January 12, 2014

Key Passage: Luke 24:13-36

The greatest plague in the church today is our contentment with mediocrity – let’s call it “spiritual heartburn.”  We’re content to look and never see, to listen and never hear, to get excited yet never respond.  So we sit like bumps on a log, walking on the road but never really arriving, complaining because we hurt now and then, and then rarely responding to His Word.  Let’s be honest: God gave us the greatest and yet most perilous gift (besides Jesus) in the world – the gift of free will. How often do we use our own free will to drive us deeper into the pits of despair and hopelessness?  Human hope is a fragile thing, and when it goes it’s difficult to revive.  The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had erected a wall of hopelessness around them, and they were trapped in their misery.  What they were basically saying is this, “We once had hope, but now it’s gone.”  Sound familiar?  As they encounter Jesus, in essence He says, “I had to go through some pretty brutal things to achieve victory.  You will too.  I didn’t come to take the road away from you, but I’ll walk it with you, every step of the way…”  Keep this in mind, and remember: the truths of the Bible aren’t intended to give us heartburn, but to make our hearts burn. 

Luke 24:13-18 A Heart-Breaking Experience  

Have you ever noticed that some of the saddest words in our language begin with the letter “D” – doubt, disappointment, disillusionment, defeat, despair and death?  All of these are summed up in the words of Cleopas and his companion to the stranger who joined them on the Emmaus road.  Maybe you’ve been where they were – maybe you’re at that point right now:

• The marriage you thought would last forever is on the rocks

• The college you were hoping to get into isn’t a possibility

• The job you loved and the company you trusted has downsized

• You put your faith in someone, or some group of friends, but they let you down

• You let yourself, your family, and your Savior down by doing something incredibly stupid

• The body that was always healthy is beginning to fall apart

Discouragement is a part of life; however, Jesus is always by your side – you just don’t see Him yet …

(See also Matthew 28:20; Isaiah 43:2-3a)

Luke 24:19-27 A Heart-Filling Experience

We’ve all heard exciting stories about what Jesus has done in the past – but what about the present?  The past is history – the question is: Do we recognize Jesus as He walks with us and do we behave (not

“believe”) as if He cares?  Jesus is the greatest empathetic listener.  He’s able to listen to our hurts with the ability to enter into our pain – because He experienced every bit of it!  These two disciples had no idea they were talking to the One who had been crucified and raised – the One who would turn their sorrow into joy.  Do we?  Do we know that Jesus wants to be with us through prayer, that He wants to talk and listen? (See also 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 69:16-17)

Luke 24:28-36 A Heart-Burning Experience

Notice Jesus didn’t force Himself on them.  If these two hadn’t invited Him into their home, He most likely wouldn’t have stayed.  This is the way the Lord works – He doesn’t barge into our lives without an invitation.  He’ll speak to us through His Word, through other believers, and sometimes through the still and quiet voice in our hearts.  Christ will patiently wait for us to receive Him into our hearts and our lives.

(See also Revelation 3:20; Isaiah 40:31)

Q:  On the flip side of all this positivity, how’s it feel to take Jesus to some of the crap we expose him to?

Q:  If Jesus were to walk a few miles with you today, what would you talk to Him about?

Q:  How would you describe your “walk” with Christ right now?

Bottom Line: If you knew for certain that your current circumstances would not overcome you would it change your attitude – your beliefs – your behavior?  There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ.  No circumstance, no discouragement, no moment of failure.  We know how the story ends.  That ought to change our attitude, our disposition … it should change we go about living every day …