Then the
two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were
walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the
bread. And just as they were telling
about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be
with you,” he said. But the whole
group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! “Why are you frightened?” he
asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost,
because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his
feet. Still they stood there in
disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then
he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled
fish, and he ate it as they watched.
Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that
everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the
Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he
opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long
ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third
day. It was also written that this
message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning
in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of
sins for all who repent.’ You are
witnesses of all these things. Luke
24:35-48(NLT)
Last week we looked at the After Easter
result of the resurrection. We heard
Jesus say peace three different times, and with three different
meanings.
The natural result of peace
entering our journey is assurance.
Today we want to examine the difference assurance will make
when you realize you have been given a second chance.
You would certainly think the disciples were in dire need
of a second chance; especially considering the way they all acted at the end,
deserting Jesus when the soldiers came for him in Gethsemane on Thursday night
– particularly Peter, who cowered in fear outside Pilate’s house, denying
Christ repeatedly while Jesus was on trial.
Probably if any of us were in charge of
punishment-choosing that night, those eleven disciples would have been
incinerated by a lightning bolt; Apostle toast!
It’s no wonder that our text describes the disciples
gathering in the upper room as amazed, excited, elated, and confused…when the two
disciples who met Jesus on the Emmaus Road came hurrying
back to tell them the news – Jesus was alive!
Again…with Peter, chiefly considering his proud, bold
statement that he would die for Christ, and then his subsequent shameful
bail-out at crunch time…if I was Simon Peter it would have scared my socks off
to know that Jesus was back in the hood!
But all the disciples were baffled and bewildered. Our text tells us they were startled and
disbelieving, full of doubt, fear, and joy.
Amazement overwhelmed them when Jesus suddenly appeared. They couldn’t understand that He was really
back, standing there. Was it a
ghost? Their imagination? Could it be?
And then Jesus
opened their minds
Peter and the others had a terrible performance record
before this. They missed the mark on
Jesus’ teaching so often. It was because
they were human, flawed, and self-centered…just like us. But when Jesus opened their minds with the
Word of Scripture, suddenly everything was different; they went from failure to
formidable force that changed everything – they turned the world upside-down!
So let’s take a look at how the ASSURANCE the disciples
got from Jesus that day took them from zero to hero in the eyes of Heaven.
We will start with the human, worldly-minded disciples and
their sinful ways, and trace it to what happened after they got a second
chance.
Peter chose flesh over obedience
Peter is always in
action. At times he is opening his mouth
before thinking (usually just to exchange feet). Most often his action gets him in trouble.
A few chapters back, standing in the Garden of
Gethsemane, Peter has told Jesus he would die for him, and, in the spirit of it
all the big fisherman is itching for a fight.
The soldiers show up and Peter is determined to show his leadership
skills; he pulls his sword. This action,
swinging the weapon and cutting-off the right ear of the servant of the High
Priest, was a supreme testament to Pete's penchant for leaping without
looking. One of the disciples had asked
the question, Should we use the swords now? Peter's problem here is that he didn’t wait
for an answer from Jesus.
Many times I believe we can be guilty of the same, asking
God to supply a need, or deliver us from a problem, or guide us to a right
decision...only to plow ahead Peter-style.
A preacher summed it up this way: How busy we keep the Lord putting on ears
that we, in our mistaken zeal, cut off.[3]
Peter also ignored the teaching of Jesus
Jesus taught us to
love our enemies (Luke 6.27).
This was a basic problem that Jesus’ disciples AND the Pharisees
shared; they were arrogantly stubborn when it came to what Jesus tried to teach
them. What Jesus said…they should have
believed. Instead they closed their
minds.
It is interesting
that Peter cut off Malchus' right ear (the servant of the High Priest). When a High Priest was consecrated for
service, the right ear received a sprinkling of blood. That is a sign of cleansing.
It is helpful to have no hindrances to hearing God's voice
when you are a bridge between God and man.
You are responsible for hearing and doing. In the New Testament church we are all priests. It helps to have the ear inclined to God:
If you will listen carefully
to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight,
obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you
suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am
the Lord who heals you. Exodus
15:26(NLT)
O my people, listen to my
instructions. Open your ears to what I
am saying, Psalm 78:1(NLT)
Why did Peter choose wrongly? He
was unprepared!
Just prior to this
moment Jesus was praying while the disciples slept. Even the inner circle of Peter, James, and
John snoozed while Jesus was fighting the most critical battle of His
ministry.
We could
learn this lesson. In the crises of
life, it doesn't matter how handsome, intelligent, popular or wealthy you are –
if you have not spent alert and listening time with Jesus you will not have a
clue as to his direction. The
alternative is to go it alone. That
usually means you will cut off an ear.
Peter’s
sinful choices were followed by:
Jesus Touched Malchus
The word touch literally means to
attach oneself to. The meaning is unmistakable; ministry is
always hands-on!
