Beloved Friends and Ministry Partners,

Greetings in the name of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ!

I trust you are doing well as you read this email.  It is 3:30 a.m., Resurrection Sunday.  I just finished reading my devotion from the Gospel of Luke 24:13-36.  I thought I would share with you my thoughts.  The passage was about the walk to Emmaus.  Jesus walked with two of His followers.  What made me think as I was reading, the two followers said, Jesus was a prophet and a mighty teacher.  And they had hoped that He was the Messiah.  After all the teaching and miracles Jesus did during His ministry, they still think He was just a prophet and a teacher?  And because of their ignorance, Jesus gave those two followers a personalized crash course on the Old Testament and Christian theology while they were walking (vv. 26-27).  Jesus explained how the Old Testament points to Him and God’s plan.  Also, something to think about, I wonder why God prevented them from recognizing Jesus (v. 16).  Maybe you could help me with that question.

I do believe with all my heart that Jesus still reveals Himself to His followers today, but He does it through His Word and the Holy Spirit. He may not appear to us in the same way He did to the disciples, but if we sincerely study God’s Word and seek Him with all our heart, Jesus will reveal himself to us.  My prayer is that the Father will help us study His Word and to apply it in our daily life.  May He open our eyes so that we will see Jesus every day and in every area of our lives.  May we all come to know Jesus as a friend who walks with us; and like the disciples, may our hearts burn with joy as Jesus reveals himself to us each day through His Word.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Happy Reading and Be Blessed!

The Walk to Emmaus

(Luke 24:13-36) NLT

¹³ That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. ¹⁶ But God kept them from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?”

They stopped short, sadness written across their faces. ¹⁸ Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, “You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days.”

¹⁹ “What things?” Jesus asked.

“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. ²⁰ But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. ²¹ We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.

²² “Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. ²³ They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! ²⁴ Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, his body was gone, just as the women had said.”

²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸ By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on, ²⁹ but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. ³⁰ As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. ³¹ Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

³² They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

³⁵ Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. ³⁶ And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

Glory to God!