Luke 24: 45-48
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46 He told them, “This is what is written:
The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins
will be preached in his name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. 4
8 You are witnesses of these things.
For Luke, Easter ends with this statement by Jesus. Scriptures and prophecy have been fulfilled. The script that was written over centuries has now been produced and played. Before the final curtain call, the only thing left to do is to be witnesses to the truth to tell others.
So let us reflect as we close Easter evening what kind of witnesses we are. Are we a “silent partner?” We believe but we wouldn’t want to sound judgmental. Perhaps our friendship needs to be dusted off and some WD40 or rust remover needs to be applied. We might speak in hushed tones. In so many ways we fail the “witness test.” Perhaps no one has asked us the right question – testimony by omission. I hope we are not “fair weather friends!”
I note Jesus did not ask his followers to memorize the whole of Scripture. Many were just ordinary people. He did not ask them to speak of things they did not experience. He merely asked them and us to be honest about our experience of him. We are not judges trying a case. We are not responsible to convert. The Holy Spirit speaks to the heart. We are asked to witness. We know him through Scripture, through his presence in our life, through our awareness that we are forgiven and how he has ministered to us when we suffer. Let us be faithful witnesses to whomever God brings into our lives today. I believe words are necessary.
On the Way to Wonder 