Luke 24.

Looking at the contradictions we need to explore scripture. Luke 24 is a classic starting point. We see a whole closure of their eyes to the Risen Lord.

Two disciples shell shocked about what had happened to the focus of their hope. We must see that this closure of eyes would lead to eyes that were opened to a new type of hope.

We are examining confusing circumstances in our lives in that we live in a day where the common narrative is people that find themselves in a doctor’s consultation room to find that from one moment to another their whole scenario changes. The dark cloud embodied in the word: cancer; descends and it seems for a moment the world pauses.

Or on another level we are assisting the slow destruction of Syria where daily we see images of cities totally laid waste. We see children orphaned and we see migration.

These are real contradictions to a neat explanation we look for. Or a neat theology we can preach. These contradictions enter the Biblical narrative especially in Luke 24.

Jesus lived and ministered in an Israel ripe for Revolution. Yet all political hopes resided in this person who worked in miraculous ways.

These disciples walked talking in a way that was disconcerting. Jesus walked to them and for those hours His Identity was hidden from them in a predetermined work.

He was to completely dismount their own view of Scripture, of the Messiah, the mission, the Crucifixion in the midst of a prophetic and eternal plan.

What we know is that the Crucifixion was a passing occurrence in the eternal plan of things. All of 6 hours were passed there. Yet these Mark the whole panorama of eternity.

Yet the whole motivation of the mission which culminated in death would change forever the whole landscape on the earth, and in heaven.

The whole nature of the mission is contained with the Godhead acting out the plan to reconcile man back to God.

What the disciples saw on their way to Emmaus was the fact that all of Scripture pointed the way to the Cross.

And in that eternal view what they were seeing played out was no accident. This is important when we are dealing with contradictory circumstances. We wonder how they fit within the Plan God promised He would enable us to walk out. Yet in a precious moment they saw that what they saw and heard was not a pure spurious tragedy. It was the essence of divine design that this event disarm the forces of political aspirations, the forces of religious Revolution resulting in Roman oppression.

Once they see all this their view of the “prophet” in His humanity is lifted away until at the Table their eyes were opened. They exclaimed: we have seen the Lord.

How much we need to say; we have seen the Lord! And He will bring us to this pinnacle revelation.

We see Him walk with us, show us, sit with us, dine with us, and then show us His Glory. We are full of Understanding and knowledge of God’s plan!

The tragedy they felt made way to the fact that the tragedy was a doorway for heaven itself.

So we may be in a situation ourselves and it seems that our eyes are purposely closed because God is bringing us new eyes and new vision. For that to happen our eyes must first be closed.

It seems contradictory as we need open eyes that God closes them. At times we need understanding to come away ignorant. We need consolation to find ourselves bereft of hope.

As Jesus went to the Cross bereft and alone so we now come into perfect communion. As He suffered pain we come into eternal relief.

So God will in our time of eyes closed show us in subtle and harmonious Spirit caresses that we are not in the midst of an accident. We are in the centre not of our plan, not our situation, nor our circumstance, but the eternal plan of the Most High.

It must culminate at the Table. Where bread is broken and covenant consummated that eyes behold Him as He really is.

How many times we must be reminded! How many times we forget!

Our hopes and dreams are sometimes superimposed on Him. We make plans, build ministries to find them flounder and fail. Until we see Him!!!

Oh! When we see Him all of our aspirations and ambitions make way for His Plan that He revealed to us in our anguish!

When our eyes are closed we are prepared for them to be opened to something greater and new!

May we see that in contradiction that He is with us bringing us wisdom and understanding.

All will make way for a new vision of Him!

Shalom!