“Well, that one couldn’t have been Jesus.”

Tuesday 1-24-17, Modesto, California

Today we read Exod 9 – 11 and Luke 24

S = Scripture  O = Observation  A = Application  P = Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S. Luke 24:28-31 Jesus would have gone on, but they begged him to stay the night with them, as it was getting late. So he went home with them. As they sat down to eat, he asked God's blessing on the food and then took a small loaf of bread and broke it and was passing it over to them, when suddenly-it was as though their eyes were opened-they recognized him! And at that moment he disappeared! TLB

O. Brother Cleo and his friend were slowly and sadly walking the seven miles from Jerusalem to their home. It was all over now. Their Messiah was dead and gone. Death seemed so final. Then a Stranger joined their pity party and made them explain their sad faces. And this Stranger proceeded to take them on a journey through the Old Testament scriptures that foretold the Messiah’s suffering and death. The sun would soon set and the Stranger acted as though He would continue on His journey, but Cleo and his friend invited Him for dinner and to stay the night.

A. Jesus had taught His followers about how to treat strangers: Two possible conclusions:

1. "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in?…” Matt 25:37-38 NIV

2. “I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in…” Matt 25:42-43 NIV

Cleo and his friend invited the Stranger to dinner and to stay the night and He proved to be Jesus, the resurrected Christ!

A. Frances and I were pastors in the little mountain town of Colfax. We had three little boys and rented a house in the hills out of town. We were new at this business of lead pastors. Vagrants often showed up at the church office. I remember how we took some of them home with us. One, who stayed overnight in our guest room, left the room filled with the stench of cigarette smoke. I thought to myself, “Well, that one couldn’t have been Jesus. Jesus surely doesn’t smoke.”

P.  Dear Lord, I laugh at it now. But I know that You want us to befriend sinners just like You did. You sat at their tables and maybe even enjoyed their fellowship and then You led them to a new beginning, a new life with a capital “L”. Oh Jesus, You are so beautiful! Please let some of Your love rub off on me. Amen.

Ralph