April 5: “Oh Foolish Men & Slow of Heart to Believe”
♫ Music:
Day 48 - Monday, April 5
BRIGHT MONDAY
Title: “OH FOOLISH MEN & SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE”
Scripture: Luke 24: 17-35
And Jesus said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Poetry:
Today by Ku Sang
translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Anne Rashid
Today again I meet a day, a well of mystery.
Like a drop of that river extends to
a spring of a valley and then to
the faraway blue sea, for this day
the past, the future, and the present are one.
So does my today extend to eternity,
and right now I am living the eternity.
So, starting from today, I should live
eternity, not after I die,|
and should live a life that deserves eternity.
I should live the life of a poor heart.
I should live the life of an empty heart.
OH FOOLISH MEN AND SLOW OF HEART TO BELIEVE
I love this section of scripture because it is the perfect reminder that God is with us no matter what the circumstances or how unaware we are of His walking the road next to us! There is so much to this passage that encourages me and I hope it does the same for you!
For me the story really starts in verse 15 where we see Christ approach the two on the road and begin to travel with them. He didn’t linger behind them… or give them a cheery greeting and pass them up as he walked on by, he traveled with them. This is a reminder that the God of the universe is willing and desires to walk the road we travel together. Somehow, in spite of the fact that this was the very person they were discussing and grieving the loss of, their eyes were prevented from recognizing him! Maybe they hadn’t really been close enough to the Savior to recognize him now, or perhaps this was a spiritual blindness that kept them from recognizing the Lord. Whatever it was, it sets the stage for the next few hours as they traveled together and were taught again by Christ!
The next few verses (vs. 18-21) I find fascinating as the men basically ask the traveler, where have you been that you don’t know what’s going on? And Christ’s response “What things?” is priceless. I think he was messing with them a little bit here to search their thoughts about all that had transpired. And, it is in verse 21 that I think they fully disclose their loss of hope. They shared “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.” The implication in that statement was that in death, Jesus hadn’t brought a hoped-for redemption. When in fact, through His death, redemption for all mankind had been accomplished! No surprise, in just a few more verses we see “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”
The teaching on the road that took place for the remainder of their journey must have been a master’s class in theology as Christ began from Moses through all the prophets and explained to them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures! The ultimate mobile Bible lesson from the Savior himself! How cool is that! Well friends, we have that same teacher today through the God breathed words of Scripture. How often I feel alone and miss what God is trying to teach me because I’m not in His word, and realizing that He is walking the road next to me!
How appropriate that this special experience ends with sharing a meal together and the breaking of bread. Verse 30 says “When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them (vs 31). Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and he vanished from their sight.” I have always wondered if, when he reached out his hands to serve the bread, the nail scars became evident. Scripture doesn’t say it, but perhaps that was the moment they realized who this traveling stranger really was! Christ the Redeemer! What a privilege to have walked all day with the Lord.
Are you feeling like you are walking the path alone? You are not! Don’t miss the presence of the King of Kings who desires your company and truly wants to teach you the wonders of His story!
Please join me in prayer:
Father hear our prayer this day as we seek to walk the road with you. May we be fully aware of who you are and what you have accomplished in your death and resurrection, for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation through your blood. In scripture, may we hear your teaching and find peace and joy in your words of hope and salvation.
In our Savior Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.
Rick Bee
Senior Director of Advancement
Adjunct Bible Professor
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Artwork:
The Pilgrims of Emmaus (several images)
Jean Marie Pirot (Arcabas)
Oil on canvas
1993–1994
Church of the Resurrection
Torre d’ Roveri, Lombardy, Italy
The Church of the Resurrection in Italy, designed by the architect Lorenzo Pedrini in the early 20th century, was decorated inside by the famous French liturgical artist Jean Marie Pirot (Arcabas) with a suite of paintings of one of the early post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. This pictorial cycle begins with two disciples walking along the road to Emmaus when the unrecognized risen Christ joins them. Arcabas paints this wayfarer, emanating an aura of golden light, without any discernible facial features. As the two disciples talk about the tragic events that have transpired with the crucifixion of Jesus, their mysterious companion opens their minds to a deeper understanding of the Scriptures. In the second painting, the two disciples invite their traveling companion, standing in the shadows, to join them for a meal and fellowship. The next image shows Jesus breaking bread and blessing their meal, whereupon the disciples recognize their guest as the risen Christ. Behind them, the golden shape, a small floating cross, and light emanating from the broken bread further mark the revelatory event. The following panel shows this moment of recognition for the two disciples represented by one disciple suddenly standing up and knocking his chair to the ground. In the last panel, the dinner table is abandoned, the disciples have made a hasty exit into the night to immediately share their joy at seeing the risen Christ. May our journey of faith be one where our eyes are fully opened to the Savior who walks alongside us down the journey of life.
