Encouragement

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Revelation Road (2) - Luke 24: 28-35

“As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if He was going further. 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.”

Cleopas and his friend had just spent quality time with Jesus, as He taught them from the Scriptures, and fired up faith within their hearts. They knew there was something special about this man who walked with them, but they were unable to see what it was. By the time they reached Emmaus, they were ready for revelation! Although it looked like Jesus did not intend to come into the house with them, they pressed Him to come in, because it would soon be night. In the culture and day, travelers normally stayed overnight in the home of a hospitable person who would invite them in.

Jesus was invited in as an honored guest. However, when they sat down to eat, He took on the role of the host, because breaking the bread and pronouncing a blessing was normally the job of the host. It was still the week long Feast of Unleavened bread which began the Friday before with Passover. When Jesus took the (unleavened) bread, lifted it up, blessed it, broke it, and gave some to the two men, a light came on within them both. Suddenly their spiritual eyes saw who sat before them. They were not of the twelve who had been at the Last Passover Supper, but they must have eaten with the Master many times, and seen Him break the bread and bless it in the same way. Their hearts probably beat faster, as revelation began to dawn upon them.

When Jesus gave each of them the bread, they saw the palms of His hands. They saw the nail marks – deep holes, still encrusted with dark, dried blood. Wounds that spoke of pain, of sacrifice, of a life that was given for theirs. The wounds were the evidence of His love! When they saw those hands they knew without a doubt! What further proof could they have needed! They touched those wounds when they received the bread, and they touched Love. They touched salvation, healing, deliverance, and everlasting life. They touched the greatest, most fiery passion this world has ever known – the Love which lays down its life for a friend; the love which gives unconditionally, and loves the unlovable; the Love which counts no cost. They touched revelation! They touched powerful, eternal, absolute Reality. They touched God!

We are told that Jesus vanished from before them, the moment they experienced the revelation of who He was. It was further evidence that this was no ordinary man – it was Jesus, the Son of God who had risen from death. They reflected and realized that their hearts had been ‘burning’ within them only because it was Jesus who spoke the Word. They got up and walked briskly back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples what had happened, only to find that they had a similar story to tell!

Precious people, God has deeper revelation for us all. There is so much He wants us to know and experience, and it all comes when we hunger for more and allow His Word to burn in our hearts. Because He is awesome Infinity, there is no limit to how much we can know of Him; wherever you are in your walk with God, there is more, and still more! Being connected to Jesus has to be the most beautiful and exciting relationship anyone could ever have!

There are some threads of Truth which can be drawn from this passage of Scripture.

1) Jesus came into the house and stayed with them because they wanted His presence and urged Him to stay. Jesus comes where people are hungry for His presence and long for Him to stay and have His way. There are too many believers who will never know the reality and the excitement of His physical presence because they never sought Him or longed for Him to come and stay. It is the presence of Jesus that brings us to deeper revelation and sensitivity to the supernatural.

2) The Word (bread) brought revelation. Jesus had been “breaking the Bread” to them all along the road to Emmaus. Spiritual secrets are revealed when we devour the Bread of the Word. It works deep within our spirits to burst forth with life and power. Jesus said to the devil in Luke Chapter 4 that man could not live on physical bread alone but on the Word (spiritual bread) that proceeds from the mouth of God. In John 6:35, Jesus declares “I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Jesus is the “Word made flesh and dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

3) They saw the wounds of Jesus – When Jesus broke the bread, the two men saw the wounds on His hands, with blood still barely dry upon them. We enter a relationship of revelation only through the precious blood of the Lamb of God who died for us. This is the first revelation – of salvation and deliverance through the Blood of Jesus. This is the doorway, and the entry into the supernatural dimension.

4) Their hearts were burning within them. As they looked back on their walk with Jesus, they realized that their hearts were ‘burning’ all the while He explained the Scriptures to them. Our hearts are the best witness of the presence of Jesus and the reality of His Word. As we read or hear the Word, it touches our hearts – the inner being. If you hear the Word being spoken and feel no stirring in your heart, then I would say that there was no presence of Jesus upon the speaker or the message. Spiritual revelation happens through the burning of the heart. It stirs faith; it brings understanding. There cannot be revelation without the burning and stirring of the heart.

5) Revelation brought release – The men had hitherto focused on their disappointment, and had seen the crucifixion of Jesus as a desperate defeat. Suddenly they were able to see beyond the horror of the cross. They were finally seeing into the awesome power of the resurrection, and that the death of Jesus was all part of the plan. There is always something good that can come out of a situation of pain. If we could look beyond the disappointments and difficulties of life, we would see a blessing, and a purpose. Greater faith, patience, empathy with the sufferings of others, and a deeper reliance on the One who sees us through it all. The power of the Resurrection could have never been possible without the pain of the cross.

6) Revelation brought supernatural strength and power. They had started the seven mile walk to Emmaus weary and discouraged. But revelation brought revolution, and they were filled with strength! Suddenly they saw the world in a whole new light. Although it was dark by now and not usual to travel at night, they were refreshed and invigorated. They were so motivated to share the good news with the other disciples that they set off enthusiastically on another brisk seven mile walk! I think we could all use some of that supernatural Holy Spirit energy which comes from the revelatory Word!

Precious people, resolve to seek the presence of God, and move on to a higher level of spiritual revelation and understanding. God has so much He wants to reveal to you which lies beyond the mundane melodrama of this earthly life! All the glories and eternal joys of Heaven are for you, and you can begin to experience them here and now – you are a citizen of the Kingdom! All you have to do is to seek and you will find; to hunger and thirst, and you will be filled. I look forward to hearing some exciting testimonies, as you set aside time to seek the Lord! Be blessed today!

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