They remembered His words jumps off the page as I read Luke 24 (v. 8).
Most of us received words of wisdom from our parents, grandparents, or some other significant person in our life. Most of us also let those words go in one ear and out the other. We had other things on our minds at the time that were much more pressing in our estimation. Their advice just didn’t fit our agendas. The disciples were no different as they walked and talked with Jesus. No doubt many things He said just did not make sense especially when Jesus said things that did not match their agenda for Him and “their” kingdom.
The death, burial, and resurrection changed their agenda as well as how they responded to what Jesus had said. Life has a way of doing that. We have our expectations for life and then things happen that cause us to remember the words we had once ignored. Standing next to our car as we wait for a tow truck will suddenly make the phrase “remember to check the oil in your car” take on new meaning. Checking our oil had not been on our agenda, but now it suddenly takes priority.
The women approached the tomb of Jesus trying to make sense of what they had witnessed just three days prior. They encountered an angel who pointed them to the words Jesus had spoken. Those words were predictions of His crucifixion and His resurrection. Luke pointed out that the women then remembered the words (Luke 24:8). The words that had once seemed so distant were now alive with meaning. Jesus had told them of God’s plan and now they were the first to witness the reality of that plan. The setting, the people present, the tone used when He first made those predictions flashed through their memories, bringing understanding and insight.
They remembered His words (Luke 24: 8) and doing so made all the difference!
What promises or statements made by Jesus come to your mind as you read the account of His resurrection? What words do you remember?
Dwayne McCrary leads the teams that creates the adult and young adult Explore the Bible resources. He also uses the resources every week, teaching a Bible study group in his church.