Anyone who wants to experience spiritual revival cannot ignore the person of the Lord Jesus. He alone can give true revival. Focusing on his person will always have a revitalizing influence on us (Psalm 34:6). That is why we must focus on his Word, because it testifies of him (John 5:39). We can seek him and contemplate him in it.
Luke 24 introduces us to various people who were disappointed and discouraged. Their world had fallen apart: their beloved Lord had died, and with his death, their hope for the redemption of Israel had also come to an abrupt end (Luke 24:1). Their expectations had not been fulfilled. They saw no future. But the risen Lord did not abandon His own. He cared for them and did everything he could to lift and revive their downcast, discouraged hearts. To this end, He directed their gaze to Himself and His Word (Psalm 119:107).
The women at the tomb
The women who came to the Lord’s tomb on that first day of the week to anoint his body were depressed and sad. Their Lord had been crucified shamefully and then buried in haste. They had not even been able to anoint his body. When they came to the tomb to do so, they saw that the stone had been rolled away and the tomb was empty (Luke 24:2-3). They could not explain any of this. Confusion spread among them. But their Lord did not leave them in this pitiful state for long. Two angels in shining garments appeared to them (Luke 24:4).
Everyone who sincerely seeks the Lord will find Him (Matthew 7:7). The women’s search was not in vain either: the Lord sent two angels to remind them of the words He had spoken to them (Luke 24:6). Had He not told them that He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, crucified, and rise again on the third day (Luke 24:7)? The memory of His words gave them comfort and lifted them again (Luke 24:8). With revived hearts, they returned from the tomb and told everyone what they had seen and heard (Luke 24:9).
Perhaps we, too, are sometimes “embarrassed” because we cannot properly understand certain events in our lives. But it is precisely then that His word can help us regain stability and orientation. When we meditate on our Lord’s words, they always have an invigorating effect on us. And as a result, we will want to pass on to others the comfort and encouragement we have experienced (2 Cor. 1:4). Revived hearts cannot remain silent: they must tell others what they themselves have experienced (Matt. 12:34).
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Disappointed and dejected, two disciples set out from Jerusalem to Emmaus that day. Their hopes had not been fulfilled: Jesus, their Messiah, had died. The one in whom they had placed all their hope was no longer there. [1] On the way, they talked about the events that had taken place in Jerusalem (Luke 24:14). Their topic was Christ.
The Lord saw the two disciples walking along, dejected. He himself approached them and walked with them (Luke 24:15). We ask ourselves: Did the risen Lord have nothing else to do at that moment—spoken with reverence—than to join the two who should have known what He had told them repeatedly before? No, He cared so much about them that He made it a “matter of priority” to comfort their hearts and revive them.
The two disciples did not recognize the Lord (Luke 24:16). Although He knew exactly why the two were so sad and disappointed, He asked them about the subject of their conversation (Luke 24:17, 19). Why did He do that? He wanted to hear from their own mouths what was troubling them. The Lord also knows our requests and thoughts before we utter them. And yet He wants to hear them from us. He wants us to bring our requests before Him and show our dependence on Him.
When the Lord asked them, they replied, “The things concerning Jesus…” (Luke 24:19). How their thoughts revolved around what had happened in Jerusalem! What they told the Lord shows that they were not only sad but also confused. They could not properly understand the events. They saw all kinds of things, but not Him (Luke 24:22–24). Isn’t it sometimes the same with us? We see the behavior of Brother X, the conduct of Sister Y, but we do not see the Lord, the main thing. At the end of a meeting, let us ask ourselves what we have seen: Him or only outward appearances?
Finally, the Lord explained to them in all the Scriptures (of the Old Testament) what concerned Him (Luke 24:27). Only the Word of God could give them stability again in this situation and bring them inner peace. But even more than that: studying Christ in the Scriptures set their sad and downcast hearts on fire (Luke 24:32).
Even though the situation had not changed outwardly, their hearts were completely transformed. After they had finally welcomed the Lord into their home and He had revealed Himself to them, they were unstoppable. Late in the evening, they returned to Jerusalem (Luke 24:33). We learn that no distance is too far for burning hearts, but every step is too much for sluggish hearts.
The circle of disciples in Jerusalem
When the two disciples arrived in Jerusalem, they told the others what had happened on the way and how they had recognized the Lord when He broke bread (Luke 24:35). Shortly thereafter, the Lord Himself stood among the disciples and said, “Peace be with you!” But the disciples did not recognize Him: they were startled and filled with fear (Luke 24:37). It is similar to us today. The Lord speaks to us, He introduces Himself to us, but we do not recognize Him. Instead, fear fills our hearts.
When the Lord then introduced Himself to the disciples and showed them that He had truly risen from the dead, their fear turned to joy (Luke 24:41). The mere awareness of His presence changed their hearts. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and directed their gaze back to Himself by showing them from the Scriptures what had happened to Him (Luke 24:45-46). Once again, His person and His word were enough to lift the disciples‘ hearts and revive them.
Finally, the last verses of the Gospel show how the disciples’ joy became great joy (Luke 24:52): it was the sight of the Lord ascending into heaven that made their joy even greater (Luke 24:51). We, too, can look again and again at the Lord glorified in heaven and thereby experience strength and revitalization (Hebrews 12:2). The disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem with great joy and were then always in the temple, where they praised and glorified God (Luke 24:52-53). They could no longer remain silent about what they had experienced and seen: their hearts overflowed with praise, worship, and adoration for their God. Is this also true for you and me?
Footnotes:
- The two disciples hoped that the Lord would restore Israel. Still, they had completely overlooked that Scripture says elsewhere that He would first suffer and die (Luke 24:25). Incidentally, if our hopes and expectations are not based on God’s Word, or are only partially based on it, we may also be disappointed.