Last week, we talked about being a doer and not just a hearer of the Word. In order to be a spiritually mature Christian, both are necessary.
This week, we will focus on one of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. After Jesus rose from the grave on Easter morning, He appeared to various people at different times for a period of forty days. After this, Jesus ascended into Heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father where He is making intercession on behalf of all those who have placed their faith and trust in Him.
During Jesus' forty post-resurrection days on earth, the Apostle Paul states that Jesus appeared to all of the apostles, James, and to over 500 other witnesses. As we can clearly see, there are plenty of eyewitnesses to Jesus' resurrection.
In our Scripture passage today, we see the account of Jesus appearing to two men on the road to Emmaus. Two men were walking the seven mile distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus. As they walked along, they discussed all of the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus.
As they were walking and talking, the two men were suddenly joined by another man who began walking and talking with them. This other man was Jesus. But, the two men didn't recognize Him.
Jesus asked the men what they were talking about as they walked down the road. One of the men recounted the story of Jesus being crucified and how they had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would redeem Israel. The men then said that some women were told by angels that Jesus was alive. The rest of Jesus' disciples hadn't seen Him.
Jesus said in verse 25, "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?"
Jesus then went through the entire Old Testament explaining to the men the Bible's teaching about the Christ. I would have loved to have been there to hear Jesus' teaching. That would have been tremendous.
As night approached, the men stopped for the evening, and Jesus joined them. As they shared a meal together, the men's eyes were opened and they recognized the risen Lord. Immediately, the men went to tell the disciples everything that had occurred.
What strikes me about this passage is how the two men could have failed to recognize Jesus. Over the years, I've heard many explanations as to why the men didn't recognize Jesus. I don't really buy into any of them. From what the passage states, the two men were supernaturally prevented from recognizing Jesus until Jesus revealed Himself when they all broke bread bread together.
I know this much, in our own day and time, we often don't recognize the presence of Jesus or the work of the Lord in our lives. It isn't until sometime later that we realize what the Lord is doing or how He was working in a given situation.
I know that in my life I fail to recognize the presence of the Lord even though I know that He will never leave me or forsake me. When I'm depressed and really down I often feel as if I've been abandoned by God and all people. It's not until I read the Scriptures or hear an encouraging word or song that I realize that Jesus is present in my life even in the midst of the hardest and darkest struggle.
Sometimes we don't recognize the presence of Jesus in the people around us. Matthew 25 records the events surrounding the coming judgment seat of Christ. In this passage, Jesus says that when you have done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto Him.
Jesus was present in the hungry person who needed something good to eat. Jesus was present in the person who needed a warm coat on a frigid day. Jesus was present in the lonely person. And Jesus was present in the room of the sick and suffering who needed someone to be with them in their darkest hour.
So many times we pass by a hurting world on our way to church or Bible study thinking that that is where we will have an encounter with the risen Lord. We fail to recognize that we will truly see Jesus in the face of those who life has hurt the most.
Many also fail to recognize the presence of Jesus in Communion. When we as believers partake of the bread representing Christ's broken body and the wine representing Christ's shed blood, Jesus is spiritually present within these elements providing us spiritual sustenance. We fail to recognize Jesus when we don't properly reflect on the true meaning and importance of Holy Communion.
Maybe you are one who hasn't recognized the fact that Jesus is knocking at your heart's door asking to come into your life. You haven't recognized that Jesus is the answer to the problems of life. I urge you to open the door, and let Him in today. May God bless you all. Amen.
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