Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow!

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”

Luke 24:32

Today, I ask you to look up a longer passage of scripture. Luke 24:13-34 tells of the men who walked with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus and the hope that came to them.

You have that same hope! You serve a risen Savior! Yes, He did die, but the tomb is empty! Because He lives, you can face your tomorrows! In fact, everything about you, your faith, your foundation, your fellowship, your future is all because you serve a risen Savior! 

Can you imagine living life, unaware that Jesus is alive? Here, in Luke, we see two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They were walking unaware that Jesus is alive! 

A week prior, things were different. It was Palm Sunday, and Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, while the people shouted and praised God. One week later, they witnessed a crucifixion. They saw Jesus die on the cross, but they didn’t hang around long enough to know the rest of the story. So, they were walking home with their heads hung low.

Luke 24:17 says that sadness was written across their faces. These two followers were in a deep discussion about what took place in Jerusalem. They thought Jesus was still dead! Can you imagine walking down this long road of life, unaware of a risen Savior?

From where they were walking, tomorrow wasn’t looking promising. Have you ever been there? A tragedy happens. You didn’t see it coming. From your perspective, your future may not be looking good. Don’t worry! Don’t borrow sorrow from tomorrow. God has it all in control! 

While the disciples were walking, Jesus Himself started walking with them! Once He started walking with them, their perspective started to change! They weren’t “walking sad” anymore, they started “running glad!” There is something about walking with Jesus! There’s something about letting Him in your life that turns things around! 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for walking with me! Every day I see evidence of Your presence in my life! I see Your mercy and protection, I see Your love, guidance and correction. Thank You for correcting me when I start to walk with my head hung low. I serve a risen Savior today and every day of my future! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Further Reading: Luke 24:13-34, Luke 19:36

I Will Not Stay on the Road of Sadness and Confusion

As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.

Luke 24:15-16

If you are in a troubled place, take comfort in the sovereignty of the Lord. Sovereignty is God’s control over His creation. Why is it He has the answers for you, but He doesn’t always give them to you right away? You and I both know that whenever God is ready, He will reveal, He will expose, and He will manifest.

As Luke describes the journey to Emmaus, he tells us that Christ purposely veiled His companion’s eyes so that they didn’t recognize Him. Let me encourage you today. Maybe you need some answers. Maybe you’re down, and you know the Lord has the answers, but He’s not giving them to you right now. He has some good news for you! Whenever He withholds the answers, He is still walking with you. You’re not alone! 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me!

Psalm 23:4

You may be in the dark, but I Am That I Am is still walking with you, and you know He’s up to something good. God is doing something with your life! You just have to keep on going and trust Him! 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God the holy one of Israel, your savior! 

Isaiah 43:2

Prayer: Heavenly Father, sometimes my eyes may be blinded, my vision may be dim, but my faith holds. I don’t understand a great many things that You, in Your sovereignty, allow, but I trust You. Beyond my circumstances, beyond the evil that lies in the heart of man and manifests around me, I trust and pray that Your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Bring me to a place of peace as I walk through life’s trials. Bring me to a place of joy in knowing that You are building my faith. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Jesus Brings Clarity to Me

And as they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explain the Scriptures to us?” And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem…

Luke 24:30-32

We continue from the past few days, looking at the story of the Road to Emmaus. Here the scene shifts. It is now evening, and they come to the house. Customs demanded that a Jewish man did not walk in the dark. Rules of hospitality dictated that the disciples invite Christ to eat with them and stay the night. 

Then, an amazing transformation took place. Jesus, the guest, became the host. On the surface, this may seem like a minor event, but the truth here should excite you. Jesus picked up the bread, He blessed it, and He broke it. Jesus is the Bread of Life, and He is constantly giving Himself to us!

Even as they were walking, He was giving Himself to them. He showed them Who He was in scripture. He didn’t stop there though! The Lord asked them some questions, just as we need Him to ask us.

He asked them, “what are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

Luke 24:17

Jesus essentially said, “What are you all talking about?” They tried to be vague and evasive in their response. They wanted to give Him a general answer. He didn’t let them slide with their “all the things that have happened” answer. He asked, “What things?”

If you want specific help concerning your problems, you need to ask specifically. Stop trying to avoid the issues and just call it what it is! Jesus said, “What things?” because He wanted them to talk about it. When you pray, it’s important to have a target! When you have a target, you can pinpoint your prayers!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You will be my constant travel companion, walk with me, teach me Who You are, reveal Yourself to me! You delayed the moment of excitement for Your disciples to keep them focused on what You wanted to teach them. Lord, I love being aware of Your presence, but I trust that You are always with me. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Jesus Preaching About Jesus!

Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:27

In Luke 24:17 Jesus asked the men walking to Emmaus a straightforward question, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” He gave them an open opportunity to witness and share scripture. Instead, they gave Him a broad answer, “All the things that have happened.” This is not what their Lord wanted from them, and it isn’t what He wants from us today. We must be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within us! We have to know scripture! When you have limited scriptural knowledge, you have a problem telling people anything.

Jesus identified two problems in these men, a lack of knowledge and a lack of belief. He wasn’t tolerant of either, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

I wonder what it was like to hear Jesus preach about Himself! I wonder what it was like to hear Jesus explain Himself from Genesis to Malachi! They had a 7-mile Bible study! Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him. Here’s my question, why did He choose to close their eyes at first, and then open them later?

The reason the Sovereignty of God closed their eyes is that the Lord wants to be sure that His disciples are not living life by what they see, but by what the Bible tells them! You can’t live life based on what you see around you. You have to understand the Word of God, so you can live your life God’s way! 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, let my eyes be focused on Your Word, and on Your way of living! I ask that as I spend time with You, and with Your Word, that You would drive Scripture deep into my heart. Let me be ready at all times to speak of the hope and promise that I have in You! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

I Have an Appetite for the Word

Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”

Luke 24: 31-32

The two disciples written about in Luke 24 on the Road to Emmaus spent 7 miles in Bible study. Jesus explained what the scripture said, and it took some time to get the Word in them. Some of you come to church, and you just want the sermon to whet your appetite. You have plenty of time to fellowship after church, plenty of time for other things, but when it comes to the House of God and preaching the Word, you just want the preacher to hustle up and get it over with. 

You have to develop an appetite for the Word of God. Part of the problem is you don’t come to Bible studies. You wonder why you struggle through life! It’s because you’re not spending any time in the Word.

You need a man or a woman of God to explain the Word in truth. The Lord explained, and expounded on the Word of God. The problem now is people are looking for preachers who will tell them what they want to hear. We want preaching that sounds good, but we don’t want the solid Word! 

The sovereignty of God closed the disciples’ eyes, but the Scriptures opened their eyes! Scripture will open our eyes, as well, but it takes time in study, time reading, time praying. It takes work!

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

In Luke 24, when the men realized that Jesus had been among them, that Scripture had been fulfilled, they didn’t consider tradition that would have normally kept them from travelling in the dark. They just ran! They ran back to Jerusalem! When you get the Word of God inside of you, you will do some things that you would never do otherwise! When the Lord opens your mind, He will open your eyes and then He will open your mouth! When your eyes are open you can’t keep your mouth closed. With the Word of God inside of you, you won’t remain a silent witness of the Gospel.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, let Your Word burn within me, let Your Spirit be overflowing in me. Whatever it takes, let me be a witness of You. I want to be a worker who isn’t afraid to work. I am committed to studying Your Word! Create a hunger in me that can only be satisfied by Your Word! In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Further Reading: Isaiah 40:8, 2 Timothy 4:3

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