Ordinary Conversations With An Extraordinary Message

Pre-Introduction:

Prayer: Father unfold the scriptures to us as your son did to the disciples on the road to Emmaus

Introduction:

Our passage for meditation is the Gospel according to Luke.24:13-35. The narration of the encounter of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus

We know Gandhi laid down his life for our country. What if I tell you that because of this great sacrifice all Indians are now going to heaven? Isn’t this totally unbelievable. But if I say he paid the price for our freedom from British rule with his life you would readily agree as this is written in the History books.

The narration of this event on the road to Emmaus is something like this. But the difference is that it is an Extraordinary message in an ordinary conversation in an ordinary Journey

This is the title of the message today

Ordinary conversations with an extraordinary message

An ordinary journey

The narration has a lot of drama and would make a good short dramatic video for WatsApp like the trailer on the life of martyr Graham Stains. A trailer on how Jesus revealed Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and imagine that like you are on an ordinary journey in a bus and have this video that was made, and you are showing it to a fellow traveller.

This video shows the two disciples walking on the road and discussing all the events that had recently happened at the Passover. Jesus’ trial before the Jewish High priest and rulers in the Sanhedrin where he was condemned to death, His trial before Pilate and His Death and burial. They seem abjectly disappointed because they thought that Jesus was the Messiah who would redeem Israel but now, He is dead. But they heard strange news this morning. Some women found the tomb empty and they testified that Angels told them that Jesus is risen, that he is alive. This is half way through the video. Up to this part the Video is inter spaced with vivid scenes of Jesus’ life and Trial and crucifixion

The disciples were returning home from the Passover and a stranger Joins them now the Video has an exchange of conversation of the disciples with the stranger. The stranger is Jesus, but they did not know it as Jesus had hidden Himself from their eyes much like many disciples today who know all about Jesus but do not know Jesus himself. This was a life changing Journey for the two disciples.

The scene in the Video shifts to the conversation with this stranger the conversation is a short seminary course or a bible Study

An ordinary conversation with a stranger

a. Testifying Jesus’s life

What are you two taking about you two seem to be having an animated conversation about some things Jesus asks?. Cleopas one of the disciples asks Jesus are you the only visitor to Jerusalem that does not know all the things that have happened at the Passover. Jesus feigns ignorance What Things? He asks. Then the Disciples testify about Jesus lets us read this testimony.

(Luk 24:19) And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,(Luk 24:20) and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.(Luk 24:21) But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. (Luk 24:22) Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,(Luk 24:23) and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.(Luk 24:24) Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

Their knowledge of Jesus was much like many disciples today. They know all the stories about Jesus. These two disciples did not yet know him as Messiah. Up until now it is an Ordinary conversation then Jesus explains the extraordinary message about

“O Foolish ones” he cajoles them lovingly “ Slow in heart to believe ..” interesting here he says “of heart”; belief changes the heart. Remember Ezekiel’s Prophesy

(Eze 36:26) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.(Eze 36:27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.