WEDNESDAY 15th
Luke 24:13-35
Today’s reading is a familiar passage of Scripture. It follows on from the verses reporting the discovery by Mary and the ladies who were with her of the empty tomb, and the message they had heard ‘He is not here, but has risen.’ They then went to report to the disciples.
When the ladies told the disciples about the empty tomb, there is a phrase used that tells us what the disciples thought on hearing the news – ‘but these words seemed to them an idle tale.’(v11) In other words, the news that ‘Jesus was alive’ seemed like a fairy tale. Thankfully the disciples soon discovered it was true as Jesus began to appear to them in various ways.
It is very much the same today, when we declare the good news of the gospel, the news that Jesus has died for sin and risen again for our justification, the majority think we are ‘talking idle tales’. But thank God we have come to believe, and we pray that many more will come to believe as Jesus makes himself known to them.
In our Scripture for today we have the account of the two on the road to Emmaus. Scripture tells us they were on a seven-mile journey, which gave them plenty of time to talk about the events from over the last few days.
They had heard the news that Jesus was alive, but they hadn’t yet seen him – or so they thought! For, as they walked and talked a stranger caught up with them and began to join in the conversation. This third person wanted to know what they were talking about, and the two men it says, ‘stood still, looking sad.’ They answer the third man by saying (in my own words) ‘Are you for real, don’t you have a clue about what’s been going on in Jerusalem the last few days?’ Then the third person says, ‘What things?’ The two then continued to explain about Jesus of Nazareth and the events of the few days. It makes me chuckle when I read the story, as they tell this man everything and yet at the same time, he already knows! Then he responds to them, ‘O foolish ones . . . and beginning at Moses he tells them the whole story of God’s plan concerning himself’
It must have been the most incredible Bible Study, only three in attendance, while on the move and the one teaching was the greatest teacher of all time.
The study and the journey came to an end and as the third man was seeming to want to go further on, they invite him to come and stay and have supper with them. V30-31 ‘When he was at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him. And he vanished from their sight.’ I love the next verse when the two men comment to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scripture.’ Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to have had this experience, and yet whenever we hear God’s Word read, or taught, or preached it should excite us because it is living and powerful.
They had started the journey almost clueless, they knew about the events of the cross, they had heard about the empty tomb and suddenly on their journey even without realising it they had had a spectacular conversation with Jesus and then at the point of supper they recognised and knew who he was. For us, we may have started our Christian journey clueless, but bit by bit, step by step, little by little, through various means and methods the Holy Spirit reveals himself to us, and teaches us so that the further we go the more we see and know of Jesus.
And after supper, they went to bed, excited but tired from their journey, to have a rest and to mull over in their minds what had happened.
No, not at all, the Scripture continues, they went the same hour, that is straightaway and returned the seven miles back to Jerusalem, to find the disciples and to share the news, ‘The Lord has risen indeed’ and then told them how he was known to them in the breaking of bread.
Why go straight away, why not wait until the morning, who could have blamed them, they had already walked seven miles. Well, the news was too good to keep to themselves, they were excited that Jesus was alive and that they had seen him and had met with him and had talked with him and had eaten with him, so excited they wanted to immediately tell others.
This reminds me of an Old Testament verse in 2 Kings 7:9 ‘Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”’
May God touch our hearts in such a way that it will cause us to be so excited again about the gospel and our own personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ that we won’t be willing to just wait for opportunities to share but rather that we will make the opportunities to share. Willing to go not necessarily seven miles but even seven feet (remember we need to keep six feet between at the moment 😊) to share the gospel with someone.
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love
Where there is injury, Your pardon Lord
And where there’s doubt, true faith in You
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness, ever joy
Oh Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of Your peace
It is pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life
Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness, ever joy
Songwriters: TRADITIONAL, JON COHEN
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC CCLI 788682