God-given understanding
by David Silvester
As Jesus was explaining the Scriptures to the disciples, who were having difficulty in believing that He was really risen from the tomb, Jesus was doing exactly what the Holy Spirit is able to do for us.
Whilst reading the account in this chapter of Jesus appearing to the two on the road to Emmaus, and then those two again as they were with the eleven disciples who were together in Jerusalem, the above verse seemed to speak to me with a fresh significance.
Firstly, Jesus was showing what it would be like for His followers when the Holy Spirit was given to them. The Holy Spirit would be given as another One like Himself, one who would lead them in their understanding of truth and Scripture (see John 14 and 15).
As those disciples were trying to adjust to life without Jesus being with them as their leader, they needed someone with the same qualities and power that Jesus had to enable them to continue as Jesus’ witnesses. Jesus was demonstrating to those men what the third person of the Trinity would do when He was sent to them. As He opened their minds, and enabled them to understand the things written in their Scriptures, Jesus was demonstrating what the Holy Spirit would be for us who follow after them.
It is little wonder that within a short space of time, after Pentecost, some of these men were accused of ‘turning the world upside down’ (Acts 17:6 K J V). When the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, comes to give us understanding, He also comes to empower us to do the same kind of things Jesus did. And those same men were soon able to say and do many mighty works in Jesus’ name.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for opening the minds of the disciples and demonstrating what Your Holy Spirit would be for those who follow You. Please come to me and open my mind and understanding. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit, so that I may be empowered to serve You effectively, and bring something of You into the lives of other people I pray. Amen.
David Silvester is married and has a son, two daughters and eight grandchildren. He trained as a production engineer. He then moved on to become a lecturer of engineering craft skills before being called of God in his early fifties to become a pastor of a Baptist church. He says that,"having previously experienced an amazing healing on a day others expected me to die, it came as no surprise that God directed me and my wife, Margaret, to become involved with Ellel Ministries."
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