#DailyDevotion If You’re Not Looking For Jesus, Then You’re Using The Bible Wrong

Saturday Easter 3

Luke 24: 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them,  “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 

The Bible is a closed book for those who do not believe. It is Jesus who opens it up to us, to reveal to us its meaning. Many people use it for all sorts of things. For some it is a philosophy of life. Some use it as a manual for better business practices. Some people even use it for a diet guideline for better health. And you might actually find some instances of these in the Scriptures. But these things are not the point. But that is all the natural man and gain from the written word.

 

Jesus though opened the minds of the disciples and hopefully he has opened your mind as well to understand them. How do you know if you understand the Scriptures? If you find Jesus and his message everywhere. This is what you should find: the Christ should suffer, rise from the dead on the third day, repentance and the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. If this is not what you are finding or understanding when reading the Bible, then you don’t understand or you are looking for the wrong stuff.

 

That Christ should suffer is a no brainer. From Genesis 3:15 to the last chapter of Revelation we see that he would suffer many things. A sacrifice for sin must be had. We see all the sacrifices in the Old Testament and in them we see the suffering of Jesus in his passion and death.

 

We see the resurrection of Jesus in all the places where someone has received their loved one back, most notably Isaac. But also in all the places where the Messiah receives honor and glory, a kingdom and a people, these all point to Christ resurrection after his suffering and death.

 

It of course is a constant theme of Scripture that our Lord, God Almighty, wants men to repent of their sins, to turn their minds around, to look to their Creator for every good thing and that he himself would provide the means through which the forgiveness of their sins would be provided. Those with closed minds only see an angry, capricious god. But we see in Christ a God who goes to all lengths to redeem and ransom his creation and the children of men. We see him as one who takes no pleasure in the suffering of mankind but provides a way to reconciliation through his Son Jesus Christ.

 

So when you read the Scriptures, pray the Lord of Life, the Word of God give you understanding how what you read points to him. In that understanding have your mind changed, your perspective on life turned upside down and realize what reality really is in him.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, open our minds to understand the Scriptures that we might rightly repent and turn to you for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. In your precious name we pray. Amen.