-April 21, 2025-
Good morning beloved, happy Monday,
“And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”
(Luke 24:45).
Imagine the disciples, also called apostles, spent about three years with the Lord Jesus. They heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles, saw Him die on the cross, and testified of His resurrection. Our Savior appeared to them and taught and encouraged them for forty days before ascending to heaven. He could gone straight to heaven but spent a little more time with them.
Of all the gospel writers, only Luke devoted so much to this time period. We pull back the curtain and see a glimpse of what our Lord taught His followers in Luke 24:44-49. He gave a review of how He fulfilled everything written of Him in the law and the prophets. What a great Bible study!
So often during Jesus’ earthly ministry, the disciples didn’t always understand what He was saying. Now in these forty days, Christ opened their hearts and minds that they might comprehend the Scriptures. It all came together for the eleven disciples who would turn the world upside down.
The best analogy that I can think of is a college education. The student completes his or her undergraduate studies and receives a diploma. Some then go on to postgraduate studies for Masters and Doctoral degrees. The courses are more advanced and help students to focus just on their particular field of study. Some professions require postgraduate degrees such as doctors and lawyers.
We have some much to learn from God’s Word. It takes years of prayer and Bible study. The Holy Spirit is our teacher. Jesus is found in all the OT. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
St. Augustine once said, “The OT is the NT concealed. The NT is the OT revealed.” Thus we must understand the OT in the light of the NT and comprehend the NT in the light of the OT. Jesus fulfilled the law completely and ushered in the New Covenant of love and grace, with salvation by grace through faith.
Have blessed spending time with Jesus, in His Word and prayer. Stay safe and healthy.
The whole counsel of God is given to us, the people of God, in the Word of God.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 