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.
In this prophecy we have the objective of the change of heart..Our Lord will cause us to walk in Hs statutes. He will like the good shepherd use His stick to bring us back in line if we stray
But now we come to the extra ordinary message in an ordinary conversation Jesus explains what all these dramatic events of the Passovers mean
I will give you an illustration here of an ordinary conversation with and extraordinary message. I have a small Taxi business and my car is attached to Uber a ride sharing company. I share about Jesus to all the passengers. There was one boy Mahadev who got into my car one day. I opened the door for him and helped get his luggage in the trunk and he saw me and wondered why a person like me is driving a cab. I told him that I do a lot of church work also and like to tell people about Jesus. But he insisted on knowing why I drive a cab. I asked him if I could tell him a story from the Bible …and I told him the story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. How he did something reserved for the lowest of servants though He was Lord and God. Something clicked in Mahadev’s mind. He said if Our leaders do the same our country India would be a different level. He thanked me profusely when he got off at Yeshwantpur station I hope this ordinary conversation piqued his curiosity to know more about Jesus
b. Testifying the prophecies fulfilled
Coming back to Our Video Jesus explained prophecy to them an extraordinary message. In the Book Best is yet to come by Tony Evans here is what he said about prophecy
Someone who was good with numbers and probabilities figured out that it would require 200 billion earths populated with 4 billion people each to come up with one person who could achieve 100 prophecies accurately without any errors in sequence
Scripture affirms that prophecy in the bible is of God the Holy Spirit (2Pe 1:20) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.(2Pe 1:21) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
.Jesus fulfilled about 100 prophecies about Himself and this is what he showed them through the scriptures
Let us look at some that He fulfilled
1. He will be Born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2) But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
2. He must Suffer (Psalm 22:1-21, Isaiah 53:1-9)
3. He must rise again from the dead (Psalm 16;10, Hosea 6:2)
The two disciples heart burned
The Gospel: An Extraordinary Message
What an extra ordinary message in an Ordinary conversation.
Paul gave the same message to the Corinthians (1Co 15:3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,(1Co 15:4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,(1Co 15:5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.(1Co 15:6) Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
Jesus’ Suffering Death, Burial and resurrection was no accident but was foretold in the scriptures
Eternal life is the free gift to all who understand this message and have this heart change that the prophet Ezekiel prophesized, which we Just read
Coming back to Gandhi Indians are not going to heaven because there is not one prophecy about him or even Mohammed for that matter
c. Jesus Revealed
The final revelation Of Jesus to these disciples was in the breaking of bread. Jesus’ Message to them and to Us; that what had happened he had told them at the last supper that it will happen. Eureka the two disciples’ eyes were opened. Jesus backed it with a sign that day he disappeared from their sight.
We must remember that the Evangelist Luke gives us this story as he said in the beginning of His gospel, prepared in an orderly manner and after thorough investigation so that even we after all these years must believe
d. Complete with the Miracle of His resurrection
Only His resurrection, completes the Full and final revelation of God for the salvation man. Jesus has spoken to us today and let us listen to Him. What Did the Author of Hebrews say
(Heb 1:1) Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (Heb 1:2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb 1:3) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Heb 1:4) having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Testimony of His resurrection
Our video ends with these two rushing back to Jerusalem to tell the others. Now that you know go tell the others as the two disciples did
Applications
With this narration then what do we take home. What must we do?
Easter has just gone we commemorated Resurrection day. You are doing an ordinary journey for the holidays. Your fellow traveller is friendly and strikes up a conversation. He finds out you are Christian and this gives you an opportunity to testify Jesus Christ. What did the disciples do? They testified about the man Jesus Christ and his mighty deeds. What does Paul teach? There is one mediator between God and man THE MAN CHRIST 1Tim2:5; Our testimony about Jesus Begins with the man Christ. Allow God the holy spirit room to act. Remember Jesus’ Death Burial and resurrection was not an accident it was foretold in the scriptures.
In an ordinary conversation you can give an extraordinary message that…..
The scriptures reveal Jesus read it distribute it. Provide for it. Many organizations give scriptures, but don’t have the reach that The Gideons in India have!!
Testify to His resurrection and access great (Prodigious Boundless excessive) grace Acts 4:33
