Opening the Scriptures
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:45
As Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the evangelist Luke notes that beginning with Moses and the Prophets, Jesus “interpreted” the Scriptures to them as they testified about Himself. One of the disciples described what Jesus had done as “opening” the Scriptures. Jesus would go on to explain how the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled and then proceeded to “open” the Scriptures to them.
While our Lord Jesus Christ sits enthroned at the Father’s right hand in heaven until He comes again in glory, He continues to open for us the Holy Scriptures as His Word is preached and taught among us. That is why Jesus promised to not leave His disciples as orphans, but sent them the Holy Spirit. For as the Scriptures are taught among us– both the Law and Prophets as they proclaimed the coming Messiah and the Gospels reveal the saving work of Jesus– the Spirit was sent to teach us all things and continue to open the Scriptures for us and see how they testify about Christ.
The Ascension of our Lord is not an insignificant date on the Church’s calendar. The risen Christ takes His seat at the Father’s right hand in glory, but also sends to us the Holy Spirit. Our prayer is that the words of Luke 24 will continue to be fulfilled through the faithful preaching and teaching of the Scriptures (the Old and New Testaments) through sermons and Bible classes, family devotions, and Lutheran schools. Our prayer is the Scriptures would not be a closed book, but our Lord Jesus Christ will continue to open for us the Scriptures as we learn about how they testify to Him.
Prayer - Grant, we pray, almighty God, that even as we believe your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind ascend and continually dwell there with him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Fraternally in Christ,
President Lee Hagan