Luke 24:52-53 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
 
With Great Joy – Part 1
 
BEFORE we leave Luke, I would like to share with you some thoughts on “joy”. “With Great Joy” is the disciples’ worshipful expression toward the Lord as they experienced Jesus’ ascension. Worship and joy was their response to all they had seen and heard. They looked past Jesus’ death and saw his life. They have witnessed his promises fulfilled into their lives. How could they not be joyful?
     Easily, though, we will miss their joy unless we stop to consider this life-changing emotion. We may believe joy is a fleeting, rare emotion that occurs when life is just as we desire it. But as we’ll see, true joy is not only found in the Lord’s salvation, joy comes from the Lord’s own expressions of delight and happiness to his own. The eternal God is joyful – filled with, even overflowing with joy! And he wants you to live with great joy.
     What is joy? Joy is delight, happy, bliss and elation. Yet it is difficult to define because emotions are very personal. Let’s look, then, to the following illustration to understand a Jesus-centered joy.
     A young lady writes: “If I place my joy in my job, what do I do when circumstances cause a bad day at work? If I place my joy in material possessions, what happens when those things become useless? If I put my joy in a quiet and secure mind, what do I do when I worry about my job and my things?
     “The problem with attaching my joy to the circumstances and things in my life is that when something goes wrong – and something always does – I had none of the joy I expected. ‘Where’s the joy in life I so desperately long for and all the world has promised me?’ I asked.
     “Do you know what? As I began to mind my mind to focus on who God is, my life changed. My life changed because I began to link my mind with the promises and blessings of God displayed in the Holy Bible. More and more I learned of God’s magnificent love. I anchored my mind to truly believe I could live everyday in a diligent pursuit of true joy. Faithfully, I began to know that regardless of what happens each day, I am securely linked to the eternal God who doesn't change.”
     One way to know true joy is to know what it’s not. Joy is not happiness and pleasure in temporary things. Sadly, our pursuit of worldly joy will rob us of any sense of secure happiness. We try so hard to get into that place where we are “happy”, the effort wears us down. We don’t even know if or when we’ve arrived.
     What is joy? We begin to know joy when we understand our well-being, our life, is grounded and established in Jesus’ gospel. Joy is the deep emotion of well-being, knowing all is well in Jesus. Regardless of what happens in the world, when we know Jesus as Lord and Savior, we must know our Lord has us for eternity.
     And remember, joy is a fruit from the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. The Spirit’s fruit draws us nearer to God. Joy is a gift of worship from God as we delight in him! This is why we must know for ourselves the disciples’ great joy. God’s gifts are worth opening. Let’s open joy. 
 
Prayer: From Psalms 43:4 Then will I go to the altar of (you) God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. Amen.
 
 

Luke 24:50-52 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
 
JESUS’ work on earth is done. He has entered into God’s broken creation to begin a New Testament, a new promise, of love, grace, forgiveness and salvation. Out of the Law has come the Christ for all souls who confess him, “My Lord and my Savior”. The Living Word of God has brought flesh, blood, resurrection and ascension to God’s Word. He fulfilled prophecy as represented in these words from Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
    Because of Jesus’ ministry and the Spirit’s revelations, Jesus’ disciples through the ages know the meaning and power of Jesus’ teachings. Holding to our faith, all disciples can be as The Eleven were the day Jesus ascended. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.  
    Do you follow Jesus with great joy as the disciples felt and expressed that day? Amid life’s challenges, sorrows, disappointments and hardships, we can easily lose sight of God’s magnificent, eternal salvation. “Joy” becomes, too often, a transient emotion, not a core attitude of worship toward our Lord.
    Yet, Jesus even commands us to joy. What is joy? Do you have it? Do you want it? What difference does it make? Before we leave Luke, then, we will examine for the next several days the God of Joy, who calls you to a complete joy in him. We’ll even see how the cross is necessary for your joy.
    I invite to be faithful to the lessons, so you, as the disciples, will keep your eyes up, gazing upon the risen, ascended Savior.  
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Luke’s orderly account of your will being done on earth. I pray I receive your Word to be a joyful eyewitness to a world who needs to see you. Amen.

