THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
The road to Emmaus is a road that all Christians will walk at least one time in their lives. This road, Emmaus, is an essential part of a proper development in Christianity. We, as Christians, often take many roads in our lifetime: Roads to new horizons, roads to our risky entrepreneurship, roads to our hopeful endeavors, roads to discoveries of the unknown, and roads to a well-planned carbon printed to-do list by the age of 30. These roads are all well and many times purposed. However, there is a road that awaits every Christian. This is a lonely road. There are a few feets that know the way. Nevertheless, it awaits for you and I. This path is the road to Emmaus.
In the gospel, it ministers to us about two of Jesus’ disciples who were walking on a road to Emmaus. These men were talking about Jesus’ resurrection and how he had promised to them that he would be crucified and that he would be raised from the dead on the third day, after his crucifixion, by God in heaven. Jesus had promised his disciples, before his crucifixion, about his resurrection as a prophecy of himself that would come to pass. Although the two disciples had heard several reports about Jesus’ tomb being empty after his crucifixion, these two disciples still doubted that he had risen because it was actually the third day and they did not see him, only an empty tomb. They had unbelief of the promise that Jesus had told them.
How many times, we as Christians, have also doubted in our hearts and were filled with unbelief about the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? How many times, we as Christians, have doubted like the early disciples, because we also cannot see him? Many times some Christians doubt if he really exists, especially when difficult times surround us. How many times have we pleaded with tears, and on our knees, for God to help us through his Son Jesus Christ, and we don’t see him and our hearts fail us once again? How many times has God made us promises and we have waited and waited and fainted in heart on our way and given up because we don’t see the promises? Beloved, it can happen to any Christian. This is why the just (Christians) must walk by faith and not by sight. This is the only way we are to live. You simply cannot live your life as a Christian by what you see. It is about what you don’t see. Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God.
You see, as these two disciples doubted that Jesus had resurrected and they spoke to one another very melancholy and sad about it, Jesus joined them on the road to Emmaus. Emmaus is generally referred to in Hebrew as “hot spring” or alternatively a spring of salvation in Greek sources. Jesus asked the two disciples, “why are you so sad as you talk to one another?” And they replied to him, not knowing it was Jesus because their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Jesus started to minister to the two disciples as they walked the road to Emmaus about himself from Moses to all of the prophets concerning himself. Jesus was reminding them about the promises that the scriptures said about himself. Jesus was encouraging the two disciples in the same manner your pastors do every Sunday. Jesus was refreshing their spirits and hearts with that spiritual, marvelous, spring water that lives in all Christians, waiting to flourish out of your belly to nourish your daily walk with him as he promised in the gospel.
There is a spring of water that is living inside every born-again Christian that is waiting to come out and water all and everything that you walk on. This road to Emmaus is a must destination for all Christians. Yes, we all take the road to our vacations, and rightly so. However, there is another road that we must take to be refreshed with the hot springs on the road to Emmaus.
The spring waters are hot, therefore you can’t stay too long on this road, but long enough to be refreshed in the Spirit. You are on the road to Emmaus this very instant because you are reading this word from God and Jesus is walking with you on this road to Emmaus this very instant. It’s all so spiritual, beloved. Your Father God in heaven welcomes you to this road. And you say, “How do I find this road where there are springs of living water? Please show me.” Beloved, it lives in you, Christ in you, and the hope of glory. We tell you, again, you are on the road to Emmaus right now because you are reading this word from God and Jesus is walking with you. Every time your pastor teaches you the scriptures, every time your pastor preaches to you the gospel of Jesus Christ, every time you, yourself, read God’s word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God’s Holy Bible, your hearts will be ignited with fire every time. Your hearts will burn for Jesus and the springs of living water will flow from your belly and nourish yourself, your family, and all that belongs to you. The spring living water is within your bellies and the fire of God burns in your hearts by the hearing of the word of God. This is what the two disciples said to each other after Jesus had opened their eyes and they knew who he was and then he vanished immediately. The two disciples looked at each other when Jesus vanished and said to each other, how could we have not known that it was him? How could we not know that we were talking to Jesus that was raised from the dead? How could we have not known? Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked to us?
Jesus is the word. Beloved, your hearts are burning this very instant as we are expounding and ministering this word to you about Jesus. Church, be not cumbersome about what you see. Only believe that Jesus is preparing right now as I preach to you, a place for us. Only believe that the just shall walk by faith! Only believe that Jesus Christ will return with glory for his bride, the church! Only believe that Jesus has not forsaken us! Go to church, beloved! Go to church, beloved! Let your pastors preach and teach to you about Jesus the way we are preaching to you this very moment! Enlarge your territory! Take a walk on the road to Emmaus. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ. May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
“And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (LUKE 24:31-32).
“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (JOHN 7: 37-38).
“ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (JOHN 14: 1-3).
You may also read Luke 24:13-35 for the entire journey to the road of Emmaus.
Reverend Helen Trower
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