On the Road to Emmaus

Have you ever had a dream and see it come to nothing? Did you have have a desire to complete something and it seemed to ravel and fizzle out? Have you wanted to do something great for God and the vision was there and the dreams, yet it failed to come to pass?
Have you ever been on the road to Emmaus, meaning "warm wells", and found another who reasoned with you about why the things turned out like they did? Did the broken dream bring you to a road that is cluttered with reasoning and depression? Is the road you travel much like these two men traveled when they hit their lowest point of grief and not see "their plans" come to pass?
We read about two who had an idea about what the future was to be for themselves, and were disappointed to say the least.

Luke 24:13-35.......13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. 17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?" 18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?" 19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see." 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.  NKJV

Jesus hearing this conversation, asks why they are having this talk and with sadness. He wondered why they grieved! Was not Jesus, now the Risen One?

They wanted to know why "this stranger" would not know about the death of Jesus! How could someone not hear all the uproar, and all the talk of the one who just died and had done so much in God's name.

Yes, these two were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. They had hoped He would usher in the Messianic kingdom......But by the third day, all seemed hopeless.

You know those "women" came and told them that His body was gone from the tomb! And so Cleopas and friend went to see for themselves, and these women were right, there was "no body" in the tomb! 

And then Jesus spoke in verse 25 .......and reminds them, "O foolish ones, slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken! 26. Ought not the Christ have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
Translation of the the word "foolish" is translated wrong. It was never meant for those who are sorrowful and suffering grief. Luke 24:25.... The word is compounded of a (NT:1), "not," and noeoo (NT:3539), which implies, besides "seeing," perception "of the mind" as consequent upon sight. It is therefore equivalent to "dull of perception." They had read what the prophets had spoken, but had failed to "perceive" its application to Christ. 

Understanding what is written in Luke 24:25.......we find that when He spoke......"O foolish",..... was an address to those slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: this O foolish is not the term of reproach denoting any kind of wickedness, but is that which is not connecting the hearing part in relation to Jesus.  Jesus was correcting them in the respect that they did not see and clearly understand that He was going to the Cross. He wanted them to see the clear evidence that they were holding onto to their own opinions and prejudices and were blinded to the truth that He would die and rise again.

Ought not the Christ, stand in fulfilling the prophecies found in Scripture? As Jesus spoke to them, we find He intimated the very truths. He unfolded the "Scriptures" again to them. From the very first of Genesis to the the last of Zechariah, we find many prophecies that were written about Jesus.

These two asked Him to abide with them for the evening. Since travel at night on that road was considered dangerous, they asked Him in to eat with them and have shelter for the night.

As the bread was broken, their eyes were opened, He spoke what He had spoken every time they took bread and broke it.

Things may not turn out like we think they should, but when we have the testimony of Jesus in our hearts then we return to the former thing. We return to His Word that gladdens our hearts, lifts our spirit man and leads us to the greatest time of our history. By faith, engage HIM, and seek the prayer time to have one heart with Him. Enter in and lodge, abide in His presence and see the grief fade away. Stop reasoning...........just continue to......................

BELIEVE!

BELIEVE HE IS YOUR SOURCE!

BELIEVE HE IS YOUR ETERNAL ANSWER!

BELIEVE HE IS FOR YOU!

When you return to do what He asked then the fire will burn brighter and stronger.Joy will flow from your innermost being and a youthful step will found to lead you to the new things in the Lord!

Rise up and go to tell others about  how Jesus rescued you from grief, from disappointment and pain. Go tell others about the answer of Life that comes in knowing Jesus and obeying His commands.

Jesus is still on the scene and is active...........always there to remind us He has the words of eternal life!

Father, thank You for Jesus, the promised One who came to set the captives free. Thank YOU for all that YOU did in getting Your Son to us for salvation. It is His shed blood that claims us for His very own. I pray for each who read this that we will ultimately move forward in the direction You have chosen for us. I pray that we would be those who "press in" to YOU and the Word. Our destiny, our history has its beginning in You. Today we thank You for Your wisdom that is not limited to a measurement in regards and restrictions of a natural world. Help us to see that we should never filter Your Word through our opinions and false beliefs. Help us Lord to know that we are to keep the Word before us and allow that Word to lead us in new paths and freshness of life.You are still in our midst when we speak out Your name, declare Your word and see Your beauty. May we not be taken in by any failures for our God will never fail. YOU are the Faithful One, the Mighty One, the everlasting Father.  I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better.  I pray also that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which He has called us. 

Father, thank You for Your unfailing love. Your love is UNCONDITIONAL…Thank You that we might know that love and how vast it truly is……….We are thankful that we shall not perish but have everlasting life through YOUR SON JESUS , OUR SAVIOR, AND OUR REDEEMER. We are not ARE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD but we are renewed to the Word our GOD. LORD do not leave us to ourselves. WE DESIRE TO SEE YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR GOODNESS IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING in Jesus' name. Amen

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