Luke 24:13-39
When we are in the middle of trauma, we must take notice of how we are speaking and what we are listening to from others. When the spirit of doubt begins to invade our thoughts, we open the door for it to fully come in when we say something doubtful about what we are feeling, what we have seen, and what we have heard. Two men were walking along and speaking about what they had either witnessed with their eyes or have heard from others. Regarding the crucifixion of JESUS.
As they were having a free interchange of their thoughts and their opinions through debating with one another, this is what conversing and discussions can bring about. JESUS, HIMself joined them and walked along with them. Now at this time, the men did not recognize JESUS, and this may have been because JESUS veiled HIMself not with a noticeable veil like a covering of some sort of disguise, we have no idea how JESUS kept the men from recognizing HIM. However, what is noticeable to me here is that these men could not have had a deep-rooted relationship with JESUS because though HE did not allow HIMself to recognize these men should have recognized the presence of JESUS being nearby. For example, children can smell the scent of their mothers throughout their lifetime if there is a close bond, parents can sense the closeness of their children when they are away from home or if their children are in danger, spouses can feel one another even when the other is not in the same location. Get my meaning?
JESUS asked an important question “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” When one of the men answered he answered with a question, this often happens to me as well. I ask a question and am given an answer that is in the form of a question. You know sometimes questions are asked not because the answer is not known but it can also be a form of finding out what knowledge you possess. So, JESUS pretending not to know what things they were speaking of said “What things” or what are you talking about, or what happened? I believe that the question was asked because people speak differently when they are not in the presence of people they consider to be or know to be vital [important]. For instance, we speak differently in the presence of the pastor, our employer, those that [some who are guilty of] gossiping about and such. Why is it that we are not the same in private as we are in public, why can we not just be transparent, why is there a need to put on a façade to impress others?
Anyway, these men began to share with JESUS what had occurred and proclaiming HIM to have been a Prophet. See, this right here shows that they only saw JESUS as a Prophet and nothing more, they did not recognize HIM as the MESSIAH. Yet, they knew that HE did miracles, signs, and wonders (deeds). [Mt. 21:11; Lk. 7:16; Jhn. 3:2; Acts 2:22; 7:22] They shared with JESUS how the chief priests and rulers delivered HIM to be condemned to death and crucified HIM. So, I ask this question, why did not these men recall that JESUS had said that HE would be delivered and crucified but that HE would return? [Mt. 16:21; Jhn. 2:19; Either these men did not have a first-hand account of this conversation, or they did and because of doubt [lack of understanding] did not believe HIM. In our lives today we do the same thing, we face stress and forget what GOD has said about our circumstances, we forget to run to the scriptures to find the answers, we forget to stand on the promises given to us and we forget because we do not understand what GOD has said to us while we are doing a general reading versus studying and staying right there until we gain wisdom from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes our revelation may come suddenly and sometimes it may take days, weeks, months, and years.
It is when we are stressed that we lose our hope. Notice how the gentlemen said that they were hoping. What were they hoping for that they lost their hope in? That JESUS was their Redeemer [Israel] from the hands of the Roman Empire [their enemies, Lk. 1:68, 71, 74; 2:38]. That was narrow-minded thinking, and we are no different we do not understand that JESUS is the GOD of more than enough. JESUS redeemed us and, in our redemption, we receive abundantly more than we can ever ask or think [Eph. 3:20-21]. We like to keep GOD in a box, to keep HIM watered down to our understanding when the Word of GOD tells us to trust in the LORD with all our heart [not our mind] to lean not on our understanding but to acknowledge HIM.
Okay, so what, the third day that JESUS had proclaimed was present, the day had not come to an end. See, when we do not see what we think we are to see in the way we are to see something, or get something, we lose hope and doubt takes over and causes us to say and do foolish things. People say GOD said no or wait when my Word tells me that the promises of GOD are yes and amen. Maybe you need to understand what the word yes is. Yes, expresses affirmation or consent which is the opposite of no. And the definition of amen is. Amen the affirmation of the expressed verbal agreement, it signifies to confirm, establish, verify; to trust, or give confidence; truth, firmness, and stableness. [2 Cor. 1:18-20]
Look at how fear had crept into these men’s lives when they heard the report given to them by the women who had seen and listened to the Angels report that JESUS is Alive and no longer in the tomb. And the fact that some of the disciples ran to the tomb to see what the women were speaking of and finding the tomb empty but not finding the body of JESUS, may have given room to all types of crazy thoughts that had nothing to do with what JESUS had said to them.
