LESSON XLVI.
THE TWO FRIENDS.
Luke, xxiv. 13-48.
It was early in the morning that the women went to look for Jesus. In the evening two good men were taking a walk together in the country. As they walked they talked about Jesus. They had not seen him since he was alive again: they did not know he was alive. They talked about his dying on the cross. It made them very sad to speak about it. At last a man came and spoke to them; they thought he was a stranger, yet he seemed to be a kind man.
He said, Why do you cry? I see you are talking of something very sad.
Yes, said these good men, we are talking of something sad. Did you never hear of Jesus? What wonderful things he did, how he cured the blind, and dumb, and sick; and how he taught people about God? And all the people loved him; but at last he was crucified. We thought he had been the Son of God: but now we are afraid he was not, for he is dead, and we are afraid that we shall never see him again.
The kind stranger was sorry to see these good men cry. He began to talk to them, and to tell them that Jesus was the Son of God, and that he had been crucified to save men, and that he would rise again, and go back to his Father.
This kind stranger said a great deal more. He knew all the verses in the Bible, and told these men a great many things they did not know. They liked to listen to the stranger, they did not feel so sad while he was talking.
At last these men came to their own house: it was in the country. The stranger seemed as if he was going on: but the good men said to him, Pray stay at our house; it is getting dark. Come and sup with us, and sleep here: pray, pray come in.
Then the stranger said he would come in.
The men went into a room where there was a supper. They all three sat down together around the table. The stranger took some bread and broke it, and began to pray to God; and then the two men found out who the stranger was.
It is the Lord! they cried; and so it was. They looked towards him, but they could see him no more. He opened not the door, but yet he was gone.
Then the men thought of all that Jesus had said. How sweetly he talked to us! they said; did we not feel our hearts quite warm, while he talked to us? they said; did we not feel our hearts quite warm, while he was speaking about the Bible, and telling us the meaning?
Do you think these men went to bed that night? O no! they could not sleep. Let us go, said they, and tell the disciples about our seeing Jesus. So they left the supper, and set out in the night. They walked quickly, and soon came to Jerusalem.
The disciples were all shut up in a room together. They had locked the doors to prevent the wicked people getting in: but they let these good men come in. The disciples were at supper.
We have seen Jesus! said these good men. He has walked with us, and talked with us; but we did not know him till he sat down with us at supper, and broke some bread, and gave thanks to his Father. The disciples said, Some women have seen him, and Peter has seen him.
But while they were eating supper and talking about Jesus, they looked and saw Jesus standing in the middle of the room. Though the door was locked, yet he had come in.
How do you think the disciples felt? They were frightened: they could not believe that it was indeed Jesus himself.
Jesus spoke kindly to them. Why are you afraid? he said. Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself. Then Jesus showed his disciples the marks that the nails had made in his hands and feet, and the hole that the spear had made in his side.
Then the disciples saw that it was their own dear Master. They were glad, very glad, to see him: they had been crying ever since they had lost him. They saw that he had forgiven them for having run away. He said nothing to them about it: he had even forgiven Peter. He knew that Peter loved him, and that he was very sorry.
The disciples were so much surprised to see Jesus, that they could hardly believe that he was alive. Jesus knew that they did not quite believe; so he said, Have you anything to eat? Then the disciples gave him a piece of fish and some honey from their supper; and Jesus took them and began to eat, that the disciples might see that he was really alive.
Then afterward he talked to them, and told them why he had died, and that he was going back to his Father to pray for them.
That was a pleasant night for the poor disciples. It was not like that sad night when Jesus was so sorrowful in the garden. His sorrows were over, and he never would feel pain any more.