Thoughts From Luke - Day 104

                                   Luke 24:13-32

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.
¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
¹⁹ “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. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ 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. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ 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.
³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² 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?”


            Do you have any friends? Are they believers or unbelievers? If you have some friends who are believers, what kind of conversations do you have? Do you discuss spiritual things? Do you discuss current events and how to view them through a Biblical worldview? As I look at this passage, what jumps out at me today is this - two followers of Jesus are walking down the road together (riding in a car together) and are discussing current events and how to interpret them in the light of what they believe about Jesus.

         My wife and I have these discussions. I can't imagine what it must be like to be married to an unbeliever - you wouldn't be able to bring up spiritual matters because it increases the friction in the marriage. We discuss passages of scripture that we just read that morning and what God taught us. We discuss what is going on that day and what we need to be praying for. I wish I could say that we both believe the same and experience wonderful unity, but in fact, our discussions on politics, homosexuality, view of scripture, immigration, etc., in light of a Christian worldview, often leads to disagreement as we see things differently. Rather than get mad at each other, we really ought to rejoice that we are both concerned with putting Christ at the center of life and His Word as the authority (even though sometimes we interpret it differently)

        This weekend my wife, daughter, and I were sitting in the living room of her condo in Atlanta and started having a conversation about churches and as we batted around the topic of growing from the messages given by the preacher at a church, we came to the conclusion that none of us really grow from our preachers. So, rather than hunting for a new church, we realized that we grow from our personal studies of scripture and being put into situations where we have to serve outside our comfort zones. Our pastor should hopefully instill in us the desire to chase after the Lord, so we leave the church inspired and challenged to know Him more. Why am I sharing this? It is because talking with fellow believers about spiritual matters corrected my long held belief that leaving a church because you aren't being "fed" is a legitimate reason for leaving a church. It's not!

      What happened when these friends walked along the road and discussed spiritual things? Jesus showed up and taught them. They were "foolish and slow to believe" and Christ helped them to grow in their understanding. I would say that my wife and daughter have grown through Bible Study Fellowship more than anything. They have a three pronged approach where they have personal Bible study on a passage through the week, they meet in small group and discuss these things with fellow believers, and then a speaker teaches on the passage. If it was just a Bible study and a message, I think the growth would be limited. It is the discussion with fellow believers, I feel, that makes the growth take off.

      I encourage you to get in some sort of discussion group and watch and see. Christ will meet you there and grow you!