“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” Luke 24: 13-16 KJV
We have been given Easter to celebrate the death & resurrection of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ. We don’t know the exact day over 2,000 years ago because calendars have change but we know for certain, that The Son of God died & rose again, triumphantly, three days & nights after being in the grave, just as He said He would;“For as Jonas (Jonah- the Prophet who thought he could outwit God) was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40 KJV. The Resurrection should be lived throughout our lives daily because Jesus is no longer on the cross. He died to set us free.
Now that Sunday has passed, how many of us are continuing on as though “He is risen” is merely ‘a sentence’ and not the life saving, supernatural, miracle of miracles ever? How many of us have really reflected on the spectacular life-line of The Cross & Resurrection? Or do we continue struggling on with life, unaware, like these two men journeying to Emmaus were, that Jesus is on our journey with us? Waiting to reveal Himself to us; to make things which we don’t understand, clear, through His knowledge & wisdom? Waiting to show us the better route to enjoying a fruitful & peaceful life and giving us the true facts of how to live on earth, in Heavenly places. Striving for eternal life.
He is right beside us while we try to figure out the events in our lives and how we’ve been getting it so immensely wrong, instead of turning to Him and inviting Him in, to lead us, teach us, take control even when we ‘don’t’ need Him to- really?? He is right beside us in the storm, carrying us through the whirlwind of our difficulties. Waiting for the truth of Him in the same Scripture to be manifested in our lives; loving us in our vilest of states; so how comes we don’t realise; He; is; here?!! The Author & Finisher of our faith?
The Scripture continued that Jesus, the ‘funny God-Man that He is, what a sense of humour; anyway… He ‘asked’ these two men what all the chat was about and why they were ‘so sad?’ Cleopas responded along the lines of “where’ve you been, are you new around here?; Haven’t you heard about Jesus of Nazareth” (even more amusing that they should be telling Jesus The Christ– The Messiah, what happened to him!) “who was a prophet of God & mighty in deed & word. Also how the chief priests & rulers condemned Him to death & crucified Him? Well we believed He was The One who should’ve redeemed Israel and this being the third day too. Some of the women went to the tomb and made a shocking discovery that His body was not there & Angels appeared to them came and told them “He is not here, He is alive”. When some of us went to check it out, though they didn’t see the Angels, everything else was as the women said it was, clothes and all!”
They had no idea The Man they were filling in all the news to, was Jesus of whom they spoke, “This same Jesus” as scripture says. They had no idea that The Resurrected King stood beside them & then He spoke and admonished them, telling them “do you not know the Scripture prophesied these events?” & He began to speak to them, teaching & reminding them from Moses & the prophets who spoke of this very time and day; how & why this Man, Jesus of Nazareth; The Messiah, would come from amongst themselves but would be rejected and accepted amongst the gentiles (non-Jew); brutalised & vilified then crucified & rise on the third day for His people- us. (Deuteronomy 18:15; Psalms 75:8; 69:21; 116:13; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Daniel 9:24-27; Ezekiel 37:26 & Matthew 20:22 to name a few) Jesus poured His knowledge into them & they were thirsty for it but they did not recognise they needed this revelation.
Jesus is speaking to us this same way today. Why can we not see it; or do we choose to be blind to His promise? He loves us & has promised to deliver us out of every situation – even if it’s not the way we think it ought to be done. He reminds me ‘don’t you know My Word to you Samantha…’; I will keep you in perfect peace when sickness has a good go at your body. I, Jehovah Jirah The Lord who Provides, will supply everything you need; when your boiler breaks down & boiler insurance says that “part” is not covered- unexpected dilemma but not unexpected to God! I will comfort you Samantha when death hits your household; when your father & brother die in the space of a month of each other- the unexplained distressing situations of life, I AM your Strength, cloaking you in the garment of praise for that heavy spirit of grief. When you can’t get up off the floor, I will carry you. “No good thing will I withhold” from you; I AM The Centre of your joy, when lean into me, rejoice & give thanks in everything. Why then has it taken me this long ‘Emmaus journey’ to truly trust God & know that HIS word cannot return broken? It must accomplish what GOD said it He will do. Lack of faith, not knowing my Bible, not believing fully what I read or pride, fear; mostly stupidity, if I’m being honest! You see, some things are knowledge taught but others are’revealed’ by THE HOLY Spirit like here, on the road to Emmaus. The men had knowledge of the Man, the prophet Jesus Christ but they did not have The Revelation because they didn’t seek to know Jesus Christ Messiah. They were there but in words only. It was only when Jesus took them into the Holy Scripture they pleaded with Him to stay & teach them more & He fed them spiritually, as they prepared to feed him physical food. When Jesus fed them, their eyes were enlightened and they received the fullness of the revelation of who it was that was in their midst- but by the time revelation came, Jesus left & they went back to tell the 11 disciples;”Jesus is risen…Really! he appeared to Cleopas (Simon)”; God always sends a witness of His word. They said their hearts burned within them along the journey & as He ministered to them. As they retol their meeting with Jesus to the 11 disciples, Jesus shows up in The Presence of The Lord encouraging them not to be scared or doubt, thinking He is a ghost. Often the reality of our disbelief in the greatness of Jesus’s sovereignty, makes us doubt that He is the same God who parted the Red Sea or sent manner from Heaven or raised Jairus’s daughter or healed the demon possessed man; or healed blind Barthemeaus or fed 5,000 with 2 loaves & 5 fish. Jesus knew it thus He encouraged the 11 to touch the scars “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Jesus knew they still had doubt in their hearts so He asked for food, certain then, that they would accept it is Him with proof that he ate natural food, how many of us are in need of Spiritual food that only God can fill us up with? Do You know what you are in need of or yearning for? Is unbelief blocking the way for you to come Jesus? “Blessed are they who believe yet they don’t see”
How many times have the facts been presented to us of just who God is but we try everything & turn to everyone other than Him? How we have been so blinkered that we can’t see His prophesy for our lives & His promise of the blessings to Abraham’s seed, so we continue to walk in doubt as orphans, when Our Father Jesus-yes that God-Man, is waiting for us to walk in that which is promise to us as children of God? The revelation of who Jesus is comes to everyone who wants to receive it. The Good News of His love is daily news, His resurrection is the hope we have that we will reign with Him if we are born again & follow obediently, His will. This good news has to reach the four corners of the Earth before Christ comes to rapture HIS Children to live in His Kingdom. It is not only for Sunday or a season. Please preach it, tag it, retweet it, share it; on the bus; tube & cycling please and unashamedly too.
The Road to Emmaus was a long one, how long will it take before we come to ourselves & the realisation of who God is? Until we tell our mountains how big our Jesus is? Until we trust Him & not in man? Until we rejoice because He is in control? Are you still on the journey? Embarking on this road, or veered off course? I know where I need to be & I know I’m a work in progress because I slip up but I know my Redeemer lives & Deliveres. So how about you? Don’t let fear threaten you or stop you coming to know Jesus or get deeper in your relationship with Him if you already believe. Come to Jesus, He is waiting with outstretched arms to embrace you & He will bless even the dot of faith you may have. He will show up. We don’t need to walk life’s journey perplexed, disillusioned, sad or alone; there is a better way. There’s no need to be blinkered anymore, THE Light has come, for you & me. Let Gods promise be fulfilled in your life; GOD richly bless you, don’t walk in this life without Jesus??
Samantha ?
