A Walk With Jesus

“Back and forth they talked. ‘Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?’
They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: ‘It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up-Simon saw him!’
Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.
While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death……..
They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy.”
Luke 24:32-36, 53 (The MESSAGE)

Later on the same day that Mary, the other women and Peter discovered the Resurrection, two disciples were travelling from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and Jesus joined them.  At first they did not know who He was, but after He expounded the scriptures concerning Himself to them, He broke bread and blessed it, and then they recognized Him immediately.

It is at that point the passage above kicks in.  I love the way it is worded.  Their hearts burned within them as they listened to Jesus on the road.  They were completely captivated by what He had to say.  You can almost feel the excitement.

They rushed to tell others their story.  “While they were saying all this”, that is, as they shared that Christ had risen from the dead, “Jesus appeared to them…”

How do we get near to Jesus?  Prayer and study, of course, but telling the gospel is also part of it.  If all we do is pray and study, but don’t witness to our Lord, can we really claim to be close to Him?

When Jesus appeared, the disciples were startled, as if they did not expect Him to enter the conversation.  In fact they wondered whether Jesus was a ghost!  They had been “on fire” beforehand, but the miracle of His coming once more into their midst shocked them.  It can be that way with us.  Tell each other as we gather that “Jesus is risen”, and don’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit energizes our faith.  Having been convicted of the reality of the resurrection and of the consequent “total life-change through the forgiveness of sins” (24:47) made possible for them, the disciples “were on their knees, worshiping him…bursting with joy” (24:52-53). Is that our reaction?  Are we “bursting with joy” because Jesus, our Saviour, lives and therefore we live in Him?

Tell the Gospel.  Let Jesus appear.

Prayer
Father in Heaven, it is so exciting!  Jesus lives and therefore I live!  Help me to share the good news that Jesus is risen from the grave.
Amen

Study by James Henderson