Today's readings are Numbers 32.1-6 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Num.+32.1-6 ), Numbers 32.16-27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Num.+32.16-27 ), and Luke 24.1-27 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Luke+24.1-27 ).
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to some discouraged disciples. They did not recognize him, for what reason, we don't know. Yet we find that Jesus, as he is walking alongside these discouraged men, does some very important things. First, he hears their discouragement and their need. We too are sometimes the discouraged ones needing to hear from the Lord, or sometimes we are the ones who bring God's words of comfort and healing, loving our neighbor as ourselves and thus doing the same kind of works that Christ does.
Jesus not only hears the discouragement and need. He also brings his answers to their need. And what answer does he bring? He brings the Scripture that talks about himself. So often when we hear discouraged people talking about their troubles we are tempted to rush in and solve those troubles. We tell them immediately how to behave in their workplace, what kind of medical treatment worked for us, and five books we have read recently that told us how to work with annoying people. But what does Jesus do? He tells about himself. When we are discouraged we often need to hear about our great Lord and Savior. We don't need someone to tell us how we have failed. We don't need someone with more self-help tips. We need to hear that Jesus is the one who has overcome the world through his death, burial and resurrection.
As we move toward Trinity Sunday (tomorrow), let us look to the true encouragement. Maybe we need that encouragement. Maybe we need to provide that encouragement. But the true encouragement is that we, through faith in Christ, are partakers in the resurrection. Jesus is not left in the tomb. He himself is the fulfillment of God's commands. He is the Lord our righteousness.
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