THE SACRED ROAD TO EMMAUS

 

 

 

“Did not our hearts burn within us…….while he opened to us the scriptures?” was the heartfelt reflection of two believers who enjoyed the company of the resurrected Christ on the road to a village called Emmaus (Luke 24:32). 

 

The story goes that the Saviour joined two men, post resurrection, travelling to Emmaus, who were discussing the hottest topic of the day, His possible resurrection. The travellers told Him they ‘trusted’ the Galilean was the Messiah who would redeem Israel but were now sceptical because He had died (v 21). The Saviour was gracious even though He chided them for their unbelief (v 25). He then expounded to them all that was prophesied of Him ‘beginning at Moses and all the prophets’ (v27). His point was, ‘how is it that you know the scriptures but you don’t believe them’??? Indeed, many who were witnesses of His mortal mission did not believe Him because they did not understand the scriptures which testified of Him and what He would do as the Redeemer and Saviour of the world. 

 

Luke tells us that these disciples’ eyes were restrained from knowing Him (v 16a). Could it be that it was more important for Jesus that they believed on Him through the scriptures than through showing them His resurrected body? Did He not say to Thomas, 'blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed'? (John 20:29)

The lesson is this: the ‘burn’ comes from only one place: The Holy Ghost. The lesson is also this: the Saviour is in our midst STILL through the medium of The Holy Ghost. It is he who can open our eyes and our hearts so that we will not only believe but KNOW Christ. And where is the Christ most if not in the scriptures? If we study the scriptures without the presence of the Holy Ghost we are just building upon our knowledge and not our testimony. We need to feel ‘the burn’ to know. We all know what we must do to be worthy of his sacred companionship. As you travel on your personal road to Emmaus may the scriptures be burnt upon the tablets of your heart and may you know, and not just believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. He is the Resurrection and the life. He is the Redeemer of your soul. He is the road…… 

 

 

I gave you My all:

My heart, my body, my soul.

I paved the way

And conquered death.

I am in your midst;

I am the only,

I am the last,

And I am the first.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Road to Emmaus by Liz Lemon Swindle)

NURTURED BY HIS WORD

 

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast upon Thy holy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there;

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

In studying the New Testament this year, I have become enthralled with Jesus’ fame among the common people during his earthly ministry. His popularity became so great  that wherever He went great multitudes followed and at times so thronged that they impeded  the Saviour’s movements. It often made it impossible for Him to effectively deliver a discourse. Such was their desire to hear the new doctrine and words of eternal life He could give them. The multitudes that pressed upon Him so eagerly made it necessary for the Saviour to preach to them from a ‘small ship’ which was kept in readiness on the beach in Galilee (Mark 3:8,9). 

 

This has made me see how eager we should be to hear the Saviour’s words so readily available to us through the scriptures that sit on our shelves and do not necessitate that we even leave our house let alone sit on the shore of some sea. Yes, listening to the Saviour in person would be the next level of spiritual feasting, as Nephites of old could attest, and this is something to look forward to. However, we are not there yet. When Christ travelled on the road to Emmaus post resurrection, He simply expounded the scriptures which testified of Him (Luke 24:13-32) to two of His travelling companions, after which the two men proclaimed: “Did not our hearts burn within us while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32). As much as it would be wonderful to have Him with us, this for now is the next best thing. 

 

I testify to you that our hearts can burn within us as we study the scriptures.  I testify that He lives and He is all that the scriptures claim Him to be. I pay homage to the Holy Ghost who enlightens my mind and who increases my capacity to understand the words of eternal life and who brings me to the throne of God to reverence Him now and forever. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Nurtured by the Word by Greg Olsen)#