Luke 24: 33 - 36
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
I'd never noticed this before, but the guys on the Road to Emmaeus got to see Jesus twice. We had just discussed the importance of having Christian friends, but not only that, discussing spiritual things with your Christian friends. Discuss current events with them and iron out what your world view should be in light of scripture. But here we have the two guys telling others their testimony and the proof of the resurrection and meeting with a group of fellow believers only to be rewarded with the presence of Christ. So if our goal as a Christian is to develop a closer walk with the Lord, experiencing His presence in our lives, we need to be sharing our faith.
I have been to a lot of witnessing seminars (because it's a lot easier learning about it than doing it - sort of like pastors doing series on Revelation generally spend a disproportionate amount of time on chapters 2 and 3), and the thing that they all have in common is they all stress sharing your testimony - it's the one thing an unbeliever can't dispute. Lately, people like Andy Stanley and Tim Keller have been stressing the importance of arguing the resurrection with skeptics rather than going down all the other rabbit trails because there really is no credible argument against it. In this passage, even though the two guys are talking to followers of Christ, we see the Emmaeus friends sharing what they had seen and heard, their testimony, and giving proofs of the resurrection. There is something supernatural that happens when you share your faith with an unbeliever, that is hard to explain, but you definitely feel the presence of Christ. In the gospels, Jesus tells the disciples that when they are brought before hostile judges to give an account of their faith, they are not to fear because Jesus will be there giving them the words to speak. Also, Paul says in Philemon 1:6
"I pray that you might be active in sharing your faith so that you might understand every good thing you have in Christ" NIV84
Are you looking and praying for opportunities to share your faith on a daily basis? Start today! Do you want to see Christ today? How about witnessing. I will not leave my office today until I have talked to someone about Jesus. What about you? And unlike Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses who are doing it to earn their spot in the afterlife, we are doing it to get to know the one we love, more and more, and to get a taste of his presence long before we assuredly go to be with Him forever.
I have been to a lot of witnessing seminars (because it's a lot easier learning about it than doing it - sort of like pastors doing series on Revelation generally spend a disproportionate amount of time on chapters 2 and 3), and the thing that they all have in common is they all stress sharing your testimony - it's the one thing an unbeliever can't dispute. Lately, people like Andy Stanley and Tim Keller have been stressing the importance of arguing the resurrection with skeptics rather than going down all the other rabbit trails because there really is no credible argument against it. In this passage, even though the two guys are talking to followers of Christ, we see the Emmaeus friends sharing what they had seen and heard, their testimony, and giving proofs of the resurrection. There is something supernatural that happens when you share your faith with an unbeliever, that is hard to explain, but you definitely feel the presence of Christ. In the gospels, Jesus tells the disciples that when they are brought before hostile judges to give an account of their faith, they are not to fear because Jesus will be there giving them the words to speak. Also, Paul says in Philemon 1:6
"I pray that you might be active in sharing your faith so that you might understand every good thing you have in Christ" NIV84
Are you looking and praying for opportunities to share your faith on a daily basis? Start today! Do you want to see Christ today? How about witnessing. I will not leave my office today until I have talked to someone about Jesus. What about you? And unlike Mormons or Jehovah Witnesses who are doing it to earn their spot in the afterlife, we are doing it to get to know the one we love, more and more, and to get a taste of his presence long before we assuredly go to be with Him forever.
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