Maybe a special friend of yours has let you down, or moved away
and lost contact with you. Something much worse made these two
people very sad. As they walked along the road to a village called
Emmaus, outside Jerusalem, 1*. they talked together about the events
surrounding the horrible death of their Friend, Jesus.
But, what they discovered that day can help you!
Someone came along and walked with them. It was the risen
Jesus! but they were kept from recognising Him. He asked, "What
are you discussing together?" They stood still, their faces
downcast, and said, "Do you not know the things that have happened
in these days?"
"What things?" He asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet,
powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief
priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death,
and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the one who
was going to redeem Israel.
"And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
Some .. women .. went to the tomb early this morning but didn't
find His body. They .. told us that they had seen .. angels, who
said He was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb
..but Him they did not see." 2*.
The stranger then said, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart
to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ
have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?" And ..He
explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning
(the Christ) " 3*.
As they listened their sorrow was turned into great excitement! Now
they could see that all the things that had happened to their
Friend Jesus were the very things the prophets had written about
long ago in the Scriptures - even the fact of His rising again
after three days! 4*.
At Emmaus they invited this man who had proved such a Friend by
helping them understand the Bible to come and stay with them that
evening. Later as they ate together their eyes were opened to
realise this "Friend", who had given them faith to believe, was
Jesus Himself! Then He disappeared from them. 5*.
Jesus was alive to save and to keep them!
Forgetting their sadness they returned to Jerusalem to share their
great news. 6*. The
disciples there needed no convincing; they were saying, "It is
true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 7*.
Surely by now all that had happened to Jesus Christ was beginning
to make sense to them. Jesus had told them beforehand that all
these things would happen 8*. and now they had seen it for themselves!
Now they should believe that just as there was life after death for
Jesus, so there would be life after death for all who trust in Him
as Saviour. 9*.
Jesus is the only One who will never disappoint you or fail
you, if you put your trust in Him as your Priest and
Saviour. 10*.
You are sure to be let down by friends and religious leaders, but
read about this ever-living Friend in
Luke chapter 24, verses 13-35.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Footnotes. Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke
23:13-14.
2 Luke 24:16-24.
3 Luke 24:25-27.
4 1st Corinthians
15:3-5.
5 Luke 24:28-31.
6 Luke 24:33.
7 Luke 24:34.
8 Matthew 16:21. 17:22-23.
20:17-19.
9 1st Corinthians
15:20-23. Romans 6:8-11.
10 Hebrews 13:5-6.
7:23-28.
