Luke 24 (3)

Pray Psalm 55.16-19.
As for me, I will call upon God,
And the LORD shall save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
For there were many against me.
God will hear, and afflict them,
Even He who abides from of old. Selah

Sing Psalm 55.16-19.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Lord, I will call on You, answer and save!
Noon, morning, evening too, my voice I raise.
Grant me Your peace, O Lord; answer my foes!
All who reject God’s Word He overthrows.

Read Luke 24.1-27; meditate on verses 25-27.

Preparation
1. What did Jesus say about these disciples?

2. What did He do then?

Meditation
This is one of my favorite examples of how Jesus used words to astonish and convict. That phrase, “slow of heart to believe”, undoubtedly would have caused those two disciples to say, “What?” At first hearing, none of these words go together. “Slow” relates to the passage of time, suggesting a sluggish, tardy, or delayed pace. “Heart”, these disciples would have understood, is the seat of affections in the soul, that unseen, spiritual vault where desires, longings, and aspirations are stored. Combining a physical idea such as “slow” with a spiritual form like “heart” would have gotten the attention of those disciples. Then, add “believe” into the mix, and more questions arise. What does believing “in all that the prophets have spoken” have to do with sluggish affections?

Well, everything, as it turns out. Throughout His earthly sojourn Jesus appealed to the prophets to confirm His identity, validate His work, and point forward to His death and resurrection. The disciples had obviously been a little “slow on the uptake” in believing His teaching. They hesitated in their belief, especially where Jesus’ suffering and resurrection were concerned. They could not bring themselves to desire such a thing, and when it happened, all they could do was feel sorry for themselves (“we were hoping”).

Jesus’ rebuke of their unbelief was like a glass of water in the face. It got their attention and began to reshape their hearts so that they could receive and, when He was ready, believe the things “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures…concerning Himself” (v. 25; cf. v. 32). Jesus had previously told them that the Old Testament was all about Him (Jn. 5.39). Now He showed them plainly, yet concealing His identify.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
If those people got called out for their slow hearts and inability to believe (Lk. 24.25), imagine what Jesus could to say to those of us who know it all, yet don’t do anything with it.

We are the blessed owners of all His words—an encyclopedic tutorial on the complete life of Jesus—expounded for us, by the Holy Spirit, if we dare to read, hear, and receive it. For we are not hearers only, like those scolded travelers. We are readers, as well. We have all the writings of Moses, all the words of the Prophets, all the Scriptures pointing to Jesus, at our disposal. We can read and know about His life, death, and resurrection, ascension, and eternity (The Bible). Every day. Any time. Our minds and hearts can be refreshed, and quickened, to believe it.

We know that He ascended to His Father in heaven (Lk. 24.51; Eph. 4.8-10).
We know that He is the only way for us to get to the Father (Jn. 14.6).
We know that He sent His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us (Lk. 24.49; Jn. 14.16; Acts 1.8).
We know that He is preparing a place for us in heaven (Jn. 14.1-4).
We know that the Word of God is infallible (Prov. 30.5; Is. 40.8; Lk. 21.33).
We know that the Word of God is active and convicting (Heb. 4.12)
We know that we will one day have to give account for our behavior (Heb. 4.13).
We know that He will one day return to take all His followers home to be with Him (Jn. 14.3).
We know that God is going to create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Pet. 3.13; Rev. 21.1).
We know that those who believe in Jesus for salvation, will spend eternity with God (Jn. 3.16).
We know that He is always with us (Matt. 28.20).
We know that we know Him when we keep His commandments (1 Jn. 2.3; Jms. 1.22).

Are we foolish? And slow of heart to believe all these words concerning Him?

We might know about Him. But do we really know Him?
And do we believe Him? Enough to follow, trust, and obey Him?

Don’t be slow of heart.

For reflection
1. How might you be able to tell when you were beginning to be a little “slow of heart”?

2. How would you counsel new believers to keep their hearts lively and ready to believe and obey the Lord?

3. Whom will you encourage today to hear and hold fast to the words of Jesus?

Christ, perceiving that his disciples are excessively sluggish; commences with reproof, in order to arouse them; for this is the way in which we must subdue those whom we have found to be hardened or indolent. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Luke 24.25

Pray Psalm 55.16-23.
Pray that God will “speed up” your “heart” so that you will quickly believe everything in His Word and act on it with joy.

Sing Psalm 55.16-23.
(Bread of Life: Break Thou the Bread of Life)
Lord, I will call on You, answer and save!
Noon, morning, evening too, my voice I raise.
Grant me Your peace, O Lord; answer my foes!
All who reject God’s Word He overthrows.

Many assail, O Lord, many betray.
See how they draw their sword across my way.
Take up my burden, Lord; strengthen and bless!
Let judgment by Your Word  their souls distress.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.