Having just completed the book of John I am now venturing into Acts. The first episode of Acts records Jesus' final words to the disciples before ascending in a cloud back to Heaven. I thought about the importance of those 40 days following Jesus' resurrection and before his return to Heaven. He showed himself many ways and many times in convincing proofs that He had, indeed, conquered death. I looked back in the book of Luke to the story of Jesus walking with two followers shortly after He'd risen from the grave. Their eyes were supernaturally restrained from recognizing Jesus, but as they walked together Jesus walked them through the Bible and explained how the scriptures had pointed to Him and all the marvelous events and purposes of His life. I was especially struck by their words once they recognized Jesus (from Luke 24)32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" Two thoughts impressed me from this story. Firstly, it isn't enough in a sense for Jesus to have raised from the dead. He also needs to appear to us after that great event and we need to recognize Him. Secondly, there is a fire waiting to be lit within our hearts that is the combustible result of God's Word as fuel, the Holy Spirit as oxygen and the spark of a heart that comes under conviction to cause ignition. Once this fire is lit, no other spiritual heat satisfies us because this is the fire of truth that burns impurities and forges truth within. Jesus appeared to those who followed Him to forge an eternal bond with them and He appears to us, still, today.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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