Easter Experts: The Road
Seeing Jesus Clearly on the Road of Discipleship
Return
Happy Easter Everyone and welcome back to The Holy Go!
Over the past month or so we’ve been looking at how we can become Easter Experts so we can know and explain the gospel confidently and effectively.
This week is our final instalment and will build upon the truth of the resurrection. If announcing the gospel is declaring something that has already happened, then Awakening is the first step, (and ongoing step), on the road of discipleship.
Equip
Now You See Me
I have been drawn to all the stories of those who saw Jesus after His resurrection.
The women at The Tomb
The disciples in the Upper Room
The disciples on the Beach
The men on the Road
They all had something in common…
They didn’t recognise Jesus at first.
Even though:
Jesus had risen from the dead,
Sin, Death and the Devil had been defeated,
All humanity had been raised in Christ…
They did not realise the good news yet.
Something had to fall from their eyes before they could clearly see Jesus.
This a great picture for the life of discipleship.
Past-Tense
When we think about it, discipleship is simply responding to something that has already happened. For example,
The Kingdom
In Jesus’ first sermon He announces that the Kingdom of God has come crashing in, and therefore tells everyone to “repent and believe the good news.”
Revealing The Father
In John 17 Jesus says that He had completed the work The Father had given Him. Take note, this is before Jesus even went to the cross! The work Jesus referred to was revealing The Father and giving people eternal life. (See John 17:1-5)
Reconciliation
When Jesus said “It is finished” upon the cross He was saying that the problem of sin had been defeated. Paul later writes that God no longer counts mans sins against us, but has already reconciled us. (2 Cor 5:81-19)
Blessed with Everything
The Apostle Paul tells us that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, (Eph 1:3) and The Apostle Peter says we have been given everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)
Whether it is The Kingdom, Eternal Life, Reconciliation or Being Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing, the Scriptures say all these things have already been freely given to us!
Road of Discipleship
Even though all these things are true we do not always feel like they are true. If the truth is like a feast, we don’t always get to taste of the delicious meal God has for us.
In the protestant circles I grew up in, we dealt with this dilemma by saying those things were only true once we had upheld our end of the bargain. However I now see that Scripture speaks of this differently.
Scripture tells us that the issue is not whether Jesus’ ministry has affected us or not, or whether or not it has happened yet.
Rather, the questions is: Can we see it? The Apostle Paul said that the enemy had blinded our eyes, and his job was to help open them.1
Like the disciples walking along the road who had no idea Jesus was speaking to them, their eyes needed to be opened.
While we are used to talking about “non-believers” eyes needing to be opened, the reality is all disciples have blind spots. For example,
The women at The Tomb were so sad and emotional they couldn’t see Jesus.
Thomas’ scepticism prevented him from recognising Jesus in the Upper Room.
Peter couldn’t see Jesus because of his shame.
The men on the Road were so confused they couldn’t see Jesus was right in front of them.
None of us are immune to strong emotions, scepticism, shame and confusion.
But in each of these stories Jesus shows up and reveals Himself… and when He does life begins to flow, and love, joy and peace replace sadness, confusion and fear.
My prayer is that this “Easter Experts” series has helped open your eyes to see God more clearly, understand the cross more deeply, and trust the power of the resurrection.
May this good news shape the disciples we are discipling.
Read “Easter Experts” again here:
The Foundation
The Cross
The Lamb
The Resurrection
Activate
This weeks activation is to take some time in prayer.
Ask the Holy Spirit:
What am I feeling?
What am I doubting?
What am I hiding?
What is confusing me?
Pray: Jesus, open my eyes.
See 2 Corinthians 4:4 and Acts 26:18