Jesus touched Malchus' ear and it was healed (made
whole). Jesus was always touching
people. He touched a leper (Luke 5);
He touched a dead boy (Luke 7); He was touched by a desperately ill
woman (Luke 8). The result
was always the same; the touch of Jesus meant being made whole.
Jesus touched Malchus, but besides a Roman soldier being
made whole, the life of Peter would never involve another sword made of
steel. From then on it was the Sword of
the Spirit, God’s Holy Word that was attached to Peter’s tool belt.
Jesus Gave Peter Freedom
When Malchus had his
ear severed it’s a high probability that he would NOT have nominated
Peter for disciple of the year. Had
Jesus not intervened, healing the ear, removing the evidence against Peter, the
fisherman would have likely been hacked to pieces right on the spot by Malchus'
company of soldiers. At the very least
he would have been arrested with Jesus.
But, how could they arrest Peter with no bloody ear stump as evidence?
But Jesus had more than Peter’s political freedom in
mind. The most impressive freedom was
not that Peter wouldn’t go to the lock-up; Peter had been privileged to witness
this miracle, and that pointed to a larger purpose.
The scene is filled
with high drama, pathos, and a little humor:
Peter, a big, burly seaman wields a sword; to put it mildly he is not a
skilled swordsman. He swings at the
leader of the soldiers, missing his intended mark (which was to sever Malchus’ head);
instead Simon Peter, lousy marksman with a sword, lops off a consecrated
ear.
In my sanctified imagination I hear Peter grumble: That's just the beginning you toad. You should've been listening to Jesus anyway –
like me. Now for the rest of you.
Suddenly Jesus holds up his hand to stay Peter's second at
bat. And with a look that
says, Oh Peter, you just don't listen, Jesus stops the action, stoops down and picks up the bloody ear. You can just envision Jesus silently
lamenting to himself: And
if only you'd been listening!
Then, with disciples, soldiers, and assembled onlookers
holding their collective breath, Jesus reattaches the ear.
Peter is very confused.
·
Why the swords in the first place?
·
How are we going to have a kingdom if the King goes to
jail?
· What is going
on here?
Freedom is like that – valuable enough to die for, but
forcing decisions and responsibilities upon the participants.
Peter's Forgiveness
It was not right away; perhaps it was not for years, but
what Peter would eventually realize is that Jesus' action was not only a
healing, but a forgiving.
Jesus took His divine hand and lovingly healed the ear of
Malchus, and covered the sin of Peter. It
was as much second chance for the fisherman as it was for Malchus’ ear.
There is often much more to miracles than we can see at
first!
What Do You Do
With Second Chances?
Embrace 'em
Forgiveness is a gift of God:
God saved you by his grace
when you believed. And you can’t take
credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward
for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9(NLT )
When God offers you a second chance you just accept it.
Days after the ear business, Jesus appeared to Peter and
gave him a second chance at ministry.
Peter looked into Jesus' eyes and knew that he had been forgiven, and he’d
been recommissioned to be a Kingdom servant.
He knew he was unworthy.
He knew he could blow it again.
But he embraced the second chance.
Extend 'em
A reality about
being forgiven is that forgiving becomes possible. Malchus knew firsthand the power and loving
touch of Jesus. However, he still
arrested Jesus. He didn't accept the
second chance very well – and because he refused the forgiving love of Jesus,
he himself could not forgive others.
We must always be
ready to forgive and forge ahead.
Otherwise we become like Steven Crane's character in his poem The
Black Riders. The Black Rider is
described as ...a creature, naked, bestial. He is stranded in a
desert, starving. He sinks to eating his
own heart.
Asked if it is good, the creature replies:
I like it
Because it is
bitter,
and
Because it is my heart.
Assurance will give
you a consecrated ear – ready to listen to God's
instructions.
Assurance will give you an embracing heart –
both for the second chances of God who forgives – and for others who must be
forgiven.
Shall we pray?
Lord, help us
to embrace your offer of freedom from hate, bigotry, and the arrogance that
makes us suppose we’re somehow superior to others.
Father, the
last thing this world needs is more ‘Black Riders’ so steeped in our stubborn
choices we’d rather eat our own insides than forgive and embrace one we have
learned to call ‘enemy’.
Help us to
embrace others for the sake of Christ.
And, dear
Lord, visit us now in this room with that same word of assurance with which you
blessed the eleven who waited fearfully, unbelieving, unknowing what next they
should do – say ‘PEACE’ and still our hearts.
May the touch
of your nail-pierced hands, feet, and side still our worried minds, and quicken
our doubting hearts, and send us from this place changed into the kind of
followers you want to use to transform this old sinful world.
We pray in the Name of the Son, because of the Father’s
promises, cooperating with the Spirit’s call…Amen!
