Luke 24:19, 21, 25–27, 44–45 NIV “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”

The disciples had front-row seats to Jesus’ life for three years—hearing every sermon, witnessing every miracle, watching prophecy fulfilled in real time. Yet when Jesus was crucified, they still didn’t understand who He truly was or how He fulfilled God’s promises. They admired Him as a prophet. They hoped He was the Messiah. But they filtered the Scriptures through their own expectations—wanting a conqueror, not a suffering Savior.

It wasn’t until the risen Christ opened the Scriptures and opened their minds that they finally saw the truth. Only then did they understand that everything written in Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms pointed directly to Him.

This same struggle continues for modern Christian men. We, too, are often slow to believe, quick to misunderstand, and confident in our assumptions instead of grounded in God’s Word. We skim Scripture hoping it will confirm our desires instead of confronting our sin. We want the glory without the cross, the victory without obedience, and the blessing without the surrender.

But Jesus shows us the path:
Men grow strong in truth only when they walk with Christ, study the Scriptures diligently, depend on the Holy Spirit, and stay connected to His Church. Understanding God’s Word is not intuitive—it’s supernatural. Spiritual clarity takes work, discipline, humility, and a willingness to have Christ correct us just as He corrected His first followers.

Men cannot lead well, love well, or finish well without immersing themselves in the Word of God. So today:

Run Today’s Play: Open the Scriptures.

Ask the Spirit to open your mind.
Let Jesus correct what you assume.
And pursue the clarity needed to live out your calling.

Your purpose, your provision, and your priorities all hinge on this:
Knowing Christ through His Word—and obeying what He reveals.