Ain't gonna study war no more

Good morning friends,
In our reading from Luke this morning the disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus are sharing that experience with the other disciples when Jesus appears to all of them. As he did with the two disciples, a big part of this visit with the gathered disciples is opening the scriptures to them. Remember that for Jesus and the disciples "scriptures" meant just the Old Testament. Jesus explains how things in the Bible predicted and explain what they have now seen unfold. With this scriptural foundation to understand Jesus' ministry and the disciples experiences, they are now ready to preach the good news to the world. That's one of the main goals of worship and religious education, helping us to understand scripture and how it fits with our experiences and God's promises. That combination of scripture and experience equips us to share the good news with others.

Our passage from Isaiah is one of the passages that points forward to Jesus. When God's chosen ruler comes into power in the world war will come to an end and peace will reign. I love the image of the weapons of war being refashioned into farming tools. Imagine what we could do to improve lives if the resources we pour into war could be redirected for peaceful life.

Come quickly Lord Jesus,
Sam

Luke 24:36-53

36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.



44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”



50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.



*Sunday

Isaiah 2:1-5

1The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!