Check this out, when JESUS began to speak to these guys, HE did not place shame or condemn them for their unbelief. When HE said to them that they were foolish ones, HE was telling them that in their hearts they were slow to believe what the Prophets of old had spoken, that they were dull in their perception, sluggish, habitually idle, and lazy of thought, void of power. So, this is what HE did, JESUS asked them this question? “Didn’t the MESSIAH have to die like this before entering HIS glory?” And they most likely stood there dumbfounded. So, JESUS took HIS time revealing to them all of what the scriptures had proclaimed about HIMself from Moses and all the Prophets.
This is awesome, you see we need someone who will not agree with us out of fear or popularity. We need someone who will speak with us intelligently and truthfully. And most often this type of conversation will never line up with what the majority is speaking. When people enjoy the company of others, they do not want that time to end and will find ways to keep the time going a little longer. This happened with those guys as well, JESUS continued HIS journey with the two men and joined them for dinner. I imagined they had fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, fresh green vegetables and fresh in seasoned fruit, some sweet tea, and fresh buttery baked bread. As in their day, they would recline at the table to eat but before they began their repass JESUS picked up the loaf of bread giving praise to FATHER GOD and thanked HIM for what they had and probably for the people in HIS mist. Then JESUS broke the bread and began to pass the pieces to those who were at the table alongside HIM. Does not any of this have a ring of familiarity to it? [Mt. 15:36, Mk. 6:41, Lk. 22:19] Whenever JESUS breaks bread miracles, signs, and wonders take place. And at this moment this was no exception, the eyes of all the men were opened and they recognized that this was JESUS sitting at the table with them. But JESUS did not linger about, HE vanished before their eyes. This tells me that because as JESUS is, so are we [1 Cor. 15:48, 2 Cor. 10:7, 1 Jhn. 4:17] once we receive our brand-new heavenly bodies when we have a desire to go there before the thought is complete, we will be there. [Jhn. 20:17, 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 49, Phil. 3:21, 1 Jhn. 3:2]
You know, when we are amid pure truth [JESUS], when we listen to the truth being spoken without dilution our hearts will burn with the refining fire that will purify us from the impurities that do not line up with JESUS and HIS Word. This was what was meant by the gentlemen when they asked among themselves “Did not our heart burn within us while HE talked with us on the road, and while HE opened the Scriptures to us?” [Or were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while HE was talking with us on the road and as HE opened and explained to us the sense of the Scriptures? Didn’t our hearts burn inside us as HE spoke to us on the road? It felt like a fire burning in us when JESUS talked to us on the road and explained [opened] the Scriptures to us. Weren’t we excited when HE talked with us on the road and opened up the meaning of the Scriptures for us?”]
So, now they are doing what they should have done when they were told in the beginning that JESUS is Alive and that is to tell others. They did so after they saw HIM, we do so by faith. But even though they saw JESUS there was still traces of doubt lingering about in their hearts. How do I know this, because while they were gleefully speaking of what had occurred JESUS showed up amid them and the scriptures inform us that they were frightened, startled, terrified because they thought that JESUS was a ghost, again a ring of familiarity? [Mt. 14:26, Mk. 6:49] However, I can understand why they may have thought that JESUS was a ghost, however, ghosts are not heavenly or our departed loved ones or enemies. They are demonic and are recorded in this manner, Ep. 6:12 spiritual hosts of wickedness moving about in the air. When we allow JESUS to come near, HE will always bring with HIM Peace because HE is the Prince of Peace [Is. 9:6]. JESUS has flesh and bone ghost do not and so will our better bodies that we will receive from HIM.
So, though our text and nowhere in the Bible does it tell us the complexion of skin tone that JESUS is, stop being troubled with such stupid cares of this world. Do not be disturbed, have doubts, be troubled, or become upset about what JESUS looks like or the cares and love of this world. Remain fixed on what JESUS taught in HIS Word and be delivered from foolish conversations.
AMFBeM™