The Emmaus Road             ,   

Batesville



For just a moment today I want you to go with me and take a walk
on a dusty road near Jerusalem.  The road to Emmaus.  That road
is not famous for it's destination.  It is not famous for it's
ease of travel.  It is famous for one reason and one reason
only.  That reason is that Jesus walked on that road with two
disheartened and disappointed disciples.  

I don't know if you have ever traveled the Emmaus road.  A road
that you may have gone down all alone, or with a friend or loved
one.  A road traveled in sorrow, or pain, or disappointment. 
But if you did, Jesus was with you. 

For a moment, try to imagine the focus of your life being
shattered.  Imagine that you had been in the crowd that welcomed
Jesus in his triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem.  You
could feel that soon Jesus would be crowned king.

Then all of a sudden, he was betrayed, arrested, dragged before
a kangaroo court, sentenced, and crucified in just a few
agonizing hours.  

Sabbath was agony.  Fear for your life was oppressive.  A sudden
lack of direction was disorienting.  Then Sunday morning when 2
disciples and certain women agreed that the tomb was empty and
Jesus was alive.  

You and your friend are on the road to Emmaus.  You are having
an intense discussion, almost a debate about what happened and
what or who to believe.  

Then you are joined by Jesus.  Only you don't know it is Jesus. 
Your name is not known to the world, but Jesus seeks you out
anyway. The Bible says he drew near.  

When you are on your personal road to Emmaus, Jesus is close to
you.

And how does he approach you?  He begins to ask questions.  He
wants us to understand ourselves.  He wants us to understand who
he is and what he can do for us.  He wants us to understand the
power of the resurrection.

Then Jesus diagnoses the problem.  It is a belief problem. 
Foolish and slow to believe.  Jesus desires and plans all things
for us, but we have to be brought to that understanding again
and again.

Then Jesus begins to tell us his story.  We may hear the words
over and over again.  But when we begin to realize the story
from his lips, through His Spirit, our hearts begin to warm to
his love.  And that story is told us through the scriptures, the
same ones Christ used on that dusty road.

Then, as we begin to warm to his words, we want some more time
with him.  We can do one of two things.  We can thank him for
his insight, and tell him that we enjoyed traveling with him. Or
we can invite him in to stay a while.  

Could it be that Jesus has come close to comfort you in your
life and you have been enlightened, and you have had an offer of
a life changing experience, only to fail to invite him to stay?

Our hearts may "burn within us" (vs 32)--but it is not enough.
We must invite Jesus, as a Divine Guest, to grace us with His
presence--and notice this: the Divine Guest is also the Divine
Host (vs 30). Your table must become His table--and then His
Living Bread becomes your daily bread. "Give us this day, our
daily bread." 

Jesus can take the ordinary, simple, repetitive, and common
things of life-the bread--bless, brake, and give it to you in a
way that your eyes will be opened and you'll know Him (vs 31). 

"Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread" (vs 35).
And their road to Emmaus changed into a road to Jerusalem!--the
city of the King! When they witnessed the power of Christ, they
went to witness to the power of Christ. 

In one way or another, you have come here this morning on your
way to Emmaus--and here you have the opportunity to discover
Jesus in a refreshingly new way.  All you need to do is invite
Jesus into the simple place of your heart--offer Him what you
have, however ordinary. You'll see how circumstances that
discourage you can be reason for great rejoicing. You'll move
from the shadow of the cross to it's lighted side. Your road to
Emmaus changes into a road to Jerusalem! 

I imagine He will again give thanks as He looks out over the
Saved of all ages, saying, "It was worth it all to Me!" Oh, to
be part of the joy that was set before Him, enabling Him to
endure the cross and suffer its shame. Then He lifts the cup
that represents His shed blood, and again it trembles in His
hand. Brothers and sisters, let us leave here and tell the GOOD
NEWS! And then invite our Lord in to stay with us, in us.