... And why are you sad?

STUDY: #855 CHURCH IN THE HOUSE FROM: APRIL 28, @ MAY 4, 2015

Topic: "... And why are you sad?" Luke 24:13-32 They crucified the Lord on a Friday. And on Sunday afternoon, two men who had believed and followed the Lord, walked out of Jerusalem, towards a village called Emmaus. It was dusk, sunset, nightfall, the end of the day. And that was how they felt. Nightfall came and darkness fell over them. Their hopes had been withered. (Luke 24:13 "Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.") They were very sad (vs. 17), concerned by the fact that the Lord was no longer with them! Perhaps they thought: "Now there is no happiness, hope, enthusiasm, joy and the peace we had when he was among us!" They were discussing the facts of the event occurred (Vs. 14). Without hope they felt defeated, breathless. With the crucifixion, and death of the Lord everything was over for them! Now, everything was dark for them. But they hadn’t met Jesus IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. Their brain, eyes, and ears had grasped Him, but their spirit still had to do so. The same thing can happen today. We can know about Him with our intellect, from what we hear and see, but still not come to know Him in our spirit. When our spirit perceives, receives and begins to have a communion with Him, everything is different. We will no longer walk in a sad sunset of doubt and discouragement. We will no longer walk into a nightfall (dusk), but towards A DAWN! When we come to know Jesus in spirit and in truth, WE HEAD TOWARDS A NEW DAY! TOWARDS A NEW LIFE! We don’t have before us a night that falls upon us, but a dawn that breaks the darkness! In the pain of their "disappointment", this was something that the two that were on their way to Emmaus did not realize. For those disciples, there was no explanation for what had happened to their Master. They said, "About Jesus of Nazareth… 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." (Vs. 19, 20) In their minds, the worst had happened. “But we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel …” (Vs. 21) They thought: All is lost, there is no hope for Israel! Even worse; “And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.” They thought: “Now we go back home, with our hope dead, and empty-handed; when before we were so full of illusions! The promises have vanished for our people of Israel.” They had also heard of other events: "In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning, but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.” (Vs. 22, 23) Others have gone, and say the same thing (Vs. 24). But not all have seen Him. The last thing they would have thought is that they were travelling with the one who had risen. It was impossible for them to think that the Lord was their fellow traveler. They were walking alongside Jesus who had risen, and entered into glory (Vs. 26)! They were talking to someone they thought was oblivious to what had happened in Jerusalem. They were discouraged, and that’s what Jesus wanted from them; to expose their grief, so that He could let them see who He is. Jesus called them fools (Vs. 25). Those who do not show good judgment and maturity, without understanding are lost. They had expressed (Vs. 21): "But we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem

Israel." Their hope was dead, and buried. Jesus pointed their lack of understanding since Moses, and all the prophets spoke of this event (Vs. 27). He let them see the reverence that they should have for the Old Testament. The main subject in the Old Testament is the Messiah, the Lord. Jesus pretended to go farther than the village of Emmaus (Vs. 28). The resurrected Messiah did not need food nor shelter, but the disciples did. More so, they needed Him; to hear Him; TO IGNITE THE HOPE THAT HAD DIED WITHIN THEM! They invited Him to stay (Vs. 29). And Jesus stayed with them. When they sat to eat, He blessed the bread as he accustomed. The spirit of the disciples acknowledged the Lord’s wonderful voice, and they recognized Him. But He disappeared (Vs. 30, 31). How wonderful is the Lord! He wanted to be "detained" by the two men who were drowned in despair. It was their interview with Jesus, to let them see that He had risen. Along the way He had awakened a longing in the hearts of his companions that would not be easily silenced (Vs. 32). Initially, the stranger had surprised them by taking the place of the master of the house, at the head of the table; in an act which reproduced the whole scene from the Last Supper. Now they knew that He had risen. And although He had left, their hearts would continuously burn. It was no longer about having Him physically, and being able to hug or hear Him. Now it was about believing in Him, and living in all that He produces for those who have met Him IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH. THEIR HEARTS HAD ALREADY BEEN LIT FOR THEIR LORD! They were no longer living in a sunset, in a sundown that would fade away in sadness. They had met Him in spirit and in truth. Now JESUS HAS AWAKENED IN THEIR LIVES! As disciples with a faithful heart, they had to share with others: THAT JESUS HAD WALKED WITH THEM, AND THAT FROM NOW ON THEIR HEARTS BURNED FOR HIM! Amen.