In Luke 24 we find four things that were “opened.” “And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:2323And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. (Luke 24:23)).
The opened tomb revealed that He was risen! The Jews had not ceased to offer sacrifices daily in the temple. “But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins,” God raised from the dead, “and [they] found not the body of the Lord Jesus.” Every other “great” man who walked the face of this earth is now in his grave, but this Man is risen! “Why seek [we] the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:55And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5)). Do we daily, by faith “see” Him as the risen and glorified Lord, ever living to make intercession for us? Let us praise and thank God for that opened tomb!
“Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself ” (Luke 24:26-2726Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:26‑27)). Until the tomb was opened, the Scriptures could not be fully opened to our hearts. But now the Scriptures are opened by Jesus Himself to these disheartened travelers. He reveals from all the Scriptures the “things concerning Himself.” Is it any wonder they exclaimed later that their hearts had burned within them as He opened to them the Scriptures? Do we see Christ in all Scripture? May our hearts, too, burn within us as the Spirit reveals Him to us.
Their hearts thus warmed, they desire Him to abide with them for the night. They opened their home to Him. And what blessing He brought, for it was there that He broke bread with them. What blessing we may miss in those times when our hearts and homes are closed to Him.
Then, finally, their eyes were opened, and they knew Him! Was it His gracious manner or the power and authority with which He taught which opened their eyes? No. He was known to them when He broke the bread. May we treasure the privilege of answering to His request, “Remember Me,” and when thus gathered having our eyes opened to see Him in the midst.
When we by faith see the opened tomb empty (our Lord having risen into glory for us) and have the Scriptures opened to our understanding (that we might see all of His glory foretold and have a sure hope of His coming again), then let us open our homes to Him with our eyes opened and our hearts burning. We have His promise that He will come in to us and sup with us and we with Him (Rev. 3:2020Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)). Has this world anything to compare with that?
K. Heslop