https://www.paroissesainteanne.fr/2020/04/24/la-table-d-emma%C3%BCs-d-arcacabas/
https://www.culturacattolica.it/attualit%C3%A0/mostre-e-luoghi/luoghi/in-questa-notte-fonda
http://www.padrestefanoliberti.com/2019/02/arcabas-pittore-sacro-e-i-discepoli-di.htm
About the Artist:
Jean-Marie Pirot, also known as Arcabas (1926–2018), was a contemporary French artist best known for his paintings, which feature biblical characters and scenes. He also worked in other media, including sculpture, engraving, tapestry, mosaics, cabinetry, theater scenery, and costumes. Arcabas graduated from the prestigious Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He undertook various commissions for the French government and local authorities, but his magnum opus is the Ensemble d’art Sacré Contemporain in the Church of Saint Hugues-de-Chartreuse, begun in 1953 and completed in 1986. For over forty years, Arcabas created all the artwork that now adorns the church’s interior, including murals, canvases, stained glass, brass-work, and sculpture. In addition, he also worked in close collaboration with his son, a sculptor known as Etienne, designing the liturgical furnishings of other churches and cathedrals. His international recognition and reputation has grown exponentially in recent years.
http://www.arcabas.com/biographie/index.php#
https://musees.isere.fr/musee/musee-arcabas-en-chartreuse
About the Music:
“Having Beheld the Resurrection,” from the album Beautiful Beyond: Christian Songs in Native Languages
Lyrics: (Sung in the Yup’ik language)
Hymn to the Resurrection
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ,
Let us worship, the holy Lord Jesus,
The only Sinless One!
We venerate Thy Cross, O Christ,
And Thy Holy Resurrection we praise and glorify;
For Thou art our God, and we know no other than Thee;
We call on Thy name.
Come, all you faithful, let us venerate Christ’s Holy Resurrection!
For, behold, through the Cross joy has come into all the world.
Let us ever bless the Lord, praising His Resurrection.
By enduring the Cross for us, He destroyed death by death!
About the Text/Music:
Traditional Eastern Orthodox Chant
Missionaries from the Russian Orthodox Church came to Alaska in 1794. When the first diocese was founded in Sitka in 1848, Alaska still belonged to Russia. Although the Russian influences remain, the church is now called the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). The OCA Diocese of Alaska, a Native institution, supports almost ninety churches and chapels, and twenty-five priests, covering an area of 586,000 square miles. After a period of decline in the early twentieth century, the Orthodox Church in America has enjoyed a renewal of strength in recent years, fueled in part by preserving the beautiful repertoire of sacred song that is the legacy of the early Russian Orthodox missionaries. Today’s chant, “Having Beheld the Resurrection,” is sung in the native Yup’ik language, and is heard typically at the Matins service.
https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40480.pdf
About the Performers:
St. Herman’s Seminary Octet
Today’s performance is sung in the native Alaskan Yup’ik language by a group of Orthodox singers from St. Herman’s Seminary in Kodiak, Alaska, under the direction of Rev. Martin Nicolai. Vocalists are Theresa Andrew, Rev. Thomas A. Andrew, Agnes Ashepak, Rev. Nicholai Isaac, Oxenia Isaac, Elena Nicolai, and Rev. Martin Nicolai. The performance was recorded in December 2002, at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., as part of the Smithsonian Folkways project. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label founded in 1948 to document peoples’ music, spoken word instruction, and sounds from around the world. The label supports the work of traditional artists and expresses a commitment to cultural diversity, education, and increased understanding.
https://folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/smithsonian_folkways/SFW40480.pdf
About the Poet:
Ku Sang (1919–2004) was a Korean writer, playwright, and poet, considered one of Korea’s most respected poets. Raised Catholic, he had a crisis of faith after studying in Japan and only returned to Catholicism later in life. His efforts to publish his poetry just after the end of World War II were met with resistance from the Communist authorities in the north and he fled to the south of Korea. Ku served as assistant director of the writers’ group that was deployed to cover the activities of the South Korean military during the Korean War. He also wrote essays on literature, social issues, and religion. This poetry is a potent commentary on the injustice, inequity, and absurdity of modern society. Though Ku grounds his poetry in his Christian faith, he also embraces a wide variety of other spiritual and religious influences, including Korean legends, Korean traditional culture, nature, the tradition of contemplation in Seon Buddhism, and Taoist thought. Ku seamlessly fuses these diverse strands of thought with the Christian belief of salvation. Thus, in his constant examination of both Korean tradition and his religious faith, Ku’s poetry probes the depths of human existence with a constant awareness of the meaning of history, while attempting to capture the realm of absolute faith.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Sang
http://anthony.sogang.ac.kr/AboutKuSang.html
About the Devotion Author:
Dr. Rick Bee
Senior Director of Advancement
Adjunct Bible Professor
Biola University
Dr. Rick Bee is the Senior Director of Advancement at Biola and an adjunct Bible professor, teaching about faith and money. Rick has graduated three times from Biola University and Talbot School of Theology, and has served the University in the Advancement area for over forty years. Rick and his wife Julie live in Yorba Linda, CA, and have two married adult daughters (both Biola alumni) and four grandchildren (future alumni!).