Luke 24:36-48 (NRSV)
Read Luke 24:36-48 on biblegateway.com
Verse 36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." Verse 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Verse 38He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Verse 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." Verse 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. Verse 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" Verse 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, Verse 43and he took it and ate in their presence. Verse 44Then 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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Verse 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, Verse 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, Verse 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Verse 48You are witnesses of these things.
Devotion
The resurrected Jesus has shown up among those first disciples, and Jesus wants to be sure they recognize that it’s really him: "Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." He's not a ghost or a spirit. He's not some kind of illusion. Jesus is truly resurrected—a man once dead, but now alive again and standing before them!
Jesus points to his body to help the disciples recognize him, and "he opened their minds to understand the scriptures." Along with those disciples, we too recognize Jesus in his body and in his word. We meet Jesus in the holy meal and in the body of believers. We encounter Jesus in scripture and proclamation. In all these ways, Jesus shows us who he is and tells us who he is—the Savior who died and rose to give us life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you come to us in exactly the ways we need to meet you. Stay close, help us to recognize you and remind us always that you are here for us. Amen.