2016 Wesleyan Discipline: Luke 24:1-53

24:1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
24:3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
24:4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
24:5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
24:6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
24:7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”
24:8 Then they remembered his words.
24:9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.
24:11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
24:12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
24:13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
24:14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
24:15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
24:16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
24:17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.
24:18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
24:19 “What things?” he asked.“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
24:20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
24:21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
24:22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
24:23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24:24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
24:25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
24:26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
24:28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.
24:29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
24:30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
24:32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
24:33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
24:34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
24:35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
24:36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
24:37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
24:38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
24:39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
24:40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
24:41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
24:42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
24:43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
24:44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
24:46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
24:47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
24:50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
24:51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
24:52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
24:53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.