Text: Luke 24:13-35
Title: When Jesus Appears
Series: Lent 2001
Topic: Jesus/Christian Living
Theme: Living in Jesus’ Presence
Purpose: to be the Holy Spirit’s second witness challenging God’s people in my care to ask Jesus to make himself real to them so that he can reveal himself to others through them.
Response: Individuals will pray with me asking Jesus to reveal himself to and through them.
Pattern: A “Pastoral Care Intervention” that confronts our tendency to live as though Jesus is not present or relevant.
Visual Aid:
Intro: Can we be honest with each other for a few minutes?
Do you have difficulty experiencing Jesus’ presence?
Have you ever thought the Bible and prayer weren’t relevant to “real life?”
Do you act like Jesus’ presence is real? Relevant?
Sometimes we have difficulty experiencing Jesus’ presence.
It is one thing to know about Jesus.
It is another to know Jesus personally.
We even tend to separate the Bible and prayer from “real life.”
It’s one thing to read and study the Bible for encouragement and inspiration during hard times.
It’s another thing to read and study the Bible for instructions and guidance in our decisions and relationships
We are reluctant to really believe in the reality and the relevance of Jesus Christ.
It is one thing to believe Jesus is alive out there somewhere and to live as though we are alone.
It is another thing to believe Jesus is here with us and to live like it.
Listen to a Story of two men like us --
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
"What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "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; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 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. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
He said to them, "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?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
When Jesus appears to us he gets into our souls.
He will be our Host -- who provides and blesses.
He will set our hearts on fire with his love.
And when Jesus appears he gets into our conversations too.
He will be our Companion -- who comforts and encourages us.
He will be our Teacher -- who makes sense out of all our confusion, fear and doubt.
He will be our Topic of Conversation -- making himself real to others through our words.
THE BOTTOM LINE: ASK Jesus to make himself real to you
and to OTHERS THROUGH YOU.
Will you pray with me?
Jesus, You must make yourself real to me. Help me to experience your presence like never before. Get into my soul. Get into my conversation. Make yourself real to others through me. Amen
