Our New Life In Christ – The Word Life

This week, our devotional thoughts will be a celebration of our new life in Christ. To do this, we are looking at eight sayings of Jesus after His resurrection. Each of these sayings explains one blessed aspect of our new life with Christ.

2. The Word Life

Luke 24:27 (ESV)
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself.

Luke 24:13–27 (ESV)
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.  16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”  And they stood still, looking sad.  18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”  19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.  21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.  Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.  22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us.  They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.  24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”  25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

If you have never seen the Jesus-Centered Bible, I highly recommend it. Its purpose is to help the reader see Jesus throughout the Scriptures. Anything that references the Messiah in the Old Testament is highlighted. Any words that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament are highlighted as well. The Old Testament is full of things about Jesus.

These two followers of Jesus had something much better than the Jesus-Centered Bible: they had Jesus.

Think about this: What would it have been like for Jesus to show you, out of the Old Testament, all the passages that had to do with Himself?

It was late in the afternoon so Jesus went with these followers home for supper. Once again, the Scriptures tell us that, at first, the followers’ eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. It was the way in which He broke the bread that they realized it was Him.

Jesus vanished from their sight and they rushed off to tell the disciples.

Next, Jesus appears to the disciples who are gathered together in a room. Again, we see that at first they didn’t recognize Him. Now, look closely at what Jesus said and then what happened:

Luke 24:44–45 (ESV)
44 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.”  45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

One of the blessings of our New LIfe in Christ is that God has allowed us, by His Spirit, to be able to understand Scriptures. I have witnessed more than one person who grew up in church and had a lot of Bible knowledge, yet were not saved. I’ve watched their newfound excitement when, almost immediately after they gave their life to Jesus, all those Bible verses they had read took on a whole new meaning as their minds were now opened to understand the Scriptures.

Give thanks to God for His Word and the amazing gift He has given us to see Him in Scripture.