 

Luke 24:44-49 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
 
IF you’ve ever wondered, “Do I need to read the entire Bible?” I hope this passage transforms your question into, “I have read the entire Bible.” or the second time on Resurrection Day, our risen Lord taught from all the Scriptures, just as he had taught during his earthly ministry.
    Jesus always taught from the Law, the prophets - the Scriptures. He demonstrated to his closest disciples, the Jewish authorities and the Gentiles God’s eternal plan for the world. He taught how this plan was being fulfilled through his life, death and resurrection. As the Savior prepares to return to heaven, he remained committed to declare the kingdom has come, God’s will is being done. He even said his teaching would continue as they would be clothed with power from on high.
    The disciples are beginning to see it all. Jesus’ resurrection has given them a new personal experience with Jesus. Their eyewitness to the Lord Jesus Christ will empower them to teach and preach the Word with fervent, sure faith. Now they know the most important truth: the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms are fulfilled in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. And they understand Jesus’ self-declaration John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Now they understand what Jesus meant by the sign of Jonah. (Luke 11:29) They can also clearly see John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. And they know without question Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 
    Jesus’ disciples must know the Scriptures to know Jesus. Disciples must believe he is risen. They are to understand his resurrection power. Jesus called and still calls disciples to be his church. Disciples are to be the Lord’s witnesses. We must tell of our life-changing experiences with Jesus. The world must know Jesus is alive!
 
Prayer: I pray, Lord, I am your true disciple, a fervent witness to your glorious life, death, resurrection and ascension. Amen.
 

 

Luke 24:38-43 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
 
THE Bible teaches that at death, the Christian enters heaven with a spiritual body. In addition, Scripture teaches we will experience a physical resurrection when the Lord returns. Why is the physical resurrection of the body essential to the Christian faith?
    (From the Fire Bible™: Global Study Edition) “The Bible reveals at least three reasons why the resurrection of the body is necessary. First, the body is a basic part of the total human personality; humans are incomplete without a body. For this reason, the spiritual salvation that Christ offers applies to the whole person, including the body: Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
    “The second reason is the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit for those who follow Christ. At the time of the resurrection, the body will again become an eternal temple of the Spirit. And third, to undo the tragic result of sin at all levels, humanity’s final enemy – death of the body – must be conquered through the resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
    “This is why we must know Christ rose bodily from the grave. His resurrection guarantees ours. What then will our resurrected body be like? As we see in Christ’s own resurrected body: (a) a body with structural similarities to the body of this life, so it will be recognizable; (b) a body changed into a heavenly body, adapted for life in the new heaven and new earth; (c) an immortal, glorified body free from decay and death; (d) a spiritual body not bound by the laws of nature; (e) a body capable of eating and drinking.
    “When God’s people receive their new bodies, they “put on” immortality, which will fulfill the Christian’s final and complete victory over death. In this victory, God’s people may become all that God desired for humans at creation, so believers may come to know and relate to God in the full way he wants them to know him. This is a true love between mankind and God, formed in Eden, broken by sin, restored through Jesus.
    “Finally, Christ’s faithful followers who are still alive when Christ returns for his church will experience the same bodily transformation as those believers who have died prior to the day of resurrection. They will receive new bodies just like the bodies given to those who will be raised from the dead at that time. They will never experience physical death.”
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for showing the way and being the way to eternal life, a life rich and wonderful in the fullness of your love. Amen.
 

Luke 24:36-43 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
 
NEARLY every time I’ve seen a film about Jesus’ resurrection, our risen Lord has been depicted as some type of ghostly image. Only rarely has Jesus been shown to sit down and eat with people, preach to them and touch them. Acts 1:3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. And 1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. The writers of these productions apparently are unwilling to completely believe Jesus’ own testimony, “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Granted, Jesus had disappeared from Cleopas and his friend at the table in Emmaus. And he seems to suddenly appear here. How, then, do we understand “flesh and bones” with Jesus’ appearing and disappearing?
    First, we must know Jesus’ resurrected body is a real body. The tomb is empty. A spirit or ghost did not rise from Jesus’ dead body and leave the flesh and bones behind. Second, his body is a resurrected body is a changed body, different than his mortal body. Jesus has lived as human flesh and blood. Now he is eternally alive in his resurrected body. This is a Christian’s great hope: Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. 
    Here is a quick understanding of the resurrection of the body from the Fire Bible™: Global Study Edition: “The Bible teaches that though there is a period between a person’s physical death and bodily resurrection, there is no lapse of time between death and the life to come. A Christian’s death brings one immediately into Christ’s presence. While awaiting resurrection of the body, believers live with a bodily form. (as Moses and Elijah at The Transfiguration). Further, in Revelation 6:9-11 souls in heaven are described as visible and wearing white robes.”
    Now we may wonder that if we are in heaven with Jesus in a spiritual form, why is resurrection of the body important? Our next lesson will explore how essential this is to our faith.
 
Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice in the evidence of your bodily resurrection. Amen.
 

Luke 24:33-35 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
 
As Cleopas and his friend left Emmaus, can you imagine the wonder in their hearts? This is the singular moment for each Christian when we know, “Jesus lives! He has come to reveal himself to me. I am in the presence of the eternal, risen God!” Could anything stop you from telling anyone you meet what had happened and how Jesus was recognized by you? How good it is to tell the good news! How wondrous to proclaim, “I have seen the risen Lord.” What wonder to know Jesus loves you. I pray you daily live in the wonder of Jesus’ personal, revealing love for you.
    Do you see another example of Jesus’ wondrous love in this Scripture? Note the passage, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” When did this happen? Why is Peter’s name especially mentioned?
    Note that “they found the Eleven and those with them”. The fact that 11 disciples were there means Peter was there. Think of it. If one of your friends at church stood up and denied Christ, would you welcome him back? Probably not. But the 10 disciples apparently allowed Peter to be with them. Why?
    We learn from other Scriptures that Jesus had specifically appeared to Peter that day. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (He used the church’s reference to the 12 disciples.) The angels at the tomb had also told the women, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter.” (Mark 16:7a) As we’ve mentioned, God had appointed Peter for a special work in the early church. Peter had been sifted by Satan. Now it was time for the resurrected Lord to resurrect Peter’s love and passion for God. Peter had seen the risen Lord. He had returned to the others to tell them. In hope, they believed him. The two back from Emmaus then confirmed Peter’s testimony.
    How loving and wonderful is the Lord. He forgives every sin when we repent. Peter had wept over his sin. He went to the empty tomb. He looked inside. He longed to see Jesus and start new and fresh with his Lord. Jesus responded. He came to the urgent, repentant heart to restore, revive and redeem. No sin is too deep or long for Gods deep, long, eternal love.
    Be in fellowship with the risen Lord. Got sin? Then give it up to the Lord. Receive him at your spiritual table. Tell the world how wondrous is the love of God. Peter very well knew: 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
    How loving and wonderful is our Lord to save.
 

Luke 24:28-32 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
 
HOW mysterious and wondrous are the ways our Lord works. Do you have a similar testimony to the way the Lord one day awakened your heart and mind to him? Did your heart burn within you then to want more of Jesus? Here is how Jesus ignited burning hearts into Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus. 1) The two men walked with Jesus. 2) They listened to Jesus reveal the Scriptures. 3) They sat down with Jesus in fellowship. Yes, their walk was physical, but it was also spiritual. Jesus came, and they welcomed him into their presence. In a like manner, when you welcome the Lord into your presence, you submit to his leading. You will more readily find the right paths into his daily purpose for your life. Your Good Shepherd will lead you not into temptation but away from evil. Let him direct you. Submit to his true path. Jesus so loves you, he walks with you.
    Second, study the Scriptures. Have a plan to read the entire Bible. Knowing God when he walks into your presence requires understanding all he tells you. The Bible is Spirit-given to reveal God to you. Do not pick and choose the “good parts”. Trust it is all good. Some of it isn’t necessarily exciting reading, but it is necessary reading. The more you realize it is God’s loving revelation to you, the more you will treasure all he says. The Spirit so loves you, he revealed the Scriptures to you.
    Third, be in fellowship with Jesus. The apostle Paul defines such union with our Lord: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”. 1 Thess 2:7 “Thank God continually. Be attentive to others who work for Christ.” 1 Thess 1:3 “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
    This is loving fellowship with Jesus, living as he lived. Unceasing prayer is not about being constantly on your knees, but it is about being in an attitude prepared to petition, praise and thank God for each aspect of your life. The Holy Spirit fills your heart with love for God and for your neighbors. You read the Bible, hear a sermon, learn a lesson, talk of God with others, meditate on his Word and pray for understanding. Fellowship with Jesus is doing all you do in nis name for his purposes. The Father so loves you, he brings you into fellowship with the Son.
    The two men in Emmaus awakened to their gracious Lord’s presence with them. Has the Lord come to walk with you? Do you welcome him, learn from him and relate to him? Have you received him into your life?
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for walking with me. I pray my heart daily burns with love to be with you. Amen.

Luke 24:13-27 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
 
HERE is one lesson to learn from this passage commonly called “The Road to Emmaus”. When you need to know about God, read the Bible.
    Simple, isn’t it? Then why do we waste so much time trying to understand God with our own perceptions and opinions? That is what Cleopas and his friend were doing. When Jesus joined them, They were talking and discussing these things with each other about everything that had happened. Their faces were downcast. They were sad and afraid because Jesus had died. Joy, instead, should have been in their hearts as they heard of the empty tomb! Jesus was right, ““How foolish you are!!”
    How could the two men turn from foolish to wisdom? They needed the Scriptures. They needed the truth. All the messianic prophecies of the Scriptures to that date had been fulfilled in Jesus. If the men and others wanted to truly discuss what had happened, they would have been in the synagogue re-reading the scrolls to examine God’s plan to redeem Israel.
    They didn’t do it. Instead they went for a walk. So once more, the Teacher teaches. Now he is the resurrected Lord. Now he can teach even more completely how the Scriptures had been fulfilled. He uses the truth to raise up the men’s faces.
    So it should be for you. Don’t be downcast. Look up, instead, to faithfully gaze on the risen Christ. People of God, where do you go to know God? Do you walk on your own way or with the Way?
 
Prayer. Lord Jesus, thank you for fulfilling the Scriptures. Keep my mind on the Holy Bible to know God. Amen.

Luke 24:9-12 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
 
DO you see it? A glimmer of light begins to break into the darkness of Jesus’ death and burial. Even though the Eleven did not believe the women, someone stepped into Hope. You see him, don’t you? He’s the one we call, “Betrayer. Out-spoken. Impulsive.” He’s Peter. Peter got up and ran to the tomb. See him bending over to see the strips of linen lying by themselves. Observe Peter as he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
    Did he hear for the first time Jesus’ hard words recorded in Mark 8:31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. Did Peter remember how he had taken Jesus aside to rebuke him for such words? Was he hoping against hope he would see his Lord again to tell him, “You know I love you!” (John 1:17b)
    The empty tomb is real to the women, and now it is real to Peter. Other gospels record John went with him. Before this first day of the week is done, the others, too, will know the tomb is truly, eternally empty. Throughout the day, Jesus’ Light of life will burn brighter and brighter as he begins to reveal himself to the world. 
    These events are a good look at evangelism. We who know of the empty tomb must be willing to tell the world. Even if many people say, “I don’t believe you.” we must remember some will get up to seek Jesus. As the women had no control over Peter, we have no control to force people to the empty tomb. But we do have the truth. We must tell the truth as if we have seen the stone rolled away and the resurrected Lord before us. In faith, we have. In faith, we know Jesus is alive. In faith, our lips must speak the good news. God will move his chosen disciples to run to the tomb, prepared to see what God has done.
   
Prayer: Thank you, Holy Spirit, for getting me up to go to Jesus. Amen.
 

Luke 24:4-8 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ 8 Then they remembered his words.
 
WE all know of lightning’s startling brilliance. Regardless of how many times we have seen blazing white lightning bolt across the sky, we sense some fear of this uncontrollable power. We know we cannot stop it. Such is God’s power to do his will. He is sovereign to control all things in heaven and earth. We are not. That may be obvious to most of us; however, mankind’s tendency is to believe otherwise.
    Can you imagine, then, how the “two men” – angels (meaning messengers) form heaven – at Jesus’ tomb startled the women? When the women saw their clothes that gleamed like lightning their only response was to bow down with their faces to the ground. God’s glory and power stood before them. Who would not bow in fear and reverence? The is how Peter, James and John reacted at Jesus’ Transfiguration. Matthew 17:2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light…5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. When we recognize God’s blazing holiness bolt into our storm-afflicted lives, reverent worship and fear must be our response. In other words, we truly believe in God’s authority to judge us and to save us. We are at his mercy for our lives now and forever.
    That’s why, then, we celebrate that God has made a way for us to stand before him in faithful peace. Remembering God is sovereign to offer Jesus unto death, as the angels urged the women, our fearful souls find a holy peace. As Jesus commanded, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19), we are to remember how God has acted to turn the lightning bolt’s fearful light into the Savior’s light of salvation.
    The angels spoke to bring peace to the women’s hearts. God’s purpose was for them to leave the empty tomb, eager to find the risen Christ. Their mission was to tell the world Jesus had fulfilled his promise, “on the third day be raised again.” With that message they and all of Jesus disciples throughout history would come to know Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Faithful to believe God, Jesus’ disciples are prepared to meet the risen Savior.
    Need peace? Believe the message. Go find Jesus.
 
Prayer: May you, the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in you, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (from Romans 15:13) Amen.