Luke 24:36-43 Evidence
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: December 29, 2018 Luke 24:36-43
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
(Understanding the Text) The two from the road to Emmaus rushed into the house where the disciples were hiding. They were bursting to tell their good news only to find the house full of excited voices and to be pre-empted by the news that Jesus had just appeared to Simon. They may have felt a little crestfallen that their news was not as important as they thought, or maybe they felt reassured because they might have started to doubt themselves on the way back to Jerusalem. After all, they had not even recognized Jesus at first, and even if they themselves were sure of their story, the others might not believe them any more than they had believed the women. Having Simon back up their story or their backing up of Peter’s story might have felt reassuring. For the other disciples who had not yet seen Jesus, the events were coming together to ensure their readiness to believe. First, they got over their initial shock at the news with the women’s reports. Then, Simon saw Jesus, and soon after two of the doubters from earlier in the day rushed in to say that they had seen and spoken with Jesus. The evidence kept adding up that Jesus was resurrected.
And yet, they still must have been doubting because when Jesus suddenly appeared in the middle of their group, they were shocked and thinking of ghostly answers. They thought He was a spirit. I wonder what they thought a spirit was–a dead person’s essence? Had Greek ideas of the immortality of the soul invaded their thinking? Were they superstitious? Jesus had to prove to them that He was real because they still could not comprehend the idea of the man that they had seen crucified in agony just a few days before was not only not dead, but He was strong and healthy and vibrant.
(Application / Revelation of God) My application for myself is that I should believe the multiple evidences that God provides for me, but He is patient and willing to provide more in order to secure my faith in Him. God does not lose patience and leave me to be lost in my doubts. If I let Him, He will provide me with all the evidence I need for faith. The trick is that I have to let Him. He will not force belief on me. The disciples had given allegiance to Jesus, they were gathered together discussing Him, and ready to receive more evidence. I need to place myself in God’s hands and pray and meditate on His words and deeds, as well as stepping out to do those acts that He has indicated I should do in order to be in the right place to receive more evidence.
(Prayer) Please give me faith and do not leave me. I am a mess, but I want You even when I do not make the right choices to be closer to You. Help me to do whatever it takes to be close to You.