Jesus for entertainment purposes only? Do we attend church because we hope to see a miracle or, more mudanely, we like the music or find the sermons interesting or inspiring. Is the focus of our relationship with Jesus based on what he can do for us? If that's the case, it's not much of a step to Herod's mocking. When Jesus doesn't do what we want him to, or what we think he should do, we react badly. Criticising, mocking, walking away from the church.

If that's you, repent and look to Jesus, not the stuff that surrounds him. But for all of us, we should be aware that some in our church are there (most likely subconciously) for entertainment purposes only. We need to do everything we can to make Jesus the centre of attention.

pilate's choice

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.” (Luke 23:4-5)

Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.” (Luke 23:13-16)

Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:20-25)

It is clear that Pilate does not think Jesus is not guilty, he does not think he deserves death. It also seems that he sort of wants to do the right thing, he doesn't want to kill an innocent man for no reason, repeatedly trying to offer a less severe punishment to placate the crowds. But, while all of that is true, he eventually hands them over to him. So something overrided the impulse of justice or the sense of sympathy. Keeping the peace, or keeping his position secure, was more valuable to him than Jesus. He didn't want this man to die, but if it came to a choice between one man's life and the security of the Roman control, then the man would have to die. If it came down to a choice between what Pilate wanted and Jesus, Pilate chose himself, a choice we have all repeated countless times.

Ultimately, there was another choice going on here. Jesus choosing to be subjected to this, choosing to die for us, the ones who were chose ourselves over him. He chose us over himself.

answer the question

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” (Luke 22:66-71)

We might think Jesus gves an unclear answer or avoids the question here, but that doesn't seemt to be the reaction of the people. there's no demand for him to answer the question again, instead they shout that they've heard the answer. The comment about the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power of God may seem a bit cryptic to us, but it wasn't to them. When Stephen says something similar in Acts 7 everyone covers their ears and start flinging stones at him. Jesus is making a claim to divinity and they don't like it.