9/30/09

Luke 24:13-43 (New International Version)

On the Road to Emmaus
13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.
17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

19"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. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but 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. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ[b] have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.

30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples
36While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
37They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate it in their presence.


The two disciples first missed the signifigance of this event because they were too focused on their disappointments and problems. They were also walking away from the fellowship of believers in Jerusulam. We often walk away from our fellowship during times of trial. Only when we are looking for Jesus in the midst will we experience the power and help he can bring. The whole nation was interested in this resurrection. The irony is that Jesus gave the greatest hope possible through this situation. Even today many people refuse to believe in the resurrection. Christ's suffering was the pathway to his Glory. Will we step outside the values of our culture and put our faith in Jesus? Or will we foolishly continue to be baffled by his good news? When we are puzzled by questions or problems, we can go to the scripture for authorotative help. If we are like these disiciples and don't understand what the bible says,we can turn to the believers who have the wisdom to apply the bible to our situation. Jesus showed individual concern for Peter because he felt like a traitor to the Savior. Jesus forgave him personally. Peter ended up playing an integral part in building Christ's church. Jesus' body was not like that of a ghost. The disciples touched him. It also wasn't like a restored human. He could disappear and reapper and was immortal. This is the kind of body that we will have at the resurrection of the dead.(1 Corrnthians 15:42-50)


My other thought today was on restoring Fellowshipss that have been broken. Relationships are always worth restoring. Broken Fellowship is a terrible testimony to unbelievers. It makes Hippocrites of beleivers. If you want God's blessing, then you must be a peacemaker. It is one of the most important skills that you can develop. It's not avoiding conflict. That would make you a coward. We simply need to resolve conflict. Peacemaking is also not an appeasement. You are not a doormat. Jesus refused to back down on many issues. He stood his ground of the oppsition when they were wrong. There are seven bibical steps to restoring a relationship.


1. Talk to God first. God will often change your heart or that other person without your help. Let him know your frustrations. No person can fulfill your needs like him.

2. Allways take the initiative. Jesus commands us that being right with one another takes precedce over worship. Time only causes hurts to foster. Quick resolution reduces your personal spirital damage. Unresolved conflict will keep our prayers from being answered.

3. Symapthize with the other persons feelings. This is the first "Face to Face" step. Focus on their feelings, not the facts. Begin with sympathy, not solutions. Allow them to emotionally unload without being defensive. We gain wisdom from hearing others perspectives. Jesus endured unfounded, malicious anger to save us.

4. Confess your part of the conflict. Begin by admitting your own mistakes. Ask God to show you how much of the problem is your fault. Confession is a powerful tool for recconciliation. It defuses and disarms the other persons anger. Accept responsability for your sins and ask for forgiveness.

5. Attack the problem, not the person - You cannot fix the problem if you're consumed with fixing the blame. How you say something is as important as what you say. You are never persuasive when you're abrasive. You must not condemn, belittle, compare, label, insult, condescend or be sarcastic.

6. Cooperate as much as possible-Peace sometimes cost us our pride and self-centeredness. Compromise, adjust to others, and show preference to what they need.

7. Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution-Focusing on reconciliation causes the problem to lose signifigance and become irrelevant. We can agree to disagree. You can bury the hatchet without burying the issue.

Who do you need to reconcile with? Don't wait another minute. Talk to God about that person right now. Then get in touch with that person and make it right. When you work for peace, you are doing what God would do. Thats why peacemakers are called God's Children.

Dear Heavenly father, I just want to thank you for caring about all of us so much. Thank you for all the blessings that you give us even though we don't deserve them. Thank you for you son who died on the cross, and came to life again so that we may have eternal life. Lord I pray that I am a light in this world for you. I pray for all internal negativity in my mind and I ask that you give me the strength to do what is right and surround me with people who will be honest because they love me. I thank you for doing that. I cannot wait to see what you have planned for my life from this point forward, and I trust you actions completely. Forgive me where I fail you, in your holy name I pray